I have just checked into my Aeroflot flight and will be heading to Moscow in a while. Russia, once a distant dreamland for me, is quickly going to become a reality as I will be touring the country for two weeks covering St. Petersburg and Siberia. This will be a journey into a foreign land and I am sure that I will face a few language problems as I believe no one speaks English there. But nonetheless, I am excited to set foot on the icy desert of Siberia, the birthplace of the notorious Rasputin, the monk who terrorised Russia during the reign of Tzar Nicholas.

India has long been a strong ally of Russia and I was surprised to find that the Rouble and the Rupee are almost at par in terms of currency value as 1 Rouble is 1.13 Rupees. The flights to Moscow, as well as the internal flights, are also modest in their cost. A Delhi-Moscow Aeroflot flight cost me Rs 13,500 and the internal flights to St. Petersburg and Siberia were Rs 3,800 and Rs 4,300 respectively. I am staying in modest hotels costing between Rs 3000 to Rs 4000 per day. All this was, of course, booked through Expedia.

The winter is approaching and it will be cold in Russia. I look forward to the local Vodka to keep me warm and, of course, the local women who, I believe, are quite inexpensive in terms of base rate. Of course, there will be the Kremlin, Red Square, the Cathedrals and the art museums.

Till then, hold tight and wait for my posts, videos and images from this great land who sent the first man and animal into space and, of course, the first satellite called Sputnik. Get ready to explore this world through my eyes!