Kay is in Moscow ...Russia, Not Idaho

When I called and told Frances dad made it to Moscow she was out of the loop and wasn't sure if I meant Moscow Idaho or Moscow Russia.

Our nephew Ben works with Kay in Omaha. He was a missionary for our church in Russia and has been home a little over a year. He has wanted to go back and found a killer deal. For just under $400 dollars they flew round trip from Omaha to Moscow Russia. They made the reservation almost 3 weeks ago on April 6Th but needed visas. I happened to have 3 passport pictures of Kay a few years old ("not to be more than 6 months old") but hey, he hasn't changed.

We found a middle woman and sent in the signed paperwork (signed in the Chicago airport on our way to New England) but the paperwork was sent back, the prices went up so Kay went and got another check (about 350 total) and was going to send it in again when the middle woman said she had arranged for him to get the old price and to send it in again, which he did .

We had only paid for the 3-5 day service to start out with and found out 2 days before leaving he would not get his visa but apparently Ben called the consulate and asked them to slip Kay's into Ben's packet. We didn't know if they actually did this so we were on hold. a day before they left, Ben's and Kay's passports and visas arrived in separate packages (go figure?) and the middle woman, after that, emailed Kay to apologize for him not being able to go on his trip. He would have lost all his money he had paid for the flight and the visa.

Anyway, they made it. They each took a 15 lb back pack and are meeting Ryan Dalrumple, who worked for Kay last year and was Ben's favorite missionary companion, there tomorrow.
Because it was on Vayama and maybe so last minute, we couldn't get them seats on-line so some how they got seats on the plane. Here is what he wrote:

"The flight was surprisingly good. I think we both got enough sleep even though we were in coach and restrained to one seat each. We got into Moscow in the evening and took the bus and metro to the hostel. It took about 30 minutes to figure out the hostel was around the building numbered 49, then through an alley and hidden in a corner. Once we found it they did not have our reservation. Ben showed them a confirmation email and he sent us to another hostel at least a 30 minute walk away. We finally got checked in a little after midnight. The hostel was about half full. 7 bunk beds in our room. I slept quite well until 8am. We just showered and are on our way to 11am church."

Kay asked if I wanted to go? Been there, done that, no thank you. Russia is a dank, dark, grey, Godless country in my ever so humble opinion. I loved being on a tour there, going on a boat (not as ship) with a cafeteria, I loved visiting the small villages but this trip is "off the seat of their pants" Maybe hanging around members of the church with hope would be OK but "no thank you." Kay likes adventure and no plans.

As I remember our last trip to Russia about 16 or 17 years ago. People would stare at him and we decided he looked very Russian. He needed to keep his mouth shut. we even had women come up to me to tell me how handsome my husband was. Kay was shocked! Never in his life has anyone told him how handsome he was (except me). He just couldn't understand it. Even teenage girls said it....... hummmmm, maybe I should have gone.........