Sheremetyevo-2 was almost like a dream this morning - first, we got a gate close to the passport control, eliminating the intense walking that sometimes occurs, with everyone racing to not be at the end of the passport control line. Today that line was just long enough to give me time to hastily fill out my immigration card. Then the obligatory staring contest with a silent blonde in the green border guards' uniform as she typed my name and data into some mysterious computer terminal as usual, and then the three resounding stamping sounds which always mean you can breathe a sigh of relief, say "spasibo," and continue on to baggage claim.
Miraculously, the bags from London were already circulating on the carousel, and mine were among the first out. The only hassle was being singled out (they were taking about every second person) to have customs x-ray my bags - naturally, they tried to give me some nonsense about a telescope I was bringing back for a colleague, but they were really just trying to see if I would cave in immediately, which I did not, so I put my bags back on the luggage cart and went on my way. Total time from leaving the plane to getting in the car home: 20 minutes (from 5:35 to 5:55am), which is probably a new record.
Coverage of the political situation here in Thursday's Moscow Times (Aeroflot was considerate enough to bring some copies from Moscow for passengers to read on the way back), though, was dire. More on that later today once I've had a bit of shuteye and after work.
1 comment:
Well do I remember the passport control at Domodedovo airport. I have not yet had the pleasure of flying to Sheremetyovo, mainly because I fly Emirates straight from Dubai.
Post a Comment