Border crossing into Russia
Originally I was planning to cross from Estonia to Russia through the Narva border point. But I ended up entering Russia (almost) from Latvia. It was because I realized that I wanted to ‘do justice’ to my experience in Latvia and Estonia, instead of having to rush in those countries. So I had dedicated the entirety of my remaining Schengen days to Latvia, and decided to visit Estonia properly when the next Schengen window opens.
It was my fifty something-th border crossing by land, so I know very well that positive energy and patience ultimately help me pass every huddle. But it was initially a bit intimidating when I saw in person the uniformed Russian officials and soldiers with neutral faces. But people were kind and actually listening to what I say. And when my baby Russian could not handle technical terms, other Russian travelers behind came over to provide help.
Around 3 hours had passed when I got the last stamp of approval from the customs officer, and it took about another hour to buy mandatory car insurance at a gas station and to fill up the tank with very competitively-priced Russian gasoline.
When all was set to go, I realized that I had traveled so much to get to Russia, a country that is so far from where this journey began, both in terms of the distance and how the society works. I got excited to learn about some different perspectives and core values in life.
@ Luhamaa – Shumilkino Border, August 11, 2019
