The Beginning pt. 1

Today I threw my visa-application at the Russian authorities, and the girl behind the desk at my travel agency told me I could expect to get my passport, with proper stamps granting me access to the largest country on the planet, back in about ten days, weekends included.

For some reason I thought there'd be much more red tape involved, not that I've ever had to provide proof of insurance for a visa before, but somehow this seems too easy. Maybe I've just been reading too many horror stories about the Russian immigration machine that chews you up and spits you out for any minor glitch in your application or travel-history or this or that.

We'll know more in ten or so days.

I also visited the library and borrowed a bunch of Lonely Planets on some of the places I've planned to visit. I'm trying not to read too much into this trip, and I'm going to try and find local contacts to guide me. Not necessarily to actually act as guides, but to tell me what I should probably do and see, what to avoid and so on.

Nevertheless skimming the LP's gives me some idea of where I'm going and what there is to do and see. On my previous trips I've learned that following the guidebook can, and most likely will keep you firmly inside the so-called travellers' bubble, a state in which travellers only visit the same places, eat and sleep at the same places and only really come in contact with other travellers.

I'm not saying the bubble is something to avoid at all costs. Travelling in the bubble is still fun and productive and will most likely result in great memories of awesome places and lifelong friendships with people from all over the world.

I just think that sometimes it's good to get a bit out of your comfort-zone. You can always return to the ease of bubble-travel if the going gets too tough.

We'll see how well I'll manage to break my bubble...