Alert: An interruption from Russia
I'll provide the same quote every backpacker thinks is the most profound....but still rings true...
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”
― Mark Twain
The Innocents Abroad/Roughing It
I like to keep these posts chronological, and I have other updates in the queue, but I have to get it out... Russia is fantastic, and the external misconceptions of this country are astounding.
While crossing Europe and explaining my route to people, the response was always great until it came to the Russia part. While planning months ago, a couple Americans with Russian roots were quite clear with their warnings... "Ooooh, I'd never do that...people in the Russian countryside are very poor and would kill for a bottle of vodka, so your bike isn't safe. And Moscow is a big city...be careful there." The opinion of the country and it's people was a bit frightening.
I have seen nothing but the opposite.
1) Upon arriving at the border, the agents were some of the friendliest encountered thus far...out of probably 10 formal border crossings. Straight-faced and focused, yes...but also genuinely helpful and patient. No threats of arrest or long, long passport photo checks like in Ukraine or Belarus.
2) I met three gents from the UK riding to Moscow, and we rode from the border to the capitol together. When we stopped for lunch in the countryside, we couldn't make out a single word from the menu. A waitress provided a dictionary, but that was useless for Fazer Phil.
A gentleman walked over and offered to help. We were jolly and gracious for his help. He was not as jolly, but still happy to help. After going line-by-line, we just landed on "anything" and he placed an order for us before returning to his lunch. As he left, he came by the table and said, "The meal is on my country. The bill is paid...welcome to Russia." Floored. We were four loud, boisterous tourists on high-end European motorcycles. He had much less.
3) A fantastic couple that rides adventure bikes put me up in their home in Moscow for two nights. They kicked their 12-year-old son out of his room for me, but little Serg met me at the door with a drawing he'd made for me of an M1A2 Abrams tank. Little guy had drawn every little detail correctly, from the bore evacuator location on the gun tube to the front turret's IR blocks.
For two days, Dmitry and Anastasia would feed me, show me around Moscow, and help me ship a package home. In the US, we have so much, and such a higher standard of living, but I don't know of many who would invite a complete stranger into their home and treat him or her with that much generosity. I've rarely seen this much kindness in my life, but Bud on Day 1 does come to mind.
4) When the lady at the post office apologized for not taking credit cards, she gave me a candy bar. A candy bar! The USPS guy/lady doesn't apologize for ANYTHING!
5) More and more people walk up to my bike and say, "Tey-has?...wow...this is very good...thank you for visiting our country." It happens constantly! So do fistbumps with strangers!
I could go on and on...
No, the guard will never go down. Ten years in the Army is ingrained this in me. But, I do love the Russian people.
When Matt and I were finishing up the ride through Slovenia, I admitted... "Man...I expected some very profound thoughts to come from this trip. Something completely life-changing, but I haven't seen it yet."
Matt laughed... "Well, something will come to you by the end."
I thought some more... "Well, two things are clear. First, I'm an independent guy... but I sure get lonely out here (see Greece video). Second, people are generally good. William Gloege said it, but it's becoming incredibly clear that we are biased against what we don't know."
