10 things you should know if you are going to Russia

1) Start applying for your Visa first. Don’t purchase your air tickets nor book your accommodations. Heck, don’t even start planning for your trip before your get your Visa approved. 

2) Get a Russian guide/translator. You are absolutely fucking screwed if your don’t speak Russia/have anyone with you who speak Russian. Receptionists at 3star hotels in Moscow speak English. Trying to make them understand what the air conditioning is already takes up 10minutes.

3) (For girls only) Prepare crutches if you intend to be in heels anything more than 1inch. Walking on clobbered streets in heels = pain that can only be experience and not described.

4) Only do money exchanges in banks. Because at least they are not likely to cheat you.

5) Learn how to read Cyrillic. Or else you will get completely lost in the metro (and everywhere else). Although being lost in the Metro is a damn exciting and surreal adventure on its own.

6) Russian summer are not warm at all. And 17 degrees feels more like 7. 

7) Don’t expect souvenirs to be cheap. Don’t expect most things to be cheap in the first place. But they are not Icanneveraffordit expensive either. 

8 ) Expect alcohol to be cheap. Vodka, vodka, vodka.

9) Muscovites are not the friendliest people on earth. Which can be quite a challenge when you are lost. But they are generally nice after getting to know them.

10) Get ready to be overwhelmed.