Way to Russia Talk Lounge

FleeForHighGround · Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 6:42 am Post subject: Planning a trip through Russia

I am planning a trip to start in 2008. What I have conjured up is to fly from Canada to Japan, buy a 4 wheel drive Toyota Landcruiser or similar, and take it by ferry to Vladivostok to start my tour through Russia. I will be travelling alone, but want to hire a "guide, cook, and companion", who wants to take a leisurely drive to Saint Petersburg.

My questions are:
How difficult is it to find a reliable guide, who can cook, and converse adequately in English?
How do you check a persons character, or are there reliable agencies to be found?
What sort of monthly salary would be required?
What is necessary to bring a used vehicle into Russia?
Can I drive with foreign licence plates?
Can I buy insurance if using foregn licence plates?
Can I sell the vehicle in Russia, or do I have to export it? What is involved in sale and in export?

Any experienced help would be appreciated. No wild speculation please.

DITTRICH · Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 10:55 am Post subject:

I have several observations...

1 Many bike people manage to get to europe from vladivostock without knowing any russian at all www.horizonsunlimited.com
Alternatively, since your starting 2008, plenty of time to learn at least some russian.
2 Since you don't seem to want to learn the language or even cook! I suspect you'll want to stay in hotels - so thats the cooking problem solved.
3 Do you really think you can meet a foreign person in a foreign country and understand whether or not you can trust them enough to come on a long trip as a paid employee? Its a risk - same as in any country - but you don't speak the language?! not clear if you can from the post. You're better off trying to find a Canadian who speaks some russian to join you on the trip. Alternatively - learn russian.
4 The transportation section of this website deals with the formalities of getting into/out of russia with a vehicle.
5 Importing or exporting vehicles - also dealt with in many other threads - just search for it.
Alot of the information you are after is actually on this site - if you can find the search button!
Les

FleeForHighGround · Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:49 pm Post subject:

Wow.

You must be lead player on the Olympic "Jumping to conclusion team"

(1) Thanks. (You should have quit here.)

(2) I intend to learn someRussian, but do not imagine I will attain complete mastery of the language. Having learned some Russian will not adequately serve to see someone through a visit to a burocracy such as you will encouter importing and selling a foreign car. Doesn't matter where you are, if you do not have excellent mastery of a language, or your intrepreter along, when dealing with officialdom, you are taking untold risks.

(3) I said, "How do you check a persons character, or are there reliable agencies to be found? " See the last part--An agency provided person who has been checked out. See the first part--asking if there are other ways of checking character--maybe something like Bonding Companies.

din din · Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 12:27 pm Post subject: remember

Please remember FleeForHighGround. Most of the poeple on this site are unpaid who are happy to share their experience. . As any other place ..... geeee...
I'll just give you my little advice, try the search function. It´ll answer all your questions.
That seems the way for you,:::

DITTRICH · Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 4:19 pm Post subject:

It is possible to assess posts asking for travelling advice based on the quality of the questions being asked.
As you may gather, I wasn't too impressed with your questions, FleeForHighGround. Hence the tone of my response.

(1) Noted.

(2) You need to research this topic on the site. I think you have an unrealistic idea to import a car and then sell it. It will cost you alot in customs duties and fees, time and aggravation and you will lose alot of money and time on the deal. You'll also get taken to the cleaners by the agents you employ since you can't do the job yourself. The mere fact that you are seriuosly asking the question without having done some basic research indicates that you have unrealistic expectations of what is and is not possible. The topic has come up loads of times and a fair number of people, including myself, have to tell people it's unrealistic.

(3) ...An agency provided person who has been checked out. See the first part--asking if there are other ways of checking character--maybe something like Bonding Companies...
Seriously, in the middle of Siberia miles from anywhere, do you think any of the above (even if it existed) is worth a (canadian) cent. I'm really laughing now, as I think you REALLY are serious, just on a different planet to the rest of us.

I have lived and worked in Russia for 4 years in Moscow and in Primorski Krai in the middle of nowhere. I am married to a Russian. I speak Russian. I visit there every year since leaving in 1998. I have a Russian driving license. I have taken a foreign car into Russia and driven about. I have driven a Russian car about. I have been in an accident there and made a successful insurance russian claim. In short, I know what I am talking about.

You need a serious reality check - Speak to someone face-to-face who has actually lived / worked in Russia (not just Moscow or StP). Then you may yet realise that you have serious under-estimated what is involved.

Have Fun

Les

Ekaterina

FleeForHighGround · Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 10:33 pm Post subject: Ekaterina-thank you

Ekaterina: Thank you. I was hoping someone who had some first hand knowledge would offer such good advice. I will wait, but will try to gather names and addresses of contacts. I believe I have adequate preparation time, for my trip, and I hope to have the discipline to learn to converse in Russian before 2008 rolls around.

Ed

FleeForHighGround · Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2006 6:09 pm Post subject: DIN DIN

Din Din:

You said" BTW. What are the untold risks you are talking about ?"

Did I say anything about "untold risks"?

The problem with using the search function is that it brings up a lot of the same sort of "speculative answers" like those I was trying to avoid by requesting first hand knowledge.

When you ask about importing a car, using it, and then selling it, you do not want someone telling you "that will never work, this will happen, that will happen, you are doomed." That is utterly moronic.

When you say you are planning to hire a guide and intrepreter, it does not in any way imply that you are not going to try to learn Russian. I had already placed an ad to buy a Russian language course.

Rattled off opinions given with a basis of fuzzy thinging is counter productive. Likewise I am not planning to stay in hotels, eating hotel food. Why would I want to travel with a person who can share cooking if that were true. See my point?

krasatulya · VIP Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 577

What makes you think that the way you phrase your question(s) is going to help you avoid the "speculative answers" that others, asking the same question(s), received?

DITTRICH · Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2006 8:59 pm Post subject:

This thread gets better and better!

Din Din correctly read FFHG's reply to my post. FFHG does mention "untold risks". He can't even remember what he typed before!
FFHG - if you don't listen to me, listen to Din Din who has approached his trip planning methodically. He has done some good research and he will probably succeed in doing something, no western european has yet achieved - read his threads.

The problem with using search functions...
Proper information on importing cars is on this forum. I searched and found it a long time ago. I concluded that importing and registering a car was not worth it. FFHG wants it all handed to himself on plate! If he can be bothered to plan such a big trip, why can't he be bothered to search for the information?

This will not work, that will not work...
Anything is possible given time and money in russia. However, some things are best left to the russians - permanently importing cars is one of these things. I'm not the only one to have said this in the past on this forum. And I just relocated a good thread about this within 30 seconds of using the search function. My opinion is neither moronic nor based on fuzzy thinking - its based on good information available on this site!

All FFHG's posts seem directed at justifying his initial post and ignoring the advice he is being given. Lazy and Stubborn - that's what it is!

After reading FFHG's response to Din Din's post I conclude he is beyond "help".

Les

krasatulya · VIP Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 577

I was thinking the same thing, Les, but you summed it up quite well in your post.

FleeForHighGround · Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2006 12:14 am Post subject:

I had already read, "Traveling to & from Russia by car, motorcycle or hitchhiking" and "Selling a Car in Moscow", which the search function turned up, prior to my first post asking questions that were NOT addressed there. And it is sadly bereft of facts.

The responses there were the same sort of unfounded opinion as I received in answer to my post; unfounded opinion, negativity, and childish bickering.

Ed

FleeForHighGround · Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2006 12:33 am Post subject: DITTRICH

Here is exactly what I said,

"Doesn't matter where you are, if you do not have excellent mastery of a language, or your intrepreter along, when dealing with officialdom, you are taking untold risks.",

and any normal well balanced literate person can see, read, and understand such a simple sentance.

But no, that would be too truthful and honest, to accept a sentance as fact, without going on to try to make a point at the expense of honesty, by making some inane unrelated comment based on two words, intentionally taken out of context.

Give me a break!!

din din · Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2006 1:27 pm Post subject: all the best

FFHG. You are asking and or behaving different form other people. This is not wrong or right. But so far, What you want are answers to your questions. So you should understand by now that you would recieve better help by rephrasing your questions. That's your challenge.

I DO hope you succeed.

DITTRICH · Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:02 pm Post subject:

Quote!
I had already read, "Traveling to & from Russia by car, motorcycle or hitchhiking" and "Selling a Car in Moscow", which the search function turned up, prior to my first post asking questions that were NOT addressed there. And it is sadly bereft of facts.

Another Quote!
What is necessary to bring a used vehicle into Russia?
[answered in the transportation section - idp, reg papers, insurance]
Can I drive with foreign licence plates?
[if you need your reg papers, isn't it obvious its your foreign vehicle]
Can I buy insurance if using foregn licence plates?
[again, obvious from the website and forum threads]
Can I sell the vehicle in Russia, or do I have to export it? What is involved in sale and in export?
[numerous threads, one of which is very very good with posts by Intourist, qwaal and others]

Since all the above website pages and forum threads are bereft of facts, then I really did do very well to take my car to Russia last year on holiday - 'cos I must have just imagined or guessed it all.

What a load of manure FFHG.

Les