The time has finally arrived!! I'm leaving Sunday August 6th for Moscow. I made a post a few months ago and said I would probably be terrified by now but I'm not. I'm excited! A little nervous but more excited. I read the forum here almost daily and gathered a lot of information that I will take with me. Thank you all! :)
I would like to share one thing with everyone. This is something that I never saw on the forum. It has probably been posted before and I missed it. When you go to Russia you have to have NEW MONEY! They will not accept money that is worn or even creased. I have been scrambling all week to get my bills exchanged. It's not as easy as you would think.
If anyone has any last minute advice I have two days before I leave, but I think I am well prepared.
We are going to spend the day in Moscow looking at the city then take a train to Saint Petersburg and spend 10 days there. I reserved a nice apartment about a 10 minute walk from the Hermitage.
I think I'm going to have one hell of a good time!
I will definitely tell you all about it when I return on the 18th!
It will be good to see your post on the 19th reporting success. It would be good also that you inform about cost and incidences in your trip, so it can helps others.
I think it depends on where you go. When I was in Moscow, I stayed at the Radisson, which was little different from staying at a Radisson at home (except the price) They had exchange services just off the lobby, the exchange rate was competitive and they took any US currency, any condition and any denomination.
Barfly,
I should have explained that better. I wrote it at 3:00 in the morning before work...lol.
It's the banks that won't take old bills to exchange them for rubels.
I wouldn't worry about cash, ATM's are readily available in Russia and Ukraine, also the use of credit cards are widely accepted. Why risk losing cash?