Goodbye Russia, 20 years ago

We left Russia exactly 20 years ago. I was very young, very happy and very hung over.

It was snowing, and pretty cold. I was falling off my shoes, which were not meant for the snow, and probably not meant for me either. There were friends and relatives to lean on, they had spent the night over our place.

After the customs and the passport control I had to wobble ahead on my own, because my parents had to make sure that grandpa remains vertical. But at least it was not snowing inside.

It was my first time in an airplane, too. We watched out of the window how at the next gate some guy climbed onto a wing of a plane with a broom and started sweeping the engine from inside. The Austrians in the plane were pointing and laughing.

The plane took off. A flight attendant brought people chicken and sandwiches. She also had plastic cups with juice and wine, and asked everyone "juice or wine". After taking one look at me she didn't ask anything but just gave me the wine.