Good evening from Domododovo (Moscow Airport)!
So, a few weeks ago we made our flight reservations (aeroplan) and then we booked a seperate ticket from Moscow to Volgograd. Moscow to Vologograd wasn't until the morning of the 12th. Its the 11th today. Anyways, no big deal. We wouldn't have seen Little D today anyways. So, we booked a night at the Ramada just by the hotel. It wasn't clear from the website if there was a shuttle or not. If there was a shuttle, we would just have to find out at the airport. What ever. So, here I was thinking upon our arrival at 6:30 pm tonight that a cab would be way to expensive (that is what I was told) and that we should take a shuttle. Asked at the info desk and they said no, Ramada didn't have a shuttle (she spoke ok English???). She directed us across the street in front of the airport to an area where there were lots of busses, shuttles, etc. "Go to the one with the # 30 on it" and she gave us a peice of paper with a name on it. (its Russian and we had no clue what it said). We thought it was Russian for the Ramada. LOL. So, we all pack into this mini Van packed full of people. It was 25 RUB each (less than a dollar) so it seemed too good to be true. Driver didn't speak a letter of English, so we just went with the flow. Did I say it was over 30'c hered? It was not pleasant smelling in that van. So, about 7 minutes underway and after the first turn off the main highway we see the shiny white hotel with a big RAMADA sign in red. I looked at it like kid in a candy store....and we just kept on going. But I didn't get the candy...The hotel was over to the side off a short street... and we kept on going thinking that he was just going to make a loop and then drop us. Well, lets just say over an hour later, we are trucking through some side ally somewhere in the Moscow Region...sweating like pigs... we had arrived at the final destination to be told in Russian to get off now. Chris pulls out the peice of paper in his pocket and gives it to the man, the lights went off in his head. OK. So, this stop was actually about 2 blocks from the hotel in the middle of an odd back ally sort of place. By the way, this was not a legal shuttled. Our translator had told us about this back on our first visit. They are cheaper than taxis, make more stops than busses, and are non-insured. We kind of figured this when people were getting picked up and dropped off at these random places along side the road. I think the driver wasn't impressed with us from the start as our luggage took up enough space for at least 3 other passengers and additional income for him.
So, after 80 minutes (I was timing this from the kick off as we needed to guage how long it would take to get back to the airport in the am) there we were being told to get off this elite tour bus (not) at the side of the road with no sidewalks. As Chris is a navigational expert, he knew we were closer to the hotel. We had to lug our overweight and oversize suitcases (and me with my fancy purse filled with cash - smart) through this odd area. No sidewalk, just a grassy bumpy path... my arms are sore needless to say. As soon as we turn down the road where we see the Ramada sign, I kid you not, there were some lovely air conditioned red shuttles "Ramada Shuttle - Moscow - Domododovo"....be our guest, be our guest". There were at least 3 more in the parking lot at the hotel. Prior to this I almost passed out from laughing so much. Don't sweat the small stuff. (although this wasn't that small) whats the worse that could have happened... don't answer that one. We are so blessed to be able to see little D tomorrow I could have walked in mud with that suitcase for another hour. ??
Anyways, here we are at a brand spanking new Ramada Hotel! (maybe that is why the girl at the info booth didn't know about it). We are content after a nice meal and a glass of red. An early day tomorrow, but a successful one today. Touch base with y'all again tomorrow. xxoo
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