By Karla Spera

Let me introduce myself. I am Karla Spera…. My Greek Friends will know of me and the rest may work out that this is not my real name.

I started this blog on my new life in Moscow after spending weeks searching the net for the latest information on what to expect, where to find it and how to live here. Most of the information I have read is inaccurate or written too long ago to matter anymore.

I’ve been married 5 years to an amazing talented man who I adore and would travel the ends of the world to be with thus the reason I am living in Moscow!

I was born in Australia to Italian migrants and developed a passion for travelling after first Contiki tour to Europe at 18 years of age. I spent the next 19 years working in a travel wholesale company creating package holidays for Australians to Asia. I spent the last 4 years with the company as product manager travelling and visiting many hotels in Asia an writing the travel brochures.

It was during this time I met my big Greek who was general manager of a well known hotel in malaysia. It was love at first sight and after a long distant relationship we chose Dubai to make our home.

It was an amazing 7 years full of excitement watching the sand in the desert become an oasis of modern high-rises, bright lights, mega malls and fast paced entertainment. The best part of living in Dubai was leaving it…..Europe was just 4 hour flight…. Athens, Rome, Paris, London, Prague were at our fingertips. Longer trips to New York, Texas and California was worth the jet lag.

But all good things come to an end and the global financial crisis brought the development industry to a halt and we needed to get out and find the next city that required my husband’s hotel development skills.

Moscow was the next destination and one that does not have enough information for travellers and expats to know what to expect. This is where I come in and I hope I can provide as much information possible to all who want to see and live in this magical city.