Post: #1

Guys,
I'm in the planning stage of my winter escape starting around mid november. I was initially thinking of returning to Asia for the winter and stay in a warm and tropical place, but lately, all these threads about EE, mainly the smashing thread by Sourcecode on Budapest and the many threads on Russia, Poland/Romania and as I'm reading Poosy Paradise now (review to come once I finish it!), I'm thinking of maybe it's about time I should give EE or Russia a try at last!

What's my ideal EE/Russian city for the winter?

I'd be looking primarily at a city where:
- it doesn't get too cold in the winter months, where at most it doesn't get colder than say 5C-10C.
- cost of living is such that with 2K$/month, one could live a comfortable lifestyle (i.e. get a furnished studio/1 bedroom in a central part of town, within walking distance to clubs, restos and bars, going out 3-4 nights a week).
- girls are feminine, beautiful, fun, friendly and receptive enough if you don't speak the local lingo but are willing to make the effort to learn.
- fast and reliable internet as I'd be using that time to start and launch a new e-commerce biz.

I'd be looking to post up in such a place for 3 months initially to get a taste of EE/Russia as this will be my first time in that part of the world.

So is this realistic or am I asking for too much here?

Should I postpone EE till the spring and for the winter, head to Asia then by mid April, fly to EE/Russia?

What does the Highly Esteemed Council of Experts of the EE/Russia region of the RVF recommend?

Post: #2

We are in the same boat Vacancier. And I'll be heading to Jakarta or Bangkok in December after 2 months in E. Europe. Too much cold and Christmas does not make for a good time.

Post: #3

I've been reading your posts from time to time VP and I honestly think that SEA is the better choice for you. I'm not saying you shouldn't try it out. But what you are looking for is easier found in SEA.
Just be ready that EE/Russia is a total different animal to slaughter than SEA. It's not Bangkok.
However, the info is covered good here on the forum and you gotta make up your mind where you decide to go. That's better than letting other guys decide your trip!

Personally I would go to the places I still haven't visited.
That would be Serbia,Moldova and Romania.
I don't care too much about what other guys says about those places because I know that the experiences we get are highly individual. I'd just go and see how it would work out for me.

Post: #4

"What's my ideal EE/Russian city for the winter? "

Pattaya

Post: #5

Chaos,
I'm not asking guys here to decide for me as to where I should go. I'm requesting feedback about a region where I have not been yet. I am and have been highly curious about this region and I feel the time has come for me to finally go there.

Agreed with you that experiences in each place is subjective and highly individual. I will eventually go there, however, wanted to know if, in light of my requirements, it would be possible to get what I am looking for during the winter. If not, no biggie, I'll go there in the spring when the weather is better there.

Post: #6

Depends on what you want.

FSU is relationship heaven, for fast sex it is best to stay inside the European Union.

Post: #7

(09-30-2014 05:03 AM)OnlyMarryInTajikistan Wrote:  Depends on what you want.

FSU is relationship heaven, for fast sex it is best to stay inside the European Union.

FSU for relationship?Where you get horns the next day?All good looking girls have already boyfriends they do not wait for foreigners.The girls you get cheat on their boyfriends or husbands.

Post: #8

(09-30-2014 05:15 AM)Greek kamaki Wrote:  

(09-30-2014 05:03 AM)OnlyMarryInTajikistan Wrote:  Depends on what you want.

FSU is relationship heaven, for fast sex it is best to stay inside the European Union.

FSU for relationship?Where you get horns the next day?All good looking girls have already boyfriends they do not wait for foreigners.The girls you get cheat on their boyfriends or husbands.

Short-term relationships. There are problems that I have already spoken about, why they are unfit for marriage or LTRs. But I have still to find a place that is better for short-term relationships. There is no better place on Earth.

Post: #9

(09-30-2014 05:03 AM)OnlyMarryInTajikistan Wrote:  Depends on what you want.

FSU is relationship heaven, for fast sex it is best to stay inside the European Union.

I would disagree with this, I think that FSU is good for neither.

Post: #10

Ukraine is very cold in the winter, and the nightlife is not so busy then. You can have fun in Ukraine in the winter, but it's the worst season to be there, IMO.

I heard Poland can have good nightlife in the winter, but maybe an expert on Poland can confirm this.

Vacancier Permanent, you might like Belgrade.

Post: #11

There is a good trip report by dk902: /thread-21030.html

Lublin is also 3 hours from Lviv so you could trek back & forth for visa border runs every 3 months. (3 months Poland, 3 months Ukraine) You will be a familiar face in both cities and subsequently be able to hold up a good back-up story. (Westerner working/investing in the local tech sector)

Both Lublin & Lviv should have decent English proficiency levels among young people and are known for their IT industry (cheap & capable labour force). Both cities should also have more than enough to satisfy a man who wants feminine, skinny, and pleasant women.

Lublin should be even cheaper than Budapest judging from Numbeo.com so you could live there for less than $1,500/mth for sure.

Lublin is bit small so depends on your preference of the hustle & bustle of a metropolis. That's why I personally choose Budapest. So if god decided to wipe Budapest off the map, I'd choose the Lublin-Lviv combo as my 2nd choice. 3rd choice would be Tallinn since it is one of the more expensive EE destinations.

I just landed in Budapest last night btw and woke up from a 10 hour sleep. Time for me to wash my face and get myself slowly settled into this city!

Post: #12

Although I was in Kiev only once the Winter, paradoxically I found the ratio's better in the clubs in the cold weather... maybe the guys would just rather stay home and drink. Most of Europe is horrible in the Winter as the Sun hardly comes out and it's grey most of the time.

Post: #13

(09-30-2014 07:18 AM)Buddha Wrote:  There is a good trip report by dk902: /thread-21030.html

Lublin is also 3 hours from Lviv so you could trek back & forth for visa border runs every 3 months. (3 months Poland, 3 months Ukraine) You will be a familiar face in both cities and subsequently be able to hold up a good back-up story. (Westerner working/investing in the local tech sector)

Both Lublin & Lviv should have decent English proficiency levels among young people and are known for their IT industry (cheap & capable labour force). Both cities should also have more than enough to satisfy a man who wants feminine, skinny, and pleasant women.

Lublin should be even cheaper than Budapest judging from Numbeo.com so you could live there for less than $1,500/mth for sure.

Lublin is bit small so depends on your preference of the hustle & bustle of a metropolis. That's why I personally choose Budapest. So if god decided to wipe Budapest off the map, I'd choose the Lublin-Lviv combo as my 2nd choice. 3rd choice would be Tallinn since it is one of the more expensive EE destinations.

I just landed in Budapest last night btw and woke up from a 10 hour sleep. Time for me to wash my face and get myself slowly settled into this city!

Lviv decent English proficiency?Say better decent Russian proficiency.A 70% of girls there do not speak any English.Kiev is slightly better.

Post: #14

Sochi ? Yeah, they had winter Olympics there but it is still in sub-tropics.

Post: #15

(09-30-2014 08:32 AM)Northern Wrote:  Sochi ? Yeah, they had winter Olympics there but it is still in sub-tropics.

Sochi is out of the range of OP's budget.

Post: #16

Dup.

Post: #17

(09-30-2014 07:18 AM)Buddha Wrote:  There is a good trip report by dk902: /thread-21030.html

Lublin is also 3 hours from Lviv so you could trek back & forth for visa border runs every 3 months. (3 months Poland, 3 months Ukraine) You will be a familiar face in both cities and subsequently be able to hold up a good back-up story. (Westerner working/investing in the local tech sector)

Both Lublin & Lviv should have decent English proficiency levels among young people and are known for their IT industry (cheap & capable labour force). Both cities should also have more than enough to satisfy a man who wants feminine, skinny, and pleasant women.

Lublin should be even cheaper than Budapest judging from Numbeo.com so you could live there for less than $1,500/mth for sure.

Lublin is bit small so depends on your preference of the hustle & bustle of a metropolis. That's why I personally choose Budapest. So if god decided to wipe Budapest off the map, I'd choose the Lublin-Lviv combo as my 2nd choice. 3rd choice would be Tallinn since it is one of the more expensive EE destinations.

I just landed in Budapest last night btw and woke up from a 10 hour sleep. Time for me to wash my face and get myself slowly settled into this city!

Can you expand about Tallinn? Good place for picking up chicks?

Post: #18

(09-30-2014 07:18 AM)Buddha Wrote:  Lublin is bit small so depends on your preference of the hustle & bustle of a metropolis. That's why I personally choose Budapest. So if god decided to wipe Budapest off the map, I'd choose the Lublin-Lviv combo as my 2nd choice. 3rd choice would be Tallinn since it is one of the more expensive EE destinations.

You mean "least" opposed to "most?" Just clarifying bc I hear "least" from other testimonies

Post: #19

VP, based on the criteria you mentioned, I can recommend my home city of Stavropol. It's in the Northern Caucausus region and the winters are milder, though we're speaking about Russia so it's still cold as hell. Nightlife is actually decent and public transport runs well. It's relatively cheap, tons of hot girls, and you don't have to deal with Moscow attitudes.

Regarding costs of living, restaurants, etc. check out the info here.

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/cit...=Stavropol

Post: #20

VP, I don't get why would you want to pay $2k a month to stay somewhere cold? That's not exactly cheap either. Might as well stay in Vancouver.
$1500 goes very far in SEA, and its sunny skies and hot weather day in day out there. Also unless you are drop shipping, wouldn't Asia and not Europe be the better place for starting an ecommerce project? Pretty easy decision IMO.

Book the ticket to SEA already and plan EE for warmer times in the spring, I don't think you will regret it.

Post: #21

(09-29-2014 11:01 PM)Vacancier Permanent Wrote:  I'd be looking primarily at a city where:
- it doesn't get too cold in the winter months, where at most it doesn't get colder than say 5C-10C.
- cost of living is such that with 2K$/month, one could live a comfortable lifestyle (i.e. get a furnished studio/1 bedroom in a central part of town, within walking distance to clubs, restos and bars, going out 3-4 nights a week).
- girls are feminine, beautiful, fun, friendly and receptive enough if you don't speak the local lingo but are willing to make the effort to learn.
- fast and reliable internet as I'd be using that time to start and launch a new e-commerce biz.

With the exception of the temperature range, I think Poland fits perfectly your description.

Post: #22

VP pick somewhere on the Black Sea or Caspian Sea shoreline. That's your best bet for going to the FSU during the Winter. Otherwise you aren't exactly going to do well. Perhaps Romania might be your best bet or The Balkans if Sochi or Groznyy are out of budget.

Post: #23

(09-30-2014 05:13 PM)Luisaceo Wrote:  With the exception of the temperature range, I think Poland fits perfectly your description.

Only thing bad would be the university breaks in the winter...then again..that could be productive downtime for that e-commerce business progression!

Post: #24

What's with this "Don't go there cause it's cold!" nonsense? Russia must be seen during winter! It is the season that defines the country and on which its character is built. A little frost never hurt nobody. VP, I support you in this endeavor.

Post: #25

Care to expand on the reasons for that?

(09-30-2014 05:25 AM)TheMusketeer Wrote:  

(09-30-2014 05:03 AM)OnlyMarryInTajikistan Wrote:  Depends on what you want.

FSU is relationship heaven, for fast sex it is best to stay inside the European Union.

I would disagree with this, I think that FSU is good for neither.