First of all, it's time for some mea culpas. I've been a bit missing in action for the better part of the last year. Done a bit better keeping up on my blog, but 2018 was such a heavy travel year that I let a lot of things slip...like writing full-on trip reports. Right, I'll see if I can make up for that with this one. First few parts are already done, though I skipped the flight details, so I'll go back and complete those and then catch up. This was another one of those trips that turned out quite differently than planned, for a whole host of reasons. Work travel moved around, flights changed, but all in all, still accomplished a couple of things I really wanted to on this trip:
1) Spend some quality time in Berlin, and get a feeling if it really is somewhere I'd like to relocate for a few years
2) Cross the world's northernmost land border from Kirkenes, Norway to Murmansk, Russia
3) Spend some quality time in Moscow
Successful on all three counts, even more so than I had planned, so that was a bonus!
Before I get going, as always, if you'd like to check out any of my previous trip reports:
I. London to Iran and Afghanistan in a mix of C, F, and LCCs
II. Above the Arctic Circle with UA/CO/LH and SK in whY, C, and F
III. Around the World in 40 Days for 40 Years
IV. 8 Places People Who Are Right in the Head Do Not Spend New Years
V. 12 Countries, 10 Airlines, 4 Islands, 27,080 miles, 11 Days
VI. 6 Countries in 6 Days - Caribbean Island Hopping and first AA Experience
VII. Guyana, Suriname, and French Guyana with an unexpected sidetrip to Caracas!
VIII. To Haïti - for vacation and a milage run!
IX. Around Senegal and West Africa
X. 4th Annual New Years in Dangerous Places - Libya Edition
XI. Kosovo and FYR Macedonia - Milage Run in United Business + TK/LH
XII. Washington to Peru and Machu Picchu on COPA and TACA
XIII. To Johannesburg...for 36 hours!
XIV. Here a Stan, there a Stan, everwhere a Stan Stan....
XV. Air Burkina, Air Cote d'Ivoire and 7 countries in West Africa
XVI. Turkey for Thanksgiving....with a side of Tajikistan, Serbia, Montenegro, and Moscow
XVII. Into the Heart of Darkness... Congo, Angola, Gabon, OH MY!
XVIII. HI! Four Islands, Lots of Planes, Beaches, and Convertibles
XIX. Plenty of Salt, Not Enough Oxygen...a Trip to Boliva, Colombia, and Ecuador
XX. Learning to Relax - Long Weekend in St Christopher and Nevis
XXI. You're spending New Years WHERE? IRAQ? (2009-2010)
XXII. Pineapples, croissants, and neon OH MY! A trip to Hawaii, Paris, Andorra, and Vegas
XXIII. South Pacific, Israel, Lebanon - 6 weeks - 71,500 miles - 24 countries
XXIV. Sundae bloody Sundaes...a 2014 United Year in Review
XXV. Lakes, Lemurs, and Lithuania: Horton Hears a Houthi!
XXVI. First Americans tour to North Korea 2005 - Arirang Mass Games
XXVII. Doing the Needful - Lufthansa Business US to Chennai
XXVII. C-ing things: Canada, Curry, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Camels, Chengis Khan and China!
XXVIII. Learning my ABCs: Algeria, Bahama, Cuba and the Cubana IL-96
XXIX. Exploring ZMapp of West Africa...or how I got detained by the CDC
XXX. Transatlantic to Bangkok with United, Austrian, Air Canada, and Thai
XXXI. Being Lazy in Belize
XXXII. Quick Trip to Cape Town with United, SWISS, South African, and Lufthansa
XXXII. FUNny thing happened going to and from Tuvalu...Cathay F, Etihad Apts, Fiji Biz
XXXIII. Achievement Unlocked: AFRICA! Visiting Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal
XXXIV. FIN. (and thanks for all the fish)
XXXV. What do you do after visiting every country? RTW in First with NH, TG, SQ, QR, EK, LH
XXXVI. Rock in the Abkhazia - Progress on the Unrecognized Countries List
XXXVII. Collecting Continents: Circle of the World, but not RTW
XXXVIII. Cocoa Puffs? Nah, I'm coup coup for Zimbabwe!
XXXIX. My Struggle is real: 10 days in Germany with roundtrip Lufthansa First Class
XXXX. I hate tacos...said no juan ever! Off to Mexico City for work!
XXXXI. Sanding my Love to Uncle Bob - Back to Southern Africa
XXXXII. Pisco on Pascua? Por Favor! Looking for Aliens on Easter Island
Right, enough of the past, let's get on with the future. I'll break this up (I think) in these sections:
A) United Fauxlaris to Geneva and four nights in Switzerland
B) SWISS A220 to Berlin, and first three nights in Berlin
C) Three more nights in Berlin
D) Berlin to Kirkenes with Subpar Airline Systems (SAS) overnight in Kirkenes
E) Kirkenes to Murmansk by minibus, first night in Murmansk
F) Another day in Murmansk - foodie paradise!
G) Murmansk to Moscow, Moscow Part 1
H) Moscow, Part 2
H) Last couple of days in Moscow
I) Moscow to Washington with SWISS and United Fauxlaris with an overnight in Geneva
Right....so off we go!