As recounted in two previous blogs, I now have a Russian Visa but no contract yet. Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow. But we edged out our competitor and now just wait for the BIG boss to get back next week late. ALL power is concentrated at the top of any Russian or Ukrainian organization. This is a carry-over from Soviet times when there was only one ladder to climb and competition was cut-throat. If you delegated, you would likely find your desk in the hall some day.
I'm running out of time if I am to get anything done in October so today Tanya checked out train and plane schedules on the computer and on the phone with KiiAvia in Krivii Rih. Moscow to Abakan flies Monday and Thursday. No tickets to Abakan on Monday Oct 4th so we would fly 11:30 pm Thursday Oct 7 and arrive 5:30 am on Oct 8 and leave on Monday Oct 18. Ten days is a nice visit with family but too short to get anything useful done even if the contract was signed.
We could go Oct 4 via Krasnoyarsk and arrive in Abakan Oct 5 after a grueling 8 hour bus ride. I'm all for going anyhow and letting the chips fall, just to visit her family and lay some ground work for the project. Tanya has the tickets booked and we are driving into Krivii Rih with Andrei and Tanya to pay for them (about $1800 USD). My Tanya points out that a) she is a bad daughter and doesn't want to go to Abakan and visit her family until next year, b) it is no holiday for her regardless and c) if there are two moons in the sky and the contract is signed, our employer can send their agronomists and we can go in the spring and stay until the project is complete.
Tanya calls the travel agent in Krivii Rih. Forget Abakan, Siberia. Do they handle all-inclusives to Antalia, Turkey? They do. We are going for two weeks to Kemmer near Antalia, leaving Oct 10. Cost for the two of us a total of $1100 USD.
The Russian visa? Written off by your scribe as education - I need to learn to LISTEN to my wife.
The best laid schemes of mice and men go oft awry.
ReplyDeleteI take it your visa won't last until spring.
ReplyDeleteAs for our army we're having a hard enough time getting enough to make up for an aging population. Maybe a good thing.
Russian visas are for fixed days. Mine was 24 09 to 21 10 2010.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in Iran in 1999 it was for 9 days. Countries who fear foreigners for reasons other than "jumping ship" are very careful how long you stay, where you go and to whom you talk.