Everything has been ticked off.Houston, we have lift off.Inch of Snow Brings London to a StandstillRiga For A DayWe made it to RussiaRussiaAndy V, we thought you might like this!University: Learning Amidst HistoryWedding AnniversarySunday stroll in the sunZa Zdorovie! (Cheers!)Today's explorationsCathedral CentralThe week continued...by JodiBIG Weekend!Russian experiencesLast week in St Pete's(Mis)AdventuresMoscow - Some fun answers to prayerOrphanage visitKremlin+15C!Warning: Rambling AheadSpecial Birthday CelebrationsEaster partyAn afternoon in town.VNDKhOur last visit at the babies home10 girls and snow come to stayAuschwitzWieliczka, PolandZakopane, PolandLwowek Slaski, PolandPrague in SpringFour countries in one day.4 countries cont.Ancient Sea-side CityThe View From the Ferry Split - DubrovnikNothing to do by the seasideRainRome was seen in a dayThe 300km homestretch!Leon, SpainDay OneBloody Hard Work!Up the MountainSnow!Cacabelos Albergue is the best one we have seen yetBrazilian AlberguePerserverence has its rewardsFantastic Lonely ForestsLoooong DayWalking With WalterWet DayPerserverence pays againThe Final Stage
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Saint Petersburg, Russia
There is a national change shortage in Russia. 500 rubles is worth about $22 and you should see the look on a cashier's face when you try to pay for something worth $10 with a 500. "Don't you have anything smaller?" Wanting to avoid this onthe way home this afternoon and only having a 500 in my wallet, we decided to catch the metro home (for which we had tickets already) instead of a bus (which costs about 50c - way to much change trouble). The walk to the metro, which we, for some reason (we must have been really enjoying eachother's company) thought took 25 mins, actually took close to 50, much of which was over very slippery ice due to the "warm" weather. Finally making it into the metro station we relaxed, glad that we would be home in the next 40 mins. as a train arrived, about 4 men in black coats came and stood near us. I asked Tim to put his arm around me so it would cover the zipper of my backpack. as we got in the train, they surrounded us and sqaushed in close. I pushed hard and popped out the other side, grabbed Tim's hand and pulled him out too. After it was all over, one guy gave us an innocent dirty look, like, "what's all the pushing for?" Thankfully, they were completely unsuccessful, all our outside pockets just had dirty hankies and gloves. They didn't think them worth pinching. Then when we got off the metro, we decided to buy something so we could get change because we thought we deserved a bus home rather than a walk. we went into the shopping centre and, lo and behold, there is the biggest supermarket we've seen in Russia (don't be fooled, though. it was still about a quarter of the size of the one I worked in in Gulgong.) Getting excited, we started putting things in our basket like corn flakes and washing powder and 2 min noodles. May as well do the week's shopping while we're here. Got to the counter, remembering that I only had the equivalent of $20 in my wallet. So we watched carefully as the total grew, and only left the washing powder behind (the clothes can wait!) which left just enough money for 2 bus tickets. Walked outside, jumped on the first bus which had written on it a street we recognised and sat down. The bus left and headed the WRONG WAY down the street we knew, in around all these other streets we'd never seen and then I heard someone ask, "stop at the metro please." We were back at the shopping centre without a cent to our name, got off the bus and walked home.
On a much more encouraging note, we just had lunch with an Aussie lady from Canberra (Natasha Allitt or Ablott, we can't remember - she sends her greetings to Andy and Anne Grant!). She works with HIV orphans, mostly babies aged up to 4. It was excellent hearing her work and sharing ideas. Orphans here get split between age groups which means they never interact with kids other ages and when they turn 5, they get moved away from everything they know into a new orphanage. HIV/AIDS kids have an extra stigma. Hardly anything is understood here about the disease, carers often wear gloves when working with the kids, and they are never adopted or fostered. She has built relationships with orphanage directors and carers and has quite a raport. The group of volunteers which she runs, play with the kids in the orphanage, become responsible for a group and then follow kids up when they get moved or sent to hospital so they can maintain some constancy of relationship throughout their life.
One more week here. Please pray that we can meet the people we're trying to (including my Aussie lecturers Russian friends) and that things work out smoothly getting to Moscow and living there a month.
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