Trip 2, Day 22: The Long (Long LONG) Road Home (pt 1)

Wednesday, August 11th:

Our final day in Moscow and Russia dawned bright and (comparatively) cool. The temperature was a frigid 65 degrees, quite a difference from the 90+ highs we had experienced almost every day of our 3 week trip. We were up early, making sure that everything was packed, and that we would be ready to leave when our driver arrived.

Hour 0 (9:00am Moscow time, 12:00am Minnesota time)
With our bags packed, we depart from the Novy Arbat apartment. Our flight doesn't leave for about 4 hours, but fear of traffic or airport snarls are a driving factor. Aleks curls up with mommy, and is able to sleep for about 30 minutes of the hour long ride to the airport. As we pull up to Domodedovo, we thank our driver for the services he has provided, and in we go.

Sadly, there was a tragedy at Domodedovo today (1/24/10). A suicide bomber got into the arrivals area and set off a bomb. We hope that by the time Aleks is an adult, people have gotten smarter about getting along with each other.


Hour 1 (10:00am Moscow, 1:00am Minnesota)

We attempt to find our check in gate, and are shocked at how disorganized DME airport appears. Rather than having a wide wall of check in gates (like US airports), or even segregated terminal areas (like Sheremetyevo), DME seems to have tossed out a handful of salt, and build gates wherever the salt landed. Lines seem to criss cross each other, some gates are hidden behind others, and the directional signs don't bother to show any of the airline logos. Finally after searching around, we found the entrance to the United Airlines queue.

The queue stretched a long way, curving its way through the terminal. As we were waiting, Alan turned himself so that the agents working the gates could see he was carrying a child in a sling. We had heard that Russian airports will usually pull families with children into an express lane. Sure enough, soon we were being asked to go to the first class lane, so we could be checked in.

Leading up to this moment, we had been worried about our seating arrangements on the flight. We hadn't been allowed to book our seats ahead of time, either on our original travel date (13th) or the current one. We were ready to complain if we were separated, but we need not worry. Our seats were upgraded for free to the Economy Plus section for all segments of our flight. Score!

Hour 2 (11:00am Moscow, 2:00am Minnesota)

After checking our baggage, we proceeded upstairs to another, unsecured lobby area. Here we noticed that our favorite restaurant from St. Petersburg, had a cafeteria style restaurant. We decided to stop, eat, and feed Aleks. Eating was a bit challenging, as Aleks was being very curious and grabbing at anything he could get his hands on. We didn't have any type of booster seat, so one of us would eat, while the other held and entertained Aleks.

Once we were done eating, we moved towards the security check in lanes. This was where our Moscow experience got a bit ugly. The lines were moving very slowly, so Alan again tried to "accidentally" get the attention of the security gate attendants. Over and over, we saw other families with larger children being pulled out of line, and brought through the VIP security section. Finally, after pulling people out of line far behind us, the woman signaled for us to come through with about 5 other families. Unfortunately, by the time we were pulled out, the single line at VIP was almost as long as the regular line.

Patiently, we waited in the VIP line. There were two gates open in front of us, so the line was making progress. When we were nearly to the front, the same woman who had pulled us aside began splitting the line into two separate lines. We ended up in the right side lane. The family in front of us was waved forward, and began their process. Once they were finished, one of the 2 people in the security area left the office, and walked away. We waited to be signaled forward by the remaining person, but she just worked on some paperwork for a few minutes.

Finally, Alan decided to step forward. She signaled and said Nyet, then shushed us back to the line. Meanwhile, many of the people behind us began moving over to form the original single line. Finally, the woman got up, left the gate, and went into the other gate to start working with the woman there. We waited to be signaled over into that lane, but the security guards just pretended there was no one over there.

Alan's patience was near zero by that point, so when it was time for the next person to step up, he walked in front of the family in the other line. They appeared insulted, but by that point going to the end of the line would have added another 30 minutes to the wait time. The security guard for this lane looked annoyed, but took the paperwork and started processing it.

After processing both Kathy and Alan's paperwork, she started working on Aleks' paperwork. She curtly began speaking in Russian to us, apparently asking for some additional paperwork. With a large sigh and roll of her eyes, she said "yellow envelope. You need yellow envelope". Apparently our US passports hadn't been reason enough to consider using her English skills immediately.

Attempting to figure out what she meant, Alan remembered the manilla envelope we had been given the previous day at the embassy. He pulled out the folder, and handed it to the guard. As she took the envelope, she promptly began the process of tearing it open, at which point Alan started yelling out "Nyet, NYET!". This was the information we were supposed to hand over to the American Customs crew unopened.

Tempers flared, and an international incident appeared imminent as Alan tried to explain that she couldn't open the document. The guard was also very flustered, and began yelling at us "No yellow, no baby!" A kind (or impatient) flier in line behind us offered to translate, and was able to get information from the guard. It turned out she was asking for a completely different set of paperwork.

Kathy understood what paperwork she was asking for, and got it out. However, rather than look at the paperwork, the guard began yelling at the rest of the people in line, and they started filing out, back the way we had come in. We stood waiting as she walked off with them, and she led them to a line in the normal security area. She made her way back to us, and very rudely yelled "come, come American". She stomped off as we tried to follow with our carry on luggage, Aleks' diaper bag, and our 11 month old son.

As we made it to the normal security area, the woman began yelling loudly at the person working there, pointing to us frequently. Eventually she threw her hands in the air, and started stomping away further into the airport. The new guard shrugged, handed us our paperwork, and signaled for us to go through the gates. All we could think was "What the (heck)?"

Our final security stop was in the bag check area. We snaked our way through the line, and guess who was now working bag check? Yup, our favorite Security guard. She glared at us, and Alan glared back as we went through the area. They had full body scanners for everyone to go through, so Alan went through with Aleks strapped to his chest. It did not take long for him to go through, so Alan figures they might not have run the machine with the baby in there.

Hour 4 (1:00pm Moscow, 4:00am Minnesota)

Finally, we were through. All that was left was getting to our gate. At least, while we were in Russia. At the gate, we were disappointed to see that the area was completely full. With no place to sit, Alan leaned against the wall with our baggage while Kathy walked around with Aleks for a short time. When it came time to board the plane, parents with small children were invited on before anyone else, even the first class passengers. So we were able to get Aleks on the plane and in his seat, before anyone else. We were very nervous about how he would do flying, but we had already gone beyond the point of no return.

Today's post went long, so I'll return to the trip home tomorrow. I promise. I'll start working on it tonight, I swear.