I ignored at the moment but I think my travel will go good and by tomorrow afternoon will be in the old Stalingrad, the old Tzaritzin, Volgograd City admiring the battle scared city, its museums and war sites. Destiny and my carelessness has a surprise awaiting for me; totally forgot the dates on my visa and I am departing the night of the 13 October to enter Russia on the 14, my visa takes effect on the 15. Yup! That will do it.
At around 02:45 hrs. of the 14, we entered Russian Federation territory and stopped at Derbent, Republic of Dagestan. As usual in those cases, you half sleeping hand up your passport to the Immigration authorities and try to continue sleeping, later on they will bring you back your passport. Well, it did not happen like that with me; the officers did not speak english but the only thing they told me was “let’s take a walk” with a sinister smile, then they explained the problem to me; my visa was not in effect and they couldn’t send me back to Azerbaijan because I had a “one-entry visa” only for that country, in other words, I was stuck in the Twilight Zone for one day, in no man’s land.
I was taken off the train and detained. Was interrogated and photographed, I felt like a common criminal, but have nothing against the Border Police; they were just doing their job and actually, they were very good to me. Have to thank them actually because after my release they installed me in a hotel, took me to buy my bus ticket to continue my journey and took me for a tour of the city, dinner and fun. The commanding officer actually gave money for the taxi to one of the officers to take me to get my bus and hotel. That is what I call beautiful people!
My eternal gratitude to the Russian Federation Border Police!
On the other hand, if this incident part of my carelessness had not happen, I wouldn’t get to know Derbent and the Republic of Dagestan, nor I had passed by Chechnya!
All part of the adventure of traveling those lands.

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