Travel: From Russia with Luggage

In 2011 I lived in a small house not far from where I worked. During my short commute, I happened to hear the “secret word” for a radio contest giving away a trip to see Linkin Park in Red Square and a premier of Transformers: Dark of the Moon. All I had to do was go to the contest page and enter the “secret word.” I figured it was an information grab, but on the off chance I won a free trip to Moscow, I thought it was worth it to give away my email and phone number.

I’d forgotten about the contest, and two weeks later while volunteering at a local festival called “Dog Days,” my phone rang. I answered the unknown number, and someone from the radio station askedf if I had a valid passport and, was I still interested in seeing Linkin Park in Moscow? Also, I could bring a friend. My mother, who with a joyful heart, volunteered to be in the heat with me at the festival, stood nearby. I put the phone aside, “Do you want to go to Moscow?” I asked.

She said, “Sure!”

After about a month of visa applications and planning we were ready to take off.

*Blatant Plug Alert* If you ever have the chance to fly Singapore airlines do it! Flying coach is like flying first class on some airlines, including wonderful meals and complimentary beverages.

Even though our luggage was lost, I don’t blame the airline. A girl who worked for the airport made quite a few people check carry-ons at the gate. She sent our luggage to Singapore, and we had to wait for it to return to Moscow. When it did return, we spent one of our three days in the city at the airport chasing down our bags. And when I say we spent the day, there probably isn’t a part of the airport we didn’t see. We made several cross-building trips as we were pointed in different directions. It wasn’t until I got on an elevator to go up to the airline’s airport office that a nice man asked me, “where are you going and why are you on this elevator?” With a look of total defeat and exasperation, I explained. Taking pity on us and keeping his sense of humor, he walked us to security, and we passed through the international gateway backwards, as he explained to the guy in charge what we were doing and to not ask us for our papers. After a little paperwork, we collected our luggage and proceeded to customs. Spotted by the gentlemen in charge, he waved us on through, with a thumbs up, a genuine smile, and machine gun on his shoulder. We returned to our hotel with our luggage, happy to not have to re-wear the same clothes we’d been rewashing in the sink. My mother was so tired of the shoes she’d been wearing, that she threw them in the trash like you throw away an ex’s belongings after a breakup. With the time change, the midnight summer sun, and the emotional toil of finding our luggage, we were exhausted by the time we left Moscow. But telling the story later, we laughed and remembered our trip with fondness. It was a trip of a lifetime, and everyone we met from taxi drivers to the man at the airport were some of the nicest and most helpful we’ve met in our travels. If it were not for a contentious political climate, I would not hesitate to return to Russia.

Footnote: I hear some of you asking, did the movie and concert suck? The movie was exactly what you would expect – a Michael Bay Transformer movie; however, as a child of the ‘80s –those movies have a special nostalgic quality for me. Watching something I loved as a kid come to life on the big screen in a way my 8-year-old brain could never have imagined, does entertain.

As for Linkin Park, I was not in firmly in one camp or the other; not a fan, but I didn’t hate them either. To my surprise, it was one of the better concerts I’ve been to. In fact, it was so good my mother and I both downloaded songs for our workout mix.

Which, now I hear you asking, “you worked out?” Yes, shortly after that trip we hired a personal trainer and began our fitness journey. We each lost some weight, and I decided to lose the bangs.