Just a quick note to let you know that I am finally in Russia! Woo-hoo! Caught a taxi to the Gdansk airport at 4am (way too early) and got to Warsawa just fine. In Warsawa had a four-hour wait and got kicked out of the waiting area by security (apparently I was supposed to wait in the coffee shop, not at the gate, who knew?). Those Poles...

Then when I went back through security to get to the gate they took my butter knife and fork away. Whatever. (They let me through the first time. Began to feel like there was an evil plot to keep in Poland).

Landed in Russia going "holy cow I'm in Russia" and the feeling hasn't really gone away yet. Filled out my migration card correctly, I guess, because I went through passport control and customs with no problems. Found an ATM and got some roubles.

These were useless for the taxi, however. I went up to the head mafia guy at the taxi bar and he said it would be 1800 roubles ($60) to get to the hostel. I told him that I was told it would cost around 1100 roubles ($40 US dollars). He insisted that that was the price. I told him fine, that I would take the bus, and started to walk away. He said "Oh, wait, maybe I can find someone who would be willing to take you for $40...in US money." So it was a good thing that I had my $60 emergency money in US bills, because I used $40 of it to have the mafia drive me to the hostel. Got here safely, despite some crazy driving, which I pretended not to notice since I didn't want to seem like THAT much of a tourist.

So am in the hostel now, all checked in, and am going to take a nap. Thank you, everyone, for your thoughts and prayers. Michael - good to hear from you. Glad that Miracle Ride went well. I will just have to post such glorious reports of Saint Petersburg that you and Angie are forced to come!! I think they have cruises from Saint Pete's to Finland, if you guys liked that cruise you went on....that would be cool....