":-)" irisha's Profile

ATTENTION: I'm now more active here: http://onlinehiatus.blogspot.com

I've been around VT for a long time and loved the site from the very beginning, however at one point my surfing here began to take up so much of my time that I had to stop taking care of my page and even go as far as to delete all of my pages because VT became more important to me than my studies (we're talking high school).

I graduated from the university in 2008 which definitely gives me more time to be around here and truly enjoy the experience. I've started recreating my pages, slowly, but as everything in this world it takes time, so I'll get to finish eventually. Not that I plan to stop travelling. Oh no. :) I plan to expand my travel map further and of course share my experience with everyone who's willing to read about it. I've also taken up reading other people's fantastic pages and tips, they're always extremely helpful when one plans a trip!

Take care and enjoy your trips, everyone!

By the way, if anyone plans a trip to Krasnodar or the region, I'll be glad to help you with your questions and/or show you around.

2010

May 1-8: Kiev, Lviv, Odessa

April 9-15: Prague & Dresden

2009

August 15-22: France: Nice, Cannes

August 8-15: Italy: genoa, Bologna, Rome, Pisa, Orvieto, Venice, Florence

August 1 - 7: St. Petersburg (Madonna's Sticky and Sweet)

May 9 - 11: Abkhazia

January 6 - 14: Czech Republic: Prague, Karlovy Vary

2008:

Several business trips: Sochi

2007:

September - November: Karlsruhe, Germany

September: Vienna, Austria

October: Baden Baden, Germany

October: Paris, France

2006:

June - October: USA:
Gettysburg, PA
Harrisburg, PA
Philladelphia, PA
Washington, D.C.
New York City, NY
Baltimore, MD

2005:

August: Sochi

September - October: Karlsruhe, Germany

October: Baden Baden, Germany

1. I was conceived on a trip to Sochi, Russia.

2. I took my first flight at the age of 20 and I think taking off is scarier than landing. I don't have a major fear of flying, but turbulence makes me want to pass out.

3. I took a bus from Krasnodar, Russia to Karlsruhe, Germany three times. 1) to and 2) from and 3) to, I was supposed to come back the same way, but the though of another 72 (SEVENTY-TWO) hours of riding the goddamn bus made me twitch like a psycho, so I took a flight. Oh, and 10 out of those 72 hours were spent on the Ukrainian - Polish border, at night. Never again.

4. Both times that I studied in Karlsruhe, Germany I lived with a fantastic guest family in Waldbronn which is a small city about 15km away from Karlsruhe. One night a friend and I went out... He lived in the city, so he went home and I ended up missing my last train. I could only get as far as Ettlingen, which is the connecting town between Karlsruhe and Waldbronn and walk from home from there at 2am. And that's what I had to do. I had to walk through a small forest for about 30 minutes before I ever saw a single light. I swear, it was completely dark. The moon was there, but try walking down pebbles in a forest with a tiny river shimmering somewhere nearby and you'll know just how much light the moon cast upon your way (answer: none whatsoever). I couldn't even see my hands, I could just hear my erratic breathing, my heartbeat and pebbles under my feet. It was beyond scary. But I made it.

5. My trip to the USA was adventurous, too.

6. A friend and I spent one night sleeping on the ground outside a hotel with our entire baggage.

7. Two weeks before that, that same friend and I were brought to a swing party. Ok, maybe it wasn't so bad, it started out as a nice evening with our 'friends' pals' and some booze and later turned into a swing party. No, we didn't participate. In the morning we couldn't get out of there fast enough.

8. On August 29, 2005 I took a day trip to Sochi to see Catherine Deneuve who was taking part in a local Film Festival. I did see her up close. We're talking 1m close.

9. My first trip was trip was supposed to happen at the age of 18 when I wanted to see Madonna live in Paris or Amsterdam. Later I realized 300 EUR was not enough.

10. When I was in the US, Madonna played Philly two nights in July and I couldn't get a ride there (blame it on the lack of public transport in America), so I just worked that day. In September Madonna came to Moscow with her show and I was still in PA. Sigh. HOWEVER, on August 2, 2009 after 9.5. years I finally saw her live. It was heavenly, people!!