Now I want to say that the wait at the border is not the issue. The issue is that there are no creature comforts and this is a international border with tourist crossing. Tourism that Russia says it wants and desires?
How about information, seats, toilets, water and food?
Well let’s see, with that above said:
First let us get a Russian Visa, link below…
How to get visa for Russia, “only for an American” and you are not living within the USA…
Now let’s look around Yerevan and spend a few weeks, link below…
Now let us cross a Russian border from outside the country… (Oh my!) I have said in the past that when Russia does something that hurts us all, I do not shut up about it. This is one of those cases that Russia has a serious issue and they are going to harm people at the international borders. there is no excuse for what happened at the border as I crossed this last time. I am a seasoned border crosser, I just received a official new visa from a Russian consulate and I was vetted and approved by that consulate and even had an interview,..
When basics of human survival for all ages of these humans are removed for hours? Then there is a problem and in this case Russia must get to the reason that they allow the system to hurt people!
“Who” is undermining the system that Russia is trying to implement to expedite people to move to Russia?
It was exasperating to say the least and I really thought that a few elderly people would die! Paramedics had to be called…
That fly was all over that night…
I flew into Sheremetyevo International Airport and here is what happened in basic simple detail…
1. No restrooms for passengers departing the jets. The restroom available had a sign on it that said passengers toilet 120 meters away and that was on the other side of the border!
2. No cold drinking water. The only new source recently built due to complaints by Russians who have had issues (this was outside the restrooms that we are told not to use), was being used by mothers to clean their babies rear ends, as there was no restrooms to change diapers!
3. No vending machines, for water, chips and or anything! No food, no water and no no no no. Did I say “No Nothing” in the way of substance?
4. No where to sit. Just enough chairs for about 25% of the peak volume of people coming in!
5. No language help but Russian (or only Chinese help is available and are expedited) allowed. That helps in complaints! Yet remember this is a International Airport! 🙁
6. Two older ladies (80 plus years old) had to have paramedic help. Complaint: No food, no water, no seats and up to four hours of waiting and then no explanation as to why we sit like in prison for 4 hours?
The above are the things they have to address. We deserve basic, such as bathrooms and drinking water and food access, if we are to be detained for many hours!
Example for just myself: I am diabetic. I am an elder. I had no food. I was on 8 hours and no food at all. I take medicines for diabetics. My blood sugar bottom out. I got very sick. I was lucky. I had one piece of small candy and a small bottle of water. Not enough for me. I had to use the restroom and entered no matter the cost and trouble (no one was even in the huge restroom designed for passengers leaving jets). Yet I am in very good shape compared to many elders…
And the other elders whom did not have supplies? Passed out several times. Scared to use the restroom. It got scary at times to see very old, babies, etc. people trying to survive this airport…
Four hours sitting. No food. No water. No bathrooms. No explanation. No communication. No care and no desire to care…
Prison?
Last thought: an Elder couple from Britain about 75 to 80 years old…
This nice couple had arrived a half hour before I did. They were waiting to cross the border. They had pamphlets and books of Moscow, tour info and much about surrounding sites…
This was a dream vacation and they had big plans to see Red square, Kremlin and such…
As with me they could not understand what was wrong, but realized that waiting would be an issue at times. They did not have food, no water and again the bathroom situation reared its head. No one communicated with them from Russia. They were not alone and even some Russians were sitting and had no idea what was up…
Four hours later the British Elderly Couple was allowed to cross the border. I had to go find the elder woman and lead her back to where her husband was trying to find her. She was very confused at this point. Too many hours with out food and water. But she found her husband and they stood in a line for almost another half an hour and crossed the border…
I know all this, because I was a half an hour behind them and as they exited the border to Russia, I got in line amongst hundreds of people to have my half of an hour wait to cross into Russia. I saw the British couple cross as I then had my turn to stand patiently…
Why there is that fly again…
This is a wait that actually took at the beginning a half an hour to be told to then wait and after four hours waiting and then another half an hour to cross the border again. So actuality 5 hours from walking off the jet, until I could see my SweetPea…
It seemed to be the magic number, 4 hours of sitting and then they out of the blue, call your name and let you cross. 4 hours? I watched that number a dozen times that night. I myself know for I had abidance to that very 4 hours…
(is a) Fly in the ointment?
WtR