Around the World in 45 daysAround the World in 45 dayshttp://www.sandira.com/world45days/2010-01-25T07:00:58ZSquarespaceDamian & Victoria's wedding dayhttp://www.sandira.com/world45days/2006/9/23/damian-victorias-wedding-day.htmlSandira2006-09-23T00:27:00Z2006-09-23T00:27:00ZHelping Victoria getting ready.
She's worried about the weather. The wedding is planned for later this afternoon on the beach, but there's a huge cloud over our part of the island.
I'm sure it'll be fine, and if the rain falls it'll be a lot of fun anyway, especially with her see-through dress.
Victoria's mom is dressing the bride's maid in traditional hawaiian sarongs.
They're beautiful and there's something graceful about it.
Tomorrow is my the last day of this whole trip... it feels weird. I'll go back to the known... and the unknown...
Will take some time next week to rearrange the pics in the photo gallery, add some comments, update the blog and email/write to all the people I met on the way (+ look for a new job :))

]]>Maui, Hawaiihttp://www.sandira.com/world45days/2006/9/21/maui-hawaii.htmlSandira2006-09-21T18:25:00Z2006-09-21T18:25:00ZAloha,

Writing from Lahaina, in Maui, where I stayed for the evening after my 2nd surfing lesson.
Maui is such a beautiful island, I'm so surprised that they managed to preserve it from the promoters. Met some cool surfers who shown me around.

I'm meeting Casey this morning for breakfast. I met her at Gaby's a sicilian restaurant at 505 Front.

Then, back to Kihei, where I'm staying in a condo I rented for the week (thank you Craigslist). Everybody is staying in Kihei, as the wedding will be held there on Friday.

Pictures coming next week... when I'm back in NY.

]]>Mongoliahttp://www.sandira.com/world45days/2006/8/28/mongolia.htmlSandira2006-08-28T03:24:00Z2006-08-28T03:24:00ZAfter a train trip of more than 3 days from Moscow to Irkutsk (Siberia), 3 days resting near the Baikal Lake on Olkhon Island, and another train trip of 36 hours from Siberia to Mongolia's capital Ulan-Bataar, I'm heading towards the Mongolian countryside with Scott (who joined in Moscow), and Bachi's friends.

I don't think I'll be able to post more as electricity and cyber-cafes will be pretty rare in the steppes...

More to come in about a week.

]]>Red Arrow from SPB to Moscowhttp://www.sandira.com/world45days/2006/8/15/red-arrow-from-spb-to-moscow.htmlSandira2006-08-15T15:23:00Z2006-08-15T15:23:00ZKsenia helped me get the last ticket on the Red Arrow leaving yesterday for Moscow. The only seat/bed left was VIP with 'service'... My neighbors were 3 business men from SPB including one going to visit his mom in Tchechenia (yep!).

Arrived this morning at 8 at Leningradsky, didn't have time to wash on the train (it'll probably get worse on the transiberian). Found the subway easily, and hoped in direction of the youth hostel. Got lost, it's in the north suburb (so far away). The staff is nice, overwhelmed, but nice. OK, enough complaining, I guess I'm just tired.

Then, got to the railway again to try to change the dates for Ulan-Bataar... Exhausting experience...

]]>More photos of St Petersburghttp://www.sandira.com/world45days/2006/8/14/more-photos-of-st-petersburg.htmlSandira2006-08-14T16:51:00Z2006-08-14T16:51:00Zhttp://gallery.sandira.com/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=298

]]>Boat tour with Sergey and his friendshttp://www.sandira.com/world45days/2006/8/14/boat-tour-with-sergey-and-his-friends.htmlSandira2006-08-14T09:37:00Z2006-08-14T09:37:00Z

]]>In front of the Hermitage Museumhttp://www.sandira.com/world45days/2006/8/14/in-front-of-the-hermitage-museum.htmlSandira2006-08-14T09:30:00Z2006-08-14T09:30:00Z

]]>First Impressions on SPBhttp://www.sandira.com/world45days/2006/8/12/first-impressions-on-spb.htmlSandira2006-08-12T11:21:00Z2006-08-12T11:21:00ZWoah!

As I arrived on Kazanskaya Plaza, I am smitten by the impressive architecture of the city. Between the churches, the canals, and the Church of the Saviour on the Split Blood over there...

After getting some more Roubles, I'm heading towards the Hermitage Museuam aka The Winter Palace. What a huge building! Everything is pretty much a surprise for me at this point, as I didn't take the time to research about the city nor am I carrying a travel guide...

After a few hours walking through different epochs and eras, I'm now heading out to meet with Sergey (from Dataart too) in front of the Hermitage...

]]>Arrival in St Petersburghttp://www.sandira.com/world45days/2006/8/12/arrival-in-st-petersburg.htmlSandira2006-08-12T11:01:00Z2006-08-12T11:01:00ZMichael Zaitsev has involved quite a few people from Dataart to help me during my stay in Russia. Thank you again!

Ksenia, Dataart's travel manager, has helped me a lot with the hostel/train tix booking. She also made sure someone picked me up at the airport. So here was Lena, the accoutant.

Among the first topics Lena and I discussed on the way to the hostel, was 'security'... Apparently it's not so safe for a non-Russian like me to walk around alone. I guess I'll have to watch my back like during my first months in NY...

On the road I'm trying to decipher the cyrillic letters on the signs. Lena is helping me. She's very kind. She's also passionate about Japanese culture, and speaks the language very well.

The hostel is in a residential bldg, on Kazanskaya St. Bldg 11.
I like it as there doesn't seem to be a lot of foreigners - at least when I arrived there.

I pay my dues, and after an awaited shower, hop into bed...

]]>NY flight delayed - waiting to transfer to SPBhttp://www.sandira.com/world45days/2006/8/11/ny-flight-delayed-waiting-to-transfer-to-spb.htmlSandira2006-08-11T12:53:00Z2006-08-11T12:53:00Z

Due to a big thunderstorm, my flight to Paris has been delayed by at least 3 hours. So I missed my St Peterburg flight, which means that I'm patiently waiting to board on the next one and arrive in SPB, except that this aircraft will land around 9:30pm tonite - 1 lost day... I had plan to buy the transmongolian train tickets today. Hopefully there will still be some room tomorrow... Ksenia won't be able to meet me at the airport, someone else will...

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