Wikivoyage:Tourist office/Archives/2013/February

British Museum

I'm currently in London and planning on visiting the British Museum, but I'm on a tight budget. How much is it to enter? --Lost & Confused (talk) 19:50, 21 February 2013 (UTC))

A: As you can see from our guide entry here, the museum is free to enter, but from personal experience I can say that they appreciate donations. Temporary exhibitions can be pricey. Enjoy your visit! --Heroic Expert (talk) 19:55, 21 February 2013 (UTC))

Virunga National Park

It seems like Virunga (in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) is currently closed to tourists, although the information I've found is a bit confusing. Does anyone know what the chances are like that it will be open at all this year? Has it been open at any point in the past few years?

I'm thinking of trying to do a one day visit, crossing the border from either Rwanda or Uganda. (Also, is it possible to visit Virunga from Rwanda without going to Uganda?) Peter ^Talk 18:15, 21 February 2013 (UTC)

A: Rebels control part of the region around the park and even occupied Goma a few months ago. There is currently a ceasefire in place and the rebels are no longer in the city, but it's still a precarious security situation. According to the Park website, "Tourism in Virunga is currently suspended due to insecurity in the region." If you wanted to climb the volcano, there's unfortunately no alteernatives. If you want to see gorillas, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is a great option. In the DRC, a great alternative is Kahuzi-Biega National Park (), on the south side of Lake Kivu. It's further from the rebels (who are mostly N & NW of Goma) and has lowland gorillas (not quite the same as the mountain gorillas) and there's two mountains you can climb (3-7 hr ascent+descent) that offer great views of the surrounding forests & Lake Kivu. It's definitely worth contacting them to see if they're still open: or +243 971300881. The situation can change for better or worse in a few months' time, so if you aren't planning to visit for a while, then keep your plans open to visit Virunga and check on the situation closer to your planned visit. AHeneen (talk) 21:38, 21 February 2013 (UTC)

Thanks for the very helpful answer! Kahuzi-Biega looks very intriguing, so I'll start looking into that. I'd love to do Volcanoes NP, but definitely won't do any more than one gorilla trek there since it's $750/trek compared to Bwindi's $500 and Virunga's $400. I do understand it's the best place to photograph them, though, since the terrain is more open. Peter ^Talk 02:42, 22 February 2013 (UTC)

What is the best area for a Hotel in St. Petersburg?

We are staying 5 nights in St. Petersburg for White Nights the last week of June.Which area is the best location to stay in a hotel? -- Just an example. Please don't take seriously. Alexander (talk) 19:42, 21 February 2013 (UTC)

The best area for a tourist to stay in is generally considered to be near the Nevsky Prospekt Metro. Indeed, one of the nicest hotels in the city (Evropa) is right there. You'll be able to walk to most of the main attractions, and there are tons of restaurants, shops, cafes, clubs, etc. right on Nevsky. Peter ^Talk 21:02, 21 February 2013 (UTC)

Seeing St Petersburg on our own

We enjoy the freedom of exploring a city on our own more than with an organized tour group. Is there any problem with doing so in St Petersburg? I know the visa requirements are stricter than in many other European cities. -- Just an example. Please don't take seriously. Alexander (talk) 19:42, 21 February 2013 (UTC)

Do you or anyone in your group speak Russian? Russia is one of the more difficult/intimidating countries to travel in without knowledge of the local language. If no one speaks any Russian, I might suggest at least consulting a travel agent to make some of your arrangements, and pick a nicer hotel with a professional concierge desk. That would still provide you with the freedom of independent travel, while having a little extra help for things like tickets to performances and lodging/visa arrangements. The Saint Petersburg guide here has a lot of other useful advice for tackling the city on your own. --Peter ^Talk 21:05, 21 February 2013 (UTC)

3 days in Saint Petersburg

Hi! I plan to spend 3 days in Saint Petersburg in August 2013. Look forward to your suggestions on my travel itinerary. Is there anything that I should not miss? -- Just an example. Please don't take seriously. Alexander (talk) 19:42, 21 February 2013 (UTC)

Could you clarify what types of things you like to do when traveling? Your question is a little vague otherwise. The two truly can't miss sights are the Winter Palace, which contains the Hermitage Museum (which you could probably spend 3 full days exploring), and the Cathedral on the Spilled Blood. I also think it would be a shame to pass up the opportunity to see a performance at the gorgeous Marinsky Theatre, but that won't work if you hate ballet and opera. Peter ^Talk 21:02, 21 February 2013 (UTC)

Moscow-Veliky Novgorod-St. Peterburg itinerary advice

I am landing in Moscow in the evening on March 6th and will be flying out of Moscow on morning of March 13th. I am currently planning on taking a train from Moscow to St. Peterburg overnight on the 6th and spend 3 days there then 3 days in Moscow. However, I heard Veliky Novgorod is a must see if I can squeeze it in. Does anybody have a suggestion on the best route and how many days (6 total) to spend in each location? -- Just an example. Please don't take seriously. Alexander (talk) 19:42, 21 February 2013 (UTC)

Yes, a stop in Novgorod is very worthwhile. Novgorod is not on the train route between the two cities, but it's close enough to it to make this easy to do. One day is enough time to see the main sights of Novgorod, which are basically all in the kremlin—it doesn't require an overnight. Take an overnight train from Moscow to Novgorod (you'll arrive very early in the day), then take the ~5PM train from Novgorod to Saint Petersburg, which will arrive there around 10PM the same night. Confirm these times at the station, as there is (if I'm not mistaken) only one train each day between SP and Novgorod. For budgeting time, I would spend 2 days in Moscow, 1 in Novgorod, 3 in SP, but I may be biased towards Petersburg. Peter ^Talk 02:33, 22 February 2013 (UTC)

What Cities will be hosting World Cup matches in 2014? Are there any special tours or packages available?

1. Can you add any additional details or clarifications that will help answer your question?

No.

2. What Wikivoyage page(s) have you looked at to try to answer your question?

FIFA World Cup

Asked by: Ryan • (talk) • 21:17, 21 February 2013 (UTC)

A: Host cities & match schedule. I can't say whether there are any special packages available. FIFA is really strict with their trademark and any association of "football" and the host cities and/or year (2014)...see what they did in South Africa. It's quite unlikely that any company is going to be advertising World Cup packages, so it will be very hard to find any such packages by searching for terms like "world cup" with "tours", "Packages", "vacation specials", or the like given that FIFA will be very protective of their trademarks and if the terms are licensed, packages will probably be quite expensive from licensing fees. AHeneen (talk) 21:55, 21 February 2013 (UTC)

girl in sovetsk, kirov, russia

Wow. I kind of feel like a schmuck. I thought I was one lucky guy to have a beautiful Russian woman from Sovetsk, RU. find me on the internet and make me fall in love with her kind words. This sounds like quite a business they have going on there. Now I am back to being suspicious again. I had her send me a pic of her holding a sign that had my name on it. She did it, so that gained a little trust from me.But after seeing this, now I wonder again. Has anyone made the journey to sovetsk, kirov region ? -- Just an example. Please don't take seriously. Alexander (talk) 19:42, 21 February 2013 (UTC)

Someone I know slightly personally and consider reliable runs an agency for tourist guides etc. in the Moscow region. A few years back, he had a hilarious & quite sobering guide for bride-seekers. A quick search does not turn that up; here's what I can find on his site: Pashley (talk) 16:20, 9 March 2013 (UTC)

Free Thursday PM Lectures in Oxford

Swept in from the pub

Does anyone know if there are any 'free' lectures in Oxford, England on a Thursday Afternoon?Sfan00 IMG (talk) 23:20, 6 February 2013 (UTC)

One excellent place to start would be the Oxford University "What's On" page. There are typically dozens of free, or almost free (about £20) lectures listed, and multiple lectures offered every week. I would suggest checking this page regularly and attend those that fall on a Thursday afternoon. —The preceding comment was added by KateKiernan (talk • contribs) 03:11, 6 April 2013 (UTC)

Sheremetyevo to Katerina hotel

Hi. First time in Moscow. What transit options do I have going to the airport (Sheremetyevo) to KAterina hotel which is fairly in the cener. Thans -- Just an example. Please don't take seriously. Alexander (talk) 19:42, 21 February 2013 (UTC)