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September 12th/13th 2003
We're on the road again!! It's only five weeks since this tour was
confirmed and everything has been incredibly hectic… this tour
will be like a vacation!
To be honest, there were times when I didn't think it was going
to happen and even when we were rehearsing on the 9th we still didn't
have our visas. I won't go into details (at least not untill I get
home!) but if these people want more visitors they could do a lot
to improve the attitude of their consulate staff. There, I've already
said too much! Anyway, half way through that rehearsal, Monica announced
that the visas were done and that was a relief. She had been working
on practically nothing else recently so she was probably more relieved
than any of us…
We left for Madrid at 6:10pm and had a couple of hours to kill so
we got something to eat and lined up to check in for the Aeroflot
flight to Moscow. Can't really explain it but EVERYTHING is different
with Aeroflot but it was all pretty uneventful… except we were
an hour late and missed our connection in Moscow!! This was an overnight
flight so we were all pretty tired but of course the TV cameras
and news people were there as we came through customs… time
to put on a brave face!!
It was a bit chaotic as the bus tried to park near the terminal
so we grabbed a quick coffee, eventually got on the bus and transferred
to the domestic terminal where the flight to Sochi was waiting for
us…… I don't think the other passengers were too happy
but some of them WERE already drunk and probably didn't notice!!
Nap time for everyone and we landed in Sochi at around 10:30 so
now we were about 19 hours into our journey, although it hurts more
now I am thinking about it than it did at the time.
Mercifully just one TV interview and then into the cars for the
ride to the hotel. Along the way I saw a chicken wandering around
in a bus stop… just thought I'd mention that!
Sochi is a popular Russian vacation spot on the eastern coast of
the Black Sea but today it was raining and raining hard so it all
seemed a bit bleak. So did the promoters because the show is at
an open-air theatre!! But I explained that, being English, I was
an expert on rain and that they shouldn't worry. I wasn't worried
but, quietly, I was saying a few prayers!!
After lunch we all went for a "siesta" and then gathered
in the lobby to go to dinner. We were all still a bit groggy but
when we got to the restaurant the inevitable karaoke quickly woke
us up. The food was great and the calm (exhausted) mood was welcome
and although I absolutely despise karaoke the girl singer had a
great voice. She was also completely blind and on some songs was
"reading" the music from braille sheets she was holding…
fascinating… and a reminder of the things which we often take
for granted.
So, back to the hotel and bed… looking forward to tomorrow!
Next
day...
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