Social Chit Chat III

[Geelong_Sicko]

WOW!!! So much more than freezing! Would have been wonderful though Sicko. Did you travel before or after the fall of the Soviet states? I'd love to visit Russia

2007. Language was a huge barrier and the travel visa rules are bloody strange.

http://sydneyrussianconsulate.com/visa.html#q10

Tourist Visa is issued for a period no longer than 30 days and is valid for single and double-entry only.

Dear travellers, please be advised that foreign citizens are not permitted to enter Russia independently without being hosted by the authorized Russian travel agency or hotel during the whole period of their stay (please consult our "FAQ" section for more details).

An exception to this rule are tourists traveling on board large cruise ships, who do not require a visa if the following conditions are met:
1. The overall period of their stay on the Russian territory for no more than 3 days (72 hours)
2. They stay overnight onboard of the cruise ship
3. They go ashore only as a part of a group of passengers on the excursions organized by the cruise company

In all the other cases Australian citizens are to apply for a tourist visa.

To obtain a single-entry tourist visa the following documents should be submitted to the Consulate:

1.Visa application form (one per person). No blank spaces must be left. If a question does not apply, please type "N/A"...

2.One photograph of 1.18 by 1.57 inches...

3.Valid international passport or another ID recognized as such in the Russian Federation with at least 2 blank pages for visas...

4.A copy of high quality or original tourist confirmation letter ("Podtverzdeniye") or letters (if your stay in Russia is arranged by 2 travel companies/hotels) issued by an authorized hosting Russian travel agency or Hotel, authorized to invite foreign citizens in the Russian Federation and registered in the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The confirmation letter(s) must contain the agency's/hotel's special reference number and should cover the whole period of the applicants stay in Russia. The number of confirmation letters from different travel agents/hotels per person is limited by two.

5.A copy of high quality or original tourist voucher ("Voucher") or vouchers (if your stay in Russia is arranged by 2 travel companies/hotels) issued by an authorized hosting Russian travel agency or Hotel, authorized to invite foreign citizens in the Russian Federation and registered in the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

We were lucky enough to get to know this Russian travel agent in London, who sorted us out with all these 'tourist confirmation letters' and 'original tourist vouchers' and assorted bullshit. Most hassle I've come across in all my travels, but it was well worth it.

Standing on Red Square in a bit of a blizzard and looking at St Basil's Cathedral while the wind is so cold it seems to burn your face - it's one of those 'orgasms of the eyes' that happen while travelling. Love those moments!

 

[vinum coupe]

2007. Language was a huge barrier and the travel visa rules are bloody strange.



We were lucky enough to get to know this Russian travel agent in London, who sorted us out with all these 'tourist confirmation letters' and 'original tourist vouchers' and assorted bullshit. Most hassle I've come across in all my travels, but it was well worth it.

Standing on Red Square in a bit of a blizzard and looking at St Basil's Cathedral while the wind is so cold it seems to burn your face - it's one of those 'orgasms of the eyes' that happen while travelling. Love those moments!

Strange that Russia has those restrictions really.
Saudi Arabia's are even tougher than that. I had to get a customer to put together a document that I was travelling there for a meeting.
They had to submit it at their embassy, then I had to summit it here..etc.

And getting the Mrs in verged on a nightmare.

 

[BotsMaster]

for a man that likes the extreme heat the extreme cold should be a walk in the park...trick is layers.

love this weather!!!

 

[Zouz Kitty]

Great article, thanks for the link Pivot.

These jumped out at me, which I agree with.

"If a retail price isn’t clearly marked how long will customers fumble about searching for the tag before they move on?" There are some stores in Sydney who do this, you need to take the item to a scanner to find the price. I don't shop at those stores anymore, + the pile of items on the floor beside the scanner was telling.

"Memberships - your ticket gets you a cheaper seat at the game, subject to availability." Agree with this + as someone who buys a Home Game membership, to support the Club, I don't mind paying extra for a reserved seat when I go to an occasional game. Loyalty should be rewarded.

"for all their success the Hawks haven’t increased the cost of their basic general admission memberships." Interesting. They, like all clubs are having the never ending membership drive. How much has our Geelong membership increased in the last couple of years? Sounds silly I don't know, but I look at the cost as a kind of charitable donation

"Fans will naturally be peeved if they can’t get into a ground, but they can’t argue the toss. If it’s full its full. They’re more likely to be infuriated by a ticketing system they suspect – rightly or wrongly – is ripping them off." Agree with that point too. There are some games I like to have a reserved seat + other games I love to stand + am happy with GA. But if it is a big game, I'll make sure I have my ticket + buy a reserved seat.

Thanks Pivot

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

Strange that Russia has those restrictions really.
Saudi Arabia's are even tougher than that. I had to get a customer to put together a document that I was travelling there for a meeting.
They had to submit it at their embassy, then I had to summit it here..etc.

And getting the Mrs in verged on a nightmare.

Yeah, it looks like a royal pain in the arse to get in there!

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/saudi-arabia/practical-information/visas

Interestingly, Bhutan has the same 'travel only in an approved group' visa entry requirements. You have to use one of 'their' groups too at US$200 a day! I was going to go there a few years back, but did another SE Asia ramble instead.

 

[Zouz Kitty]

2007. Language was a huge barrier and the travel visa rules are bloody strange.



We were lucky enough to get to know this Russian travel agent in London, who sorted us out with all these 'tourist confirmation letters' and 'original tourist vouchers' and assorted bullshit. Most hassle I've come across in all my travels, but it was well worth it.

Standing on Red Square in a bit of a blizzard and looking at St Basil's Cathedral while the wind is so cold it seems to burn your face - it's one of those 'orgasms of the eyes' that happen while travelling. Love those moments!

What a great way to describe the delights of travelling! I know exactly what you mean.
I remember travelling in Europe, at the time I adored Turner's paintings + every time I went to an art gallery I'd see his paintings of places I'd just visited + I'd get such a rush discovering that he'd loved the places in Europe I loved.
Another time, I was at a ski resort in Switzerland, walking in the snow + noticed an opening between two enormous boulders. Went through to see what was there + found an exquisite, tiny Rococo chapel, a wedding taking place, the bride looking resplendent + the groom in Air Force uniform. It was so unexpected! I still remember the feeling now

Sicko, what is your favourite country? Do you have one, + only one?

 

[vinum coupe]

Yeah, it looks like a royal pain in the arse to get in there!

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/saudi-arabia/practical-information/visas

Interestingly, Bhutan has the same 'travel only in an approved group' visa entry requirements. You have to use one of 'their' groups too at US$200 a day! I was going to go there a few years back, but did another SE Asia ramble instead.

Yep, and this is where our problem was.

"Note that men and women are only allowed to travel together (and granted a visa to do so) if they are (a) married (with an official marriage licence) or (b) form part of a group.

It is not permitted for an unmarried couple to travel alone together in Saudi Arabia (and doing so runs the risk of apprehension)."

After reading that last line, and being at the closed terminal in Abu Dhabi with soldiers being complete pricks.
It would be fair to say my mrs was crapping herself

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

Sicko, what is your favourite country? Do you have one, + only one?

Scotland has a place in my heart for a few reasons but the country that most closely matches my any-more-relaxed-and-I'd-be-dead psyche is Laos. Such a fantastic country, and the people are superb.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

Yep, and this is where our problem was.

"Note that men and women are only allowed to travel together (and granted a visa to do so) if they are (a) married (with an official marriage licence) or (b) form part of a group.

It is not permitted for an unmarried couple to travel alone together in Saudi Arabia (and doing so runs the risk of apprehension)."

After reading that last line, and being at the closed terminal in Abu Dhabi with soldiers being complete pricks.
It would be fair to say my mrs was crapping herself

You and your missus weren't married? Shit, that would have been tricky - did they actually arrest you?

 

[Teriyakicat]

I've been meaning to give you a big THANK YOU shout out Tyc, for introducing me to the shop for Cats' gear. My five pairs of GFC bed socks arrived, now I have one pair for every day
Just gave my European duvet away to a friend in NSW New England area, freezing there. It was way too hot for me. I love mohair blankets, so warm + use a very light duvet atm.
Boyfriend would really help CatGal to keep warm, does BigTom have any friends?

Cheers, Kitty
And, Big Tom being such a lovely bloke, would have a gazillion friends!

 

[vinum coupe]

You and your missus weren't married? Shit, that would have been tricky - did they actually arrest you?

No.
It was pretty hairy though.

My Mrs obviously has a different last name to me. And I told the companies I was visiting that my secretary was coming with me.
So a letter was issued for her too.
And I just had business cards made for her.

But some customers would not let her anywhere near their facility.
So on day 2 she locked the hotel room door and stayed there for 10 hours until I got back
And she was starting to crap herself because I was only meant to be gone for 7 hours and she didn't know how to contact me.

And that was one of our big worries. Would they let us share the same room?
Thankfully nothing was said.

Probably the riskiest thing I did was on day 2.
There were no hotel drivers available, so I had to hire a standard taxi. Pretty risky as there were current warnings that a terrorist group were targeting westerners for abduction in Riyadh.

 

[Teriyakicat]

The Club sent texts saying the tickets were selling fast - maybe it was a marketing ploy to get Chappy to go to Bombers, so crowds would increase for our games
Will your hubby watch it with your son? + if so, will he tell him how hopeless the Bombers' players are? I ask because I'm hoping you may watch the game in peace

I hope so!!!

 

[Teriyakicat]

Some people just come to things later though.

That doesn't mean they are "try hards". My partner watches Game of Thrones and she has a lot of trouble following it. But I don't think she is a try hard because she can't keep up with any discussion I have with her about it (I have the added advantage of having read the books).

I mean, I've read some of your comments about the show and they differ to my thoughts but I wouldn't call you a "try hard" because of it.

Just someone who has a different point of view.

Your partner is probably watching it because you're interested in it- it's good that she's able to join in your conversations about the show. I was out at coffee the other day with a friend who said she was trying to watch it but hated it- I am pretty sure she didn't want to miss out on what her friends were talking about on Facebook. Pretty silly- and a huge waste of time to be struggling with something you hate doing for those reasons. Of course if it was her hubby who was the mad GoT fan, I'd have thought differently.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

At least one Englishman has a sense of humour!

 

[Zouz Kitty]

That's hilarious NSFB! Hope he has a lovely holiday in spite of not watching England in the World Cup Another gorgeous part of the World I'd love to visit.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Serves him right for assuming England would get through the group stage, now he'll have to take in the 'ambiance' with his £2,000 beer budget.

I find it funny how already Spain, Italy and England are already gone... Yet they arguably have the 3 best domestic league competitions in Europe

 

[Pivo]

I was replying to Teriyakicat's comment, specifically people who constantly complain they can't get into it, don't understand it, don't like it, but they still keep watching it. Simply wondering why they persist
Yes, some do come to things later, I agree. Also agree there are people, who 'may' be like your partner who have trouble following it, however they enjoy it for their own reasons, they are not try hards. + there was no inference that I think people who have different opinions are try hards

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/chit-chat-iii.993809/page-879#post-33719438

Speaking personally, have you never persisted with something that you struggled with? A movie, a book, a task at work, a somewhat overbearing friend?

I've sat through a few movies that I didn't think I'd like before watching just to see what the carry on was about - The Avengers comes to mind. Sometimes I'm right in my initial assumption that I would dislike it, sometimes I'm surprised and do like it.

I tried watching a TV series called Top of the Lake which won a prize at the Monte-Carlo International Festival of Television.

I watched that show for about 5 episodes (despite not liking it from the get go). My partner gave up after 2 episodes. She asked me why I stuck with it when I kept saying it was crap.

Fair question. Simple answer was I wanted to see if it got better (often pilots or 1st episodes drag out a bit as they establish characters - something GoT often has to do due to the various subplots and multiple characters). Critics lauded it and I wanted to be sure I wasn't missing something.

In the end, I gave up on it. But I still kinda feel like maybe I should have just stuck with it. Just in case there was some great twist at the end.

The Returned was a French TV show that I really had some trouble with but I ended up watching all of it despite telling someone else it wasn't that great. I did because I wanted to see it out. The final episode has ensured I'll probably watch season 2 of it.

I just finished off a 1000 page book that, to be honest, I found a bit of a grind. Why? Because there was enough it to make me want to finish it off (even if I wouldn't recommend it) and I hate not finishing books I start, even if they suck. It is a personal trait I have with books.

Sure, some people watch things or listen to things to be "part of the crowd" but some people just watch things to see where it'll lead them or there might be one particular plotline they enjoy.

In the case of GoT, the release of it was restricted making it harder for people to watch it upon release, that might also be why they appear to be scrambling to catch up - they don't want the story runined by spoliers and people discussing it.

It sounds like you are the kind of person who doesn't stick with something that you don't like (if I'm reading you right based on your comments).

Hey, that's cool, but everyone is different. Some people don't see why they should waste their time on something they don't like. Others, for whatever reason, just stick it out.

Some call that silly, others class it as persistent.

 

[vinum coupe]

and I hate not finishing books I start, even if they suck. It is a personal trait I have with books.

I'm pretty much the same. Although I generally only read books when I travel.
But there was one book that I just had to stop reading.

Exile on main St by Robert Greenfield.
I only made it half way through, and I felt bad because a friend bought it for me.
But the author is a complete w***er, and wrote it like he was the only authority on the subject. So I got sick of it and bought another book as soon as I could.

 

[Pivo]

Your partner is probably watching it because you're interested in it- it's good that she's able to join in your conversations about the show. I was out at coffee the other day with a friend who said she was trying to watch it but hated it- I am pretty sure she didn't want to miss out on what her friends were talking about on Facebook. Pretty silly- and a huge waste of time to be struggling with something you hate doing for those reasons. Of course if it was her hubby who was the mad GoT fan, I'd have thought differently.

But you aren't certain.

I'd tend to agree that seems a pretty daft reason to watch something you don't like but perhaps she just doesn't want to be left out of conversations with her friends because that is all they discuss.

I'm sure we've all been there, sat around with mates who started discussing something you had no idea about - it isn't all that fun being left out.

And if you aren't a dominant personaility who can change the conversation and that topic is discussed all the time it gets pretty tiresome.

The saying "when in Rome" springs to mind.

Again, people are different. Some want to fit in, others don't care.

She sounds like she is someone who just wants to fit in. Wouldn't be alone there.

 

[Zouz Kitty]

Speaking personally, have you never persisted with something that you struggled with? A movie, a book, a task at work, a somewhat overbearing friend?

I've sat through a few movies that I didn't think I'd like before watching just to see what the carry on was about - The Avengers comes to mind. Sometimes I'm right in my initial assumption that I would dislike it, sometimes I'm surprised and do like it.

I tried watching a TV series called Top of the Lake which won a prize at the Monte-Carlo International Festival of Television.

I watched that show for about 5 episodes (despite not liking it from the get go). My partner gave up after 2 episodes. She asked me why I stuck with it when I kept saying it was crap.

Fair question. Simple answer was I wanted to see if it got better (often pilots or 1st episodes drag out a bit as they establish characters - something GoT often has to do due to the various subplots and multiple characters). Critics lauded it and I wanted to be sure I wasn't missing something.

In the end, I gave up on it. But I still kinda feel like maybe I should have just stuck with it. Just in case there was some great twist at the end.

The Returned was a French TV show that I really had some trouble with but I ended up watching all of it despite telling someone else it wasn't that great. I did because I wanted to see it out. The final episode has ensured I'll probably watch season 2 of it.

I just finished off a 1000 page book that, to be honest, I found a bit of a grind. Why? Because there was enough it to make me want to finish it off (even if I wouldn't recommend it) and I hate not finishing books I start, even if they suck. It is a personal trait I have with books.

Sure, some people watch things or listen to things to be "part of the crowd" but some people just watch things to see where it'll lead them or there might be one particular plotline they enjoy.

In the case of GoT, the release of it was restricted making it harder for people to watch it upon release, that might also be why they appear to be scrambling to catch up - they don't want the story runined by spoliers and people discussing it.

It sounds like you are the kind of person who doesn't stick with something that you don't like (if I'm reading you right based on your comments).

Hey, that's cool, but everyone is different. Some people don't see why they should waste their time on something they don't like. Others, for whatever reason, just stick it out.

Some call that silly, others class it as persistent.

As I said in my previous reply, I was simply responding to Teriyakicat's comment about a specific type of person. Whether people watch TV shows or movies, or read books or don't, really is of no concern to me, it's none of my business. Although, I enjoy discussing books, TV shows + movies, because I like learning + hearing different opinions. I was simply agreeing with Tyc that if someone continually complains about not liking a TV show then why watch it + we discussed a type of person, + it was never my intention to brand everyone who struggles as a try hard

No, I am a person who persists, with everything + probably too much The only book I've ever not finished was 'Eat, Pray, Love'. I've never walked out of a movie. Like you, I believe usually "there was enough it to make me want to finish it". I found the first pages of 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin' a bit of a struggle, but it is a fantastic book! By the end I was so sad that it had to finish. So I definitely try to persist, but if I find it difficult, I don't carry on complaining about it non-stop, to the World, as was the point Teriyakicat + I were attempting to make

 

[darren forssman]

As I said in my previous reply, I was simply responding to Teriyakicat's comment about a specific type of person. Whether people watch TV shows or movies, or read books or don't, really is of no concern to me, it's none of my business. Although, I enjoy discussing books, TV shows + movies, because I like learning + hearing different opinions. I was simply agreeing with Tyc that if someone continually complains about not liking a TV show then why watch it + we discussed a type of person, + it was never my intention to brand everyone who struggles as a try hard

who is this specific type of person that you refer to?

 

[Pivo]

As I said in my previous reply, I was simply responding to Teriyakicat's comment about a specific type of person. Whether people watch TV shows or movies, or read books or don't, really is of no concern to me, it's none of my business. Although, I enjoy discussing books, TV shows + movies, because I like learning + hearing different opinions. I was simply agreeing with Tyc that if someone continually complains about not liking a TV show then why watch it + we discussed a type of person, + it was never my intention to brand everyone who struggles as a try hard

No, I am a person who persists, with everything + probably too much The only book I've ever not finished was 'Eat, Pray, Love'. I've never walked out of a movie. Like you, I believe usually "there was enough it to make me want to finish it". I found the first pages of 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin' a bit of a struggle, but it is a fantastic book! By the end I was so sad that it had to finish. So I definitely try to persist, but if I find it difficult, I don't carry on complaining about it non-stop, to the World, as was the point Teriyakicat + I were attempting to make

And I was simply putting forward the case that not everyone does things the way you and I do.

You did ask, at one point, why do people persist if they don't like something. I gave you an answer from my perspective and experiences.

No matter how silly someone's behaviour might appear to me, it could be perfectly rational behaviour to them.

I'm sure I do things that people raise eyebrows at (keeping this topic alive for example).

 

[Zouz Kitty]

Thanks Pivotonian, I understand that people don't do things the same way, I like that people are different + I try hard not to judge people at all. Agree with all the points you've made + I've enjoyed discussing this topic with you. It's good to know how people tick. Thanks Pivot, the next comment is in no way directed at you


I just wish that some people who do raise their eyebrows would keep it to themselves, instead of trying to impose their will upon others + insist that people change + do as they want them to do

 

[Zouz Kitty]

who is this specific type of person that you refer to?

Teriyakicat answered that question

 

[darren forssman]

The AFL has seriously screwed the pooch on this classification system. I think Mclachlan pretty much admitted as much on Monday on On The Couch.

he was emphatic in fans attending the games are no.1 priority so be interesting to see what happens.