Wordless Wednesday - Bride & MOH

Winter 2012 - Riga, Latvia

For my last winter holidays, I was clueless about where to go, who to go with and I'm tired of the same routine - planning a student budget trip.

So when Mail & Dyna invited me to join them,I agreed right away. Because of what?

Accommodation - checked

Flight tickets - checked

Tour plan - checked

My job is only - to PAY for all the above (except for the tour plan, of course)

Our journey began with an 8 hour train ride to Moscow.

Reached at 730 pm, had dinner and took the Sheremetyevo Airport Aeroexpress to catch our flight at 1130pm to Riga.

By the time we reached Riga, it was about midnight, local time. Showed the driver a photocopy of our reservation at Riga Style Hostel and he brought us there. 

Now funny story begins... 

The hostel is located on the top of a 10 storey building. Rang the bell but weren't entertained. It was -10C at that moment so you should understand if we were angry and throwing tantrums. Finally, a guy from the pub across the street saw us and opened the main door using his own key. Alhamdulillah, we managed to get in. We didn't  mind the 134 steps to climb while carrying our 10kg luggage because it was more than a blessing to actually be inside the building than frozen to death on the streets.

But that wasn't the end, because we didn't  get to enter the hostel and live happily ever after.

10kg luggage + 4kg handbang, 134 steps, at 130am, all I can think of was a comfy bed!

We knocked on the door like mad, but it was fruitless.

I gave up and felt like sleeping on the staircase. Dyna, the all time over achiever persistently kept knocking. Mail, being concerned as usual, ran outside to look out for another hotel, as he claim to see one on our way here, which was just around the block.

To cut the story short, we did check in to another hotel, and after telling the receptionist our sad story, she gave us 30% off. 

So we did stay happily ever after at Irina hotel, walked about around Riga's new city, had a breakfast buffet and headed to the airport just in time to catch our next flight, to Istanbul.

Riga city centre

Owh, I forgot to tell - actually, Riga Style Hostel wasn't the one to be blamed. Its not that they didn't entertain us or they did a mistake in our reservation. Truth is, we were the ones who went to the WRONG hostel. We booked a room at RSH to stay once we come back from Istanbul, not before going to Istanbul. 

OMG, suffering in the cold, climbing 134 steps for three times, knocking till you get sore knuckles, walking to search for a hotel at 3am and telling your sad story to bargain - that is the price to pay for being CARELESS!
Lesson well learnt that day!

Wordless Wednesday

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Mode : Super duper extremely highly elated!

Soundtrack : Blessed by Christina Aguilera

A quick update..

I'm currently at a place where I get to meet with the sun, more than just an hour a day, unlike in Mother Russia. Alhamdulillah.

How I wish time can stay still like this, at this very moment, with these very people.

But, life is like that, and I'm am grateful to at least get the chance for things to be as it is right now.

If and only if...

Back to enjoying every second left..

Back from Hiatus

Back from Istanbul, Alhamdulillah. I feel glad to be at home at last, but days in Istanbul are still playing over and over again in my head. I went there with my two favorite people, which without their presence, the trip wouldn't have been as fantastic as it was. Again, Alhamdulillah.

The city had me at first day. Fell in love with everything from the scenery, to atmosphere, to food, to people over there, to hospitality and all its living contents. The harsh weather (in comparison to normal weather in Istanbul but nothing compared to Russia's evil weather) failed to deter me from falling for Istanbul and my impression on it kept mounting as days go by throughout my whole stay.

No matter how happy you are, nothing compares to being beside your loved ones. I felt partially incomplete, as my family are still scattered around the globe. I guess I need another break ;-)

Can't wait to see them in quite some time....

p/s: will update more on my trip to Istanbul a.s.a.p, for the time being there is a whole lot of unpacking to do!

Hope that there'll be a next time...

NYE at Moscow (Part II)

Ok, so here we are at Old Arbat Street. It is a long pedestrian street that stretches about 1km , a perfect place to burn down all those calories from Chilli's (read : NYE at Mowscow (Part I))

The walkway was so peaceful and serene, all you can see are beautiful paintings everywhere and all you can hear is harmonious music that makes you feel like wanna jump into a bubble bath at that instant.

He played a song specially for us

Other street performers with their unique instruments

We were waiting for Armin to meet up, so we decided to just walk about and kill time that way

Dom Aktyora

Goofed around with a PINK ushanka - that I nearly fainted for

Still Armin wasn't here yet, and just after we were out of ideas on where to go - we found this...

It sent chills down to my spine, I came out from here feeling all nauseated

I swear I won't step inside that anymore!

Just by the time we came out, Armin arrived. Since I feel like throwing-up in any second, we straight away dashed to Cinnabon (ok fine, the throwing up part  is just an excuse)

it was more because of the cinnamon rolls

Armin suggested one place for us to visit or better know as - МГУ  or M.V.Lomonosov  Moscow State University. It is the top institution in Moscow and the main building is one of the Seven Sisters built during Stalin's era.

In front of M.V.Lomonosov's statue - a famous Russian polymath

Still it was too early to move to Red Sq where the countdown will take place, but all shops were closing/closed already by now. This is totally unfair? It's only 8pm people!! Left without a choice and since only coffee-house is open 24hrs on NYE, there we went to lepak - what a smart business strategy *pat on the back for CH*

I feel like having every single thing on the menu

Finally, it's the final countdown!!! We reached Red Sq around 11pm and the people there were like an endless ocean, more like a mob. We didn't dare to go close as there were so many screenings to go through. Afraid that it'll be difficult for us to run back to the metro station, once after all is over. Hence, we started playing smart and safe.

Welcome two zero one two!

Our train back to kursk was at 725am and it was only 12am at that moment so we thought to rest at the lounge in Kurskaya Vokzal. Unfortunately, we missed, not really missed but just let's say that we didn't manage to get on the last metro to Kurskaya Vokzal and were left stranded there in Red Square. How sad is that???!! 

However, just like a sign telling us, we stopped and sighed helplessly, and much to our surprise, Coffee House was just next to us. We literally ran inside and took our spots - which became our spot for a good 6 hours.

And we ended up doing....

One was fixing her hair & look

One was all sleepy dreamy creamy

 One was super duper hungry she feels like eating everything in 1m radius.

At sharp 6am we took the first metro and headed to Kurskaya Vokzal. In between, we made a quick dash to Park Pobedi station as it is known for being the deepest metro station in Moscow (and 2nd deepest in the world)

and of course it contains the longest escalator too. That is why Jackie Chan had a movie scene shot here, so he could have take 1 take 2 ..until take 20!

At last, the time to go back! What's funny is we mistakenly bought our train ticket and we ended up in a place like this...

For 8 and a half hours..could you believe that?!

But still, for how tired we were, we just slept all our way through..and reached Kursk safely.

Packing Is Always THE Hardest!

The picture says it all..

If anyone can give me magical tips on how to travel lite (and make it happen too), that'll be priceless. 

I need it more than anything right now.