Every Move You Make, I'll Be Watching You

Relief, freedom, alleviation, solace, comfort, peace…

All of these words describe my thoughts when today, I was handed a package containing my passport stamped with the visa for my upcoming trip to Russia.

Reading the various forums to get info for the visa process, I had myself believing I would be in tears by the time I stepped on the plane. A flashback years ago to the problems I had getting my first passport.

On an interesting note, it seems the Russian government knew my itinerary beforehand. In order to request a Russian visa one must obtain a "letter of invitation" (LOI). This is pretty much a formality that shows you have been formally "invited" to the country. One can either request this (for a cost) from your hotel or from an independent service. I went with the independent service, filled out the requisite information, and sent it on for approval. In the space where you list your accommodations, it's fine to list just one and not all the hotels you are staying at.

I figured I would only list the first hotel since this was where I was going to be registered (another Russian requirement). I was surprised when a day later, my invitation came back approved, showing both my hotels. How they knew, I'll never know, but it was freaky nonetheless. The watchful eye of the former Soviet Union is still powerful.

So, with visa in hand, I am allowed access into the country of Russia. I still can't get over the fact I'll be there in three weeks.