Best Hotels In Cyprus, Good Place to Meet RW?

[steverino]

I am excited to meet a R.W. I have been corresponding and talking with.  We are really getting on very nicely together.  So, she has applied for an International passport which she will have in about 1 week.  We are devising our plan to meet outside of Russia with the idea that I will see her in her city for our second meeting.  Her ability to travel freely appears quite limited.  I would have chosen Amsterdam as it is convenient and a lovely city.  But, she is not able to go there easilly or without significant advance planning.  I am under the impression that she can meet me in D.R. or Cyprus.  Since the former is so expensive to get her there I am leaning to the idea of meeting her in Cyprus assuming I can find a very nice hotel or two and that I would expect to feel that Cyprus is safe and a good destination.  Any comments on this subject will be appreciated.  Thanks, Steve

[steverino]

... in response to Best Hotels In Cyprus, Good Place to Mee..., posted by steverino on Jan 14, 2005

I hear all the warnings and appreciate the fact they are genuine and they are sensible.  I have 20 photos of this woman and they are all really good...beautiful hair, slender nice teeth, closeups, beautiful complexion...everything...OK, maybe too good.  Phone calls are good communication and she has a very sweet and seeming genuine disposition...Talks of her 6 year old child, talks of her loving parents...Hey, who else has ever told me she will not be happy until she hears my voice ... Still, I have not met her yet.  But, I want to and I will (if she shows up like I think she will and if she is the person I would expect based on her photos and her conversation).  I know the risk exists that reality will be different from my image.  Or, she is a really good scammer. I recognize it now more than I allowed myself to earlier.  

Different subject, but similar circumstance of 1st meeting with a woman only known thru letters and multiple telephone calls.  I did meet a woman (from St.P.)in Helsinki at Kamp Hotel (Kamp is a beautiful hotel and Hel is a nice city, very nice) end of November.  I did not have her full name until it was time to send her the western union money (after 3 months of lovely and flowery letters from her).  Once I had her name, my more experienced buddy says to google her.  Well, to my chagrin multiple scam reports on the lovely woman...So, I already have the ticket as it is part of a return to Kiev anyway so I go to Helsinki.  I do not meet her at the train because I know she is a scammer and I do not expect her to show.  Lo and behold, she arrives at the hotel and has the general mgr phone me while I am out with another and I wonder wtf.  I go back and meet her and she is better looking than her terrific photos and to make a long story short...we have a really good couple of days...I buy her some shtuff of course but we are having a really special time together...I do not let on I know of her scam reputation until our last morning together..."Steevechka why you not tell me"...multiple explanations and bs excuses from her...but, i really don't care..I like her though cause we did bond and have fun...It was good I let her know I knew she was a scammer and we get along better now for it...would I see her again, yes..but lets say she is a fun girl and probably not the kind we really seek because of the obvious.  

If I haven't confused you or lost you yet...the girl I am NOW planning on meeting for the first time just seems to me to be genuine and terrific and smart and playful and all that...in a good way.  Never once asked me for a thing (smart again).  I don't care to much about a relatively small amount of money...I would care more about the 6 nights I plan to spend with her at The Four seasons in Istanbul.  It will be dissapointing if this meeting and experience is less than terrific.  But, I am game as a pebble to go to the next step in this journey with this woman who I have never met but talk with her on the phone probably 3 times every 2 days.  she even calls me sometimes..

Needeless to say, it will be interesting.  I wanted to post her photo to share it but probably not that productive anyway.  She lives in Perm and she looks hot and slender with long hair....age 33. I ggogled her name and no scam reports are present... She seems to have good values to me...But, i can only imagine we all thought that...that is why we can and do get scammed (even though we are not REALLY stupid).  It only seems that way. Hey I am going to have fun either way and I hope for the best.
I do appreciate most all of the feedback and it is right on...

[Philb]

... in response to Evolution of My Plan w/ Caution 2 the Wi..., posted by steverino on Jan 16, 2005

I will only point out the obvious once, but that is a 20 year age difference.

[LP]

... in response to You really are throwing caution to the w..., posted by Philb on Jan 16, 2005

...Phil, I missed that. Yep, he's stacking the deck for sure. Sounds like a serious case of the POB in action. Ooga Booga! Then again I've said in the past how meeting a young, beautful woman for a few weeks vacation in a nice place, never to see her again, has a certain lasting charm. I know mine did (well, except the one)

Still, it sounds like he's no dummy. As long as he's willing to accept the risk (and not whine if it blows up) then I say have at it. If it goes sour he'll have learned a lesson (I hope). The risk versus reward ratio, the risk management, is more than I'd go for though when considering an "off shore" meeting. But you know, when the POB takes hold there is seldom a way of turning back

[steverino]

... in response to Good catch...., posted by LP on Jan 16, 2005

I tell you...this girl, woman seems to good to be true. If she is she is.  If it blows up I will never complain because it is not my nature. This is what we do and we might as well do it with great vigor. She goes to work 5 days and rises at 6.  she says I should call her anytime she always wants to hear my voice.  when i call she has happiness in her voice.  she laughs and has fun with our conversation. She phones me on occasion from her bed in the middle of the night..sounds like a choreographed move but I think it is not. I think it is real and I am going to find out.  It would be dissapointing if it is not real.  I am not naive and I am a good judge of charachter.  I say this girl is real and I am hooked on her already.  It is not because I do not have other choices...she has risen to the top for a reason...the connection does more for me than the photos.  But the photos get you started.  I say it is a special time in history for guys like us and women like the ones we seek. We have many things to offer one another but it is all meaningless currency if it is not combined with that special connection and the feelings of love.  wish me luck because I will find out if it is real.  I have only the best of thoughts about my girl's intention and charachter.  Still, I know I can be wrong because some of these actresses are better than good.  I think this is genuine though.  It is what we do.  Da?

The age diff is not in excess of the JB rule and I do not see it as a problem always...although who the hell knows..sh_t, she is 33 not 23 lol.  If it is real I know there is potential here and I will refrain from putting the cart b4 the horse, at least as well as I can.  More later.  Thanks.

[Haroshij]

... in response to Re: Good catch...., posted by steverino on Jan 16, 2005

You have been warned and still you feel everything is fine. My advice to you is go for it and see what happens. You will know more when you meet her, and let us know what happened.

When I met my Elena, I did a lot of things in the wrong way, and it turned out right. If you don't dare anything, you cannot win either. I think too many men are sitting in front of their computers and reading about all the problems and never take a risk to win something.

Haroshij

[LP]

... in response to Re: Good catch...., posted by steverino on Jan 16, 2005


...You know, she does sound sweet. I know a few myself that are just like that but I still didn't marry them because, well, just because. It's complicated

And keep in mind there are many kinds of "scams" and not all are outright heartless and bold. Some are little more than looking for free gifts or a night out on the town. You might be looking at that here or maybe not, it does sound as if she is genuinely interested in you. After all, talk is cheap and as they say: You are, what you do, when it counts. She seems to be "doing" the right things.

I'd still try not to get your expectations to high though. Look at it as I said, a nice time with a beautiful stranger in a place exotic to you both. Not such a bad deal and if it works out to be more all the better. And be sure to remain in control at all times, if you get my drift. Do nothing until you're back home and the experience has worn off some. Don't let the "fog of MOB" get the best of you, they'll be time enough to make command decisions later.

[LP]

... in response to Best Hotels In Cyprus, Good Place to Mee..., posted by steverino on Jan 14, 2005

...I've been to Cyprus twice as well as other foreign cities to meet women. These were not always FSU women but the same rules apply. I'd pay attention to the advice given, especially about meeting and it not working out. One of these relations (not Cyprus) was more developed than yours and she sounded great until we actually met, then it turned out to be excruciating to spend time around each other. She turned out to be such a snake I was ready to punch her lights out by day three. Fortunately I didn't have to because I had a back up plan. The point is if you'd told me before I'd gone this would've happened I'd have never believed you. Btw, this particular woman was stunning in her photos but guess what?

Getting on a plane and going back home sounds good in practice but isn't so easy to do. I suggest you have a back up plan that involves a nearby FSU country. It's why a guy would be crazy to meet a woman someplace like the DR or Carrbbean, it's simply too far away for a bail out to the FSU assuming you have already have a multiple entry visa and other women on tap (and you should). And if you do bail you'd better be prepared not to abandon a woman in a strange country she's never been in before. No matter how much it isn't working you're gonna have to pick up enough of the pieces to get her back home. That alone can stick in one's craw after it blows up but 'dems the rules of the game.

Even the girls I met who turned out to be great were not suitable (for me at least). The last time I did anything like this was when I recently flew a girl from Russia into Kiev while there to meet others. I had known her a long time but even then didn't think anything would come of it, I simply owed her for being so patient. Besides, I had to know for sure. I may do that again (bring an FSU woman to another FSU country) because there are no visa issues and places like Sochi or the Crimea are pretty nice. For other cities I've stopped the practice. It was simply not smart to put all my eggs into one basket and you're talking to a guy who has lots of free time and can travel almost anywhere in the world for cheap. See the point?

But hey, they're your eggs. Everything may work out and at minimum you'll have a nice vacation to remember. But you'll have squandered time and resources to meet a girl who (although the odds are she'll turn out to be sweet) will probably not be right for you. In fact unless you're desperate and on a mission to marry the odds are she won't be. Another "good" thing (as several people here have pointed out in the past) is that meeting them in another enviornment can often expose how different they really are from the girl you "know". That was the case with the one I had so I suppose it wasn't a total loss.

I'd go and meet her in her own country. In fact one of the signs of sincerity in these girls is them insisting you do just that. You'll need to do it eventually and if you haven't been to the FSU you're missing out. This girl may be be sweet but she probably hasn't had a vacation in years and along comes a guy willing to give her one. I'd be sweet too if I was in her place. Besides, there is no reason to jump on the first "good" one to come along. None of these women are special and if you think they are there are lots more just as "special" where she came from. If I were you I'd stop being "enamored" with anything until you actually spend some time around the goods.

If you're still adamant about going to Cyprus I can post more details or search the archives. As noted, it's always been an expensive place to visit. Even when I was there the dollar was worth less than the Cypriot pound and had been for some time. Very friendly people though and English is spoken almost everywhere (as is Russian), at least in the tourist parts of the country. I'm talking about Greek Cyprus, you can also visit the Turkish side but you need to plan for it because there can be hassles in doing so.

Having said all that and after reading your post here is my advice, fwiw:

1) Never fall in love with a photgraph. (Too late for you it seems).

2) Never send money to a woman you haven't met unless you're willing to lose it.

3) Never put all your eggs in one basket.

[Philb]

... in response to Best Hotels In Cyprus, Good Place to Mee..., posted by steverino on Jan 14, 2005

The Ukrainian woman I was seeing at the time was able to get a visa without any difficulty.  I sent her scanned copies of our tickets and accomodation reservation voucher with both of our names on it.  She took these with her to the interview.  There is also a requirment that she have a certain amount of cash with her for each day she will spend in Cyprus.  Supposedly you must show this to the immigration agent upon arrival in Cyprus.  Lena was not asked for this but the girl in front of her was.

Maybe you are already aware of this, but I thought I would let you know Cyprus is not exactly cheap.  I am sure this has become more apparent with the decline of the dollar against the Euro.  When I was there Cyprus was not using the Euro yet and it was still a bit expensive.

As an alternative to the big hotels you might want to look into their agrotourism program.  Basically this is a government program designed to provide economic stimuli to some of the smaller villages.  You stay in traditional stone houses that have been modernized.  To be a part of this program the houses must meet certain architectural requirements and have all modern amenities.  I stayed in one of these places in the village of Tochni and was very pleased.

I rented a car and had never driven a left hand drive vehicle before.  Obviously you must be conscious of this, but it was never a big problem.  There is a lot to see and do in Cyprus and the public transportation system outside of the major cities is a bit spotty.  In my opinion having your own car is a must.

I had a great time in Cyprus.

[Globetrotter]

... in response to Best Hotels In Cyprus, Good Place to Mee..., posted by steverino on Jan 14, 2005

I did just as you are planning, met for the first time in Cyprus and had a great time.  Any travel agent here can book you into a 4 or 5 star hotel on the beach which are about one half hour from the airport, and half price this time of year.  You would of course need a car, and if you've never driven on the left side of the road with the steering wheel on the right, it can be deadly to make a driving mistake.  It is quite safe with plenty to do.  She will need a visa which she could get in Moscow...probably if you send her round trip tickets well in advance, with a cover letter from you (with copies of your tickets as well.)  I wrote a long trip report in late 2002 if you care to search the archives.  Weather would be 55-65ish now, so no beach time, but still shirt sleeve weather, a little cooler at night.  Others are right in that Budapest or Turkey are easier to get in to with visas issued at the airport, but it's cold in both places there now.  Egypt is another warm option...but me for now would avoid Muslim countries as we are...well, not very popular around the world right now.  Anyway, Cyprus on the Med is a good plan, and do-able.

[Albert]

... in response to Best Hotels In Cyprus, Good Place to Mee..., posted by steverino on Jan 14, 2005

Russians and Ukrainians can no longer travel to Cyprus without having a prior visa for entry.  Previously, they could just get a visa at airport upon arrival, but no longer.  These new regs are because of Cyprus entry to EU, etc.

So if you want to go this route, the two best places are Turkey and Egypt.  Both allow RW and UW to get visa upon arrival at airport.  There are very good and low priced packages available for Turkey and Egypt; such as $500-600 per person for two weeks in 4-5 star hotels with all meals included and including round trip airfare from several FSU cities.  

But this is a dumb idea to meet a lady for the first time in a place where you will have no backup ladies if things go sour with the one you are to meet with.  It is always a dumb idea to go somewhere to meet only one woman, and doubly so in a place where there are no agencies, etc., to help you out in a pinch.

And, like mentioned, you know nothing about this woman and nothing about what she really looks like.  Quite frequently, the ladies look nothing like their pictures.  Sometimes better, but usually worse.  Plus, many do use old pictures which means they likely weigh more than shown in pictures.  

As has been mentioned in other threads, teeth is also a  concern.  I have met many for the first time whose teeth were in such bad shape I could not bring myself to kiss them.  Rotten teeth project a smell for several feet.  Just one more reason why it is dumb to go anywhere to meet only one woman.

[Bobby Orr]

... in response to Best Hotels In Cyprus, Good Place to Mee..., posted by steverino on Jan 14, 2005

[This message has been edited by Bobby Orr]

You did not really post enough essential information to comment on fully.  However,read the archives - I am certain the answers to your questions are there.  I assume you never met this woman before.  If this is so, it makes sense for you to meet in her country with a back up plan.  What if she does not like you when you meet?  What if she is just using you?  What if you do not like her?  Maybe her pictures are 5 years old and fifty pounds lighter (just assuming 50 extra pounds on her may shock you - and at least lead you to question her misrepresentation).  Did you pay for her International passport etc.?  Did you ever think that she may be just taking your money?

[steverino]

... in response to Re: Best Hotels In Cyprus, Good Place to..., posted by Bobby Orr on Jan 14, 2005

I have 20 photos of this lady (I would like to post a photo as I am enamored of her) and I speak with her on the phone almost an hour each day..I am sick, eh?  She is really very pretty, classy and smart. Warm loving personality too. I have not met her yet but my gut feeling is that she is a terrific woman for me and I believe we have genuine good chemistry....so, for now, I recognize it is good to have a back up plan but I can always regroup quickly if I have to.  Just get on a plane and come home..or whatever.

I noticed there is a Four seasons in Turkey and it looks just terrific.  I do not care about the weather.  Do we think it is safe for an American boy to be in Turkey?

[Haroshij]

... in response to Re: I appreciate responses so far...and ..., posted by steverino on Jan 14, 2005

I think you should check it out if there are some changes in the possibilities for East Europeans to enter Cyprus. As Albert told you, they have joined the EU and if they also have signed the Schengen treaty, there will be the same rules for them as for the Netherlands. Those who have signed the Schengen treaty have a common outher border. Once inside, you can travel to any country without any visa and very often even without passport controll, even if it is recommendet to bring the passport with you (like in the US).

Turkey has applied for membership in the EU, and are the most west oriented of the muslim countries. I think you can be quite safe there if you use your brain. As said by others, avoid big crowdy places with many tourists.

If you want to go to a warm country, I would recommend Thailand. Turists are returning there now to places not destroyed by the tsunami. You can travel with Aeroflot via Moscow, and pick ut your lady there, and then go together. My Russian wife and I went there one year ago, and she needed no visa for staying there some weeks. The Thai people are some of the friendliest people I've ever met.

I also recommend you to meet her first in Russia in her own town.

Haroshij

[Rebel]

... in response to Re: Re: I appreciate responses so far......, posted by Haroshij on Jan 15, 2005

Interesting Post.