This chapter starts out at Pulkovo Airport in Saint Petersburg where we had to make super tight turn around to get back on the Belavia Tupolev Tu-154 that had brought us into Russia the same morning. We cleared customs and got right back on the apron bus, which took our group back out to the waiting aircraft.

This was by prior arrangements put in place by Merlkin Tours and it worked like clockwork. When the bus dropped us at the aircraft, all the Saint Petersburg originating passengers were pre-boarded, which was an excellent idea as it made things go very smoothly. The Russian authorities kindly allowed us a few minutes to photograph the Tu-154 on the apron before boarding, and this made for a lot of happy aviation fans.