MOLDOVA

[donnyh]

Dont know if anyone has noticed, but apparently our game with Moldova has been switched to a small communist country which shares borders ,(cant remember the name).
Anyway this article which was in the Herald on monday said that the Govt are advising tartan army not to travel to this fixture,does anyone know any more about this.

[Marky]

Transdniestr

Transdniestr has been a thorn in the side of the Moldovan government since
the predominately Russian republic was first formed in 1991. Separatist
rebels, with the blessings and wherewithal of the Russian military, have
been stirring the pot ever since. It is a self-declared republic with
Tiraspol as its capital city and its own currency, army, media and police
force, but Transdniestr really started looking like it had slipped down a
rabbit hole when it began drawing imaginary borders and protecting them
with (unofficial) border guards holding (real) guns. It also elected its
own president, Igor Smirnov, and you don't get any more Russian than that.

Nearly two-thirds of Transdniestr citizens are elderly and impoverished and
long for the good old days of Soviet rule when the quality of life was so
much better. These days they would find life tough under any form of
government, but trying to establish an independent republic has put an
added strain on resources. Rampant inflation, a currency that is next to
worthless, low wages, the collapse of the Russian economy and soaring debts
have put Transdniestr behind the economic eight ball. Nevertheless it's
worth a visit. It's a walking, talking, breathing mausoleum of
Stalinist-style government; the Iron Curtain in Transdniestr hasn't been
demolished as much as drawn back a little for a cautious peek outside.
There are no golden arches, Coca-Cola signs or funky cafés selling double
decaf-cafs here. It's all peasant pragmatism and Stalinist utilitarianism.
And they don't go much for US travellers either.

It's actually quite expensive for a foreigner to spend time in Transdniestr
because of the three-tiered pricing system. In the topsy-turvy world of
Transdniestrian logic, even asking questions at the information desk will
cost you money! There are a number of buses every day that do the 70km
(40mi) trip between Chisinau and Tiraspol, and two per day between Comrat
and Tiraspol. Transdniestr has just announced that all foreign visitors
will need to register with the police within three hours of arrival and pay
a fee. In a powerful bit of brinkmanship this includes Moldovan nationals,
whom they define as 'foreign'.

ravellers wishing to cross into Transdnistria should be aware that you are
required to register with the militia in either Bendery (Tighina) or
Tiraspol even if you do not intend to stay overnight.

I decided to visit on a day-trip from Chisinau, thinking this would be
necessary. Travelling in one of the ubiquitous maxi-taxis, which are
quicker and more convenient than the regular coach services, we were waved
through the border check-point all the way in. On the way out that evening,
however, my coach was stopped by a border guard who checked everyone's ID.
When he saw my British passport he asked why I hadn't registered. I pleaded
ignorance, but was taken off the coach, much to the annoyance of the other
passengers who started arguing with the guard. They were clearly sick of
these time consuming border checks.

It had no effect and I was taken into a hut and ranted at for five minutes
by the officer in charge, who seemed to take it as a personal insult that I
wasn't aware of the laws of his "country". After all, as he explained, when
you go to France you make yourself aware of the laws of the land
beforehand. Quite how a foreigner was supposed to do the same for
Transdnistria was not clear, but I wasn't about to argue the point.

Eventually he said that I would have to pay a fine. I feared the worst, but
it turned out to be just US$6. He still managed to short change me in
Moldovan lei for the US$10 bill I gave him, but I felt that I had got off
quite lightly.
Nigel Mallinson (Jun 00)

[Scozzese]

There is no reason for anyone to not attend Moldova on the basis of some FO advice - I'm sure that in the past there have been mant TA trips to communist countries pre-91 which would have involved a great degree of hassle, both in terms of travel and bureaucracy. Having investigated extensively the routes to get there, I can proffer the following -
1. To get to Chisinau, you have to go via Warsaw (with LOT from LHR or MAN), CzechAir to Bucharest, or Sleazyjet to AMS, then Air Moldova-Chisinau. The latter option may be the best, but trying to get an answer from them is a nightmare, and flights to Moldova are c.230 even from AMS.
2. If you get to Bucharest, there is an overnight train each way to Chisinau for c.25 USD rtn, which takes about 13hours - so saving accoms either way.
3. The fact that the game is now in Tiraspol means either securing some local transport from Chisinau and back on match day, as it appears that staying in Tiraspol will be v v difficult. Also, no photography allowed, so I'll not be taking any snaps for teh website.
There is a company running rtn buses from Bucharest to the Romanian/Moldovan border, with one nights accoms before and after match, and transfer straight to game. I can get details if necessary.
See you all in Tiraspol.....

[SONNY LINDSAY]

I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THAT THERE WAS NO MINUTES SILENCE BEFORE THE START OF THE THISTLE GAME AGAINST RANGERS TO MARKTHE PASSING AWAY OF THE FORMER NATIONAL TEAM MANAGER "ALLY MC LEOD";AS A MARK OF RESPECT.

[Broon]

Hi Sonny,

I agree, I was at the match and there was no reference

I would like to think that all clubs will mark the sad passing of Ally either at the Scottish Cup and League games this weekend or when the full league programme resumes.

Re Cardiff - which is where they should definately have a minutes silence - I will give you a call, probably in two weeks (I am in Germany just now and going to the States at the end of the week). I can confirm that you can have the spare bed in my room in Cardiff for both the Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Broon.

[SONNY LINDSAY]

LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM"BROON" IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS TIME;AS I THOUGHT I MIGHT HAVE TO RESORT TO SLEEPING IN A SHOP DOORWAY FOR TWO NIGHTS;AND AT MY AGE IS CERTAINLY NOT RECOMMENDED.

[SONNY LINDSAY]

GREG;IF YOU CHECK(WWW.STATRAVEL.COM)THEY HAVE THREE OFFICES IN GLASGOW AND HAVE AN OFFICE IN MOLDOVA;THEY MAY BE ABLE TO HELP WITH FLIGHTS AND ACCOMODATION;OR IF YOU WANT ME TO CHECK THEM OUT JUST LET ME KNOW.

[wanderer]

As brought up at meeting, some people are intrested in going for more than a couple of days.
Myself, I am going via Kiev, Ukraine....might seem an odd way for a short-cut ....but not as expencive as you would think ;D

Visa- Talked with the Ukraine embassy in Edinburgh, £60 for a Private double-entry visa (no invitation required) or £45 for a tourist visa (Invitation required...which can be a bugger to get).
There is a Moldovian Embassy in Kiev which sorts out visa's for getting into Moldova, so there is no need for a trip to Belgium to sort it out.

Flights-KLM/Ukraine Airways from Glasgow/Edinburgh to Kiev via Amsterdam when I booked worked out at £160 (Edinburgh is twin'd with Kiev and the Ukrianians try to get Scots to come to Kiev...was quoted at £300 via London)

Kiev to Moldova- There is the choice of the direct bus, which is cheap, but that can be cramped....after 9 hours

Trains can be done.
There is a shuttle train from Moscow to Moldova, that stops in Kiev for 30minutes every day at 5am and gets you into Moldova for 6pm....a standard return costs about $25 (£15-ish) and can be bought at Kiev train station (My girlfriend, who will be moving out to work in Kiev for the Latvian embassy in May, is going to look into getting tickets).

So not including hotels, I'd say its about £250 (give or take £20) to go via Kiev (flights, trains, visa), if you look at the correct routes.

If anyone needs accomadtion in Kiev, will gladdly look into it, but I will be staying at Zina's flat (going out in March for a scouting party of Kiev, will let you know what it is like).

Zina says Marky is not welcome after slagging off my scarf she got me ;D but she looks forward to seeing you all in Moldova.

All part of the sevice from Mr and Missus Wanderer Travel ;D

[Marky]

Clark, this is a lot of trouble to go to to try and convince us that you have a bird!

Marky

[wanderer]

I know I've developed a WEE bit of a reputation as a bit of a shagger

But Cardiff was the first trip I've just CHATTED with a burd (Burd fae Calcutta at the Uni) don't know whats happened to me over the last few months....go out to spend Xmas and New Year with the missus and her folks...come back with thoughts of 'settling down'

Passed on the torch to ma mate Brownlee....has a stalker fae Tiawan now who lives in Cardiff ;D

[Marky]

Below is a note I got on another Tartan army List that I subscribe to.


Picked up our Moldovan visas while on a trip to Brussels and just want
>to share information if any of you are thinking of going across as the
>address on the Moldovan website is wrong.The embassy is NOT at Rue Emile
>Max it has moved to the other side of the city and is at 54 Rue
>Tenbosch, 1050 Brussells.You can get the tram 93/94 and get off at the
>stop Vleurgat and it is just around the corner. The embassy only opens
>in the morning up till 13.00hr you fill in the paperwork and then have
>to go to their bank about a 10 minute walk away to pay 31 euros (not the
>speculated 143 on the tamb board), you take the receipt back to the
>embassy and your visas are ready and waiting.
>Apart from wandering around the brussels suburbs in a snowstorm for 4
>hours trying to find the place, the whole process took less than 20
>minutes,the guy says no problem some-one taking a bunch of passports in
>but the visa application form needs to be filled in by the individual,
>obviously, beforehand.

> Tom, you can download visa application on-line 2 sites I've seen are
> > www.visitrussia.net and the other is www.encore-travel.com the latter
> > looks the better quality for printing off. While you're there take a
> > look at their mark up!
>
>Cheers for the link - should save some time when we get there.


Marky