Air ticket

After a great deal of searching (online air ticket companies, travel agencies, even shipping companies and ports), I found the most suitable variant: one-way flight via Amsterdam by KLM.

The price (with airport fees, at market exchange rate) was $526 + $12 for the Dutch transit visa. The hotel accommodation and breakfast in Amsterdam were included in the airfare.

I bought the ticket at Unimex Travel Agency located in Hotel Tsentralnaya (ul. Tverskaya), office 212. The manager, Leo, was Peruvian, very amiable.

Trip

I left Russia on 24 February 2003.

My itinerary was as follows:
- Moscow (Sheremetyevo-2; 24 Feb. 16.00);
- Amsterdam (Schiphol; 24 Feb. 17.40 - 25 Feb. 16.05)
- Montreal (Dorval; 25 Feb. 17.40).
- Québec City (by bus)

There were no problems in Moscow's airport, except that I had one excessive place of luggage. I was told to pay either the official fee (USD 150) or a bribe ($100 ... $50 :). I refused and had to leave one bag, including all my spare clothes. However, just as I crossed the border I found that passenger were allowed to carry plastic bags, and it was not regarded as luggage!

I had unregistered from my Russian residence, so I didn't have any issues about that.

In Amsterdam I spent the night at the hotel near the airport. Next day I visited the city (it's 15 min. by train from the airport).

The weather differed significantly in all three cities: in Moscow - 5, Amsterdam +10, and Montreal - 15. I got from winter to spring and back to winter again!

Arrival to Canada

Finally we approached Montreal. From the air it looked completely flat (because the houses there are mostly two-storied) with the mass of skyscrapers towering on the horizon.

At 16.50 (25 February) the plane landed at the Dorval Airport - 50 minutes earlier than scheduled (due to the eastern wind that accelerated our flight). However, the passengers had to wait about 30 min. to come to the passport desk.

After my passport was checked, I was told go to the immigration office nearby. The procedure there was very quick, even though I didn't have the Certificat de sélection du Québec (required for all immigrants settling down in Québec). I said that I was going to Québec City and that I had on me USD 870. The official stapled one sheet of the "Confirmation of the Permanent Residence" into my passport and affixed it with the stamp "Immigration Canada".

Then I was ushered into the customs section where I had to wait for my turn for about 15 minutes. They let me pass without inspecting my luggage (I had about 100 books and a few dozens of CR-ROMs and audio cassettes. Apart from that I had almost nothing, because the weight was already about 65 kg!). I was told to estimate the value of my luggage (CAD 1000) and asked what I was going to bring later (300 books and some clothes).

At 18.30 the formalities were over - "Welcome to Canada!".

Coming out of the customs, in the crowd of people waiting for arrivals I spotted my friend Amélie (we exchanged Russian/French lessons when she was in Moscow in summer of 2001). I didn't expect that she would come (I got the email with her confirmation later). That was great to meet someone that I knew in that big foreign country. Otherwise I would have to go to Québec City directly and would've arrived at about 11 p.m.

So the first night I spent her house where she lives with her boyfriend from Ukraine (he came to Canada 2 months ago and now works as a carpenter).

Next morning we went to her university where I could check my email, and then I went to the bus station (my luggage was kept there in a locker).

The trip by an Orléans Express bus took 3 hours. At 16.00 I arrived to Québec City.