Oleg: Tell us in a few words about yourself. Who are you than do you live where do you live?
Masha: We are both native Muscovites. Here we were born, here and have grown up. Studied at one university – Higher School of Economics, however, in different faculties. I graduated from the Faculty of Undergraduate psychology and magistracy on management. A Vanya five years unlearn on logistics.
In Vitoslavlitsy, Novgorod region
Oleg: I know that you are organizing trips to Russia. How did you come to this, and where did this come from idea?
Vanya: I have always loved traveling, since my childhood. Still at school I walked around and traveled all over Moscow, then started on other cities. I traveled alone, with friends, with my parents – in every way. Parallel me He was interested in history and every time he came to new places, a lot I read about them, wrote down materials for excursions, impressions from museums, parks, architecture. Interest in traveling and knowledge of cities It became more and more, and now at the end of the university I decided try to organize a trip yourself for your friends. He called everyone he knew – fellow students, schoolmates, colleagues From the job. There were eighteen people. And I offered them a route, which they themselves would not have come to mind – go for two days in Astrakhan and Volgograd. By train to this region in one weekend turn around, but I found a very cheap flight. And in a month we early in the morning they flew from Vnukovo towards the southern sun, Astrakhan steppes and my beloved Motherland. It was great the trip, and everyone still remembers it with joy.
Masha: I didn’t know anything about it then. My classmate told me that her friend Vanya was making interesting trips and offered to join. I called once, the second, but even though I I love to travel, and I wanted to go, both times something interfered. Finally, the third time I decided, and went with her to Kineshma and Ples. I remember I liked the atmosphere so much a trip that I later regretted for a long time that I had not gone before! It would seem that only two days, but we saw so many things, and the excursions were excellent, and the boat trip, and the company I’ve gotten into that In general, I was so sunk into the soul that I wanted to go again. And it turned out that the following a trip, to Kirillov – Ferapontovo – Goritsy went already as the second Club organizer: Vanya made me an offer, we got engaged, and with since then we are inseparable together. Then we called our Club “Ivan yes Maria. ”
In front of a master class in chess in the City-Chess Palace, Elista, Kalmykia
At the helm of the TU-144 in the Ulyanovsk Museum of Civil Aviation
Oleg: I always thought that combining travel and work is quite difficult, and you do not just drive, but also manage to drive a group. How do you manage it, free schedule or some special approach to travel and life?
Vanya: When I was making my first trip, I, like all participants that journey, worked full time. Based on this, I already then understood that all our trips can be planned only as weekend tours, otherwise just no one would go: in Monday everyone needs to work. And here I am, sitting at work, looking for there are free minutes between their logistics projects and sometimes hours to prepare the first trip. Of course, went to this and evenings But even when there were a lot of trips, and they became frequent, I still had time to work full time, prepare new routes, and also to read the local lore literature in order to replenish knowledge guide It was certainly not easy, but I did not leave work was decided. Then and now, accurate time planning and proper organization of work – not for nothing that I studied at the logistician: this my important professional skill.
Masha: Then, when Vanya had the opportunity to move to another a position with a looser schedule and part-time work at home, it became, of course, easier. So we have been working since then – I’m all day in the office, and Vanya partly in the office and partly at home. Rest of the time we dedicate to the trips of the Club, we already had more than thirty of them.
At the Hanseatic sign in ancient Novgorod
On the salt lake Elton, Volgograd region
On the relict lake Manych-Gudilo, the border of Kalmykia and Rostov areas
On the Red Rocks in the Bogdinsko-Baskunchaksky Reserve, Astrakhan region
Oleg: You did not think about leaving work and do only travel? Or this task is not worth it? AND Any plans for the future?
Masha: We thought a lot about it, but decided to leave everything as yet there is. Still, traveling for us is, above all, a hobby, not Job. Van is not interested in finding any one profitable route and “roll it out”, as travel agencies do, and go to new places – where we have not been, or, conversely, in favorite routes, where it is interesting to come again to him and me, and members of our Club. Therefore, the task to completely leave the work we are not, at least now. If you just go both to free schedule.
Oleg: You say that organized travel consider as a hobby. Why? Many would be happy Engage in a hobby and make money on it. Yes, and your approach is quite This contributes to, that is, personally I do not see anything bad in that you constantly have new routes, it is rather even a plus. You so like your job, or the income from organized travel yet do not allow to consider their main source?
Vanya: I am one of those happy people who love their main job. At least, while she was still not bored. After all, now I no longer I sit all day in the office, I have project work and a free schedule, I plan my day myself. And, of course, the logistic hour consulting costs more than an hour of excursion.
Masha: And I just still sit from morning to evening in the office and not I can say that I am delighted with my work. I dream to start my own internet project, but for now i only have ideas and sensations, and all the forces that remain from my office work, I send to help her husband.
Oleg: I have long wanted to know how in such individual Tours form the price for the trip. How do you do calculate your costs and add some percentage or more somehow? Or, since this is your hobby, then the cost is nearing cost price?
Vanya: The mechanism is simple. We make a cost estimate, we expect estimated number of participants and based on this set the cost. If people are traveling a little, the price and the truth very close to cost price. The more people go, the the idea should be more profit. But it is in theory. In fact it happens that people are not enough, and the trip is not brings almost nothing. A couple of times we went at all in a minus. Decided – it is impossible to cancel a trip: people relied on us, which means we are going to anyways! Later, the losses from these trips were covered by income from others.
Masha: We also have a travel development fund, a sort of stabilization fund. it participants came up with such a name. If the trip brought more money than expected, we distribute the surplus to this fund, and these money then subsidize unprofitable travel. From it are targeted expenses: gifts to participants, tips for hired bus drivers, if they are good on the track. Separately, we encourage our Club a photographer who regularly pleases us with his pictures – you see in our reports.
Oleg: How realistic is it to organize such activities of an ordinary person who, for example, now works, but wants to try a different role? What does that require, What qualities do you think?
Vanya: I think it is quite real. But to make it happen – need to burn the idea. For the first time, perhaps, we must forget about money, and take for granted the fact that you have to make an effort – a lot of effort, more than standard office work. Because such activity, which we conduct – it is non-standard, it completely authoring. This is a kind of exclusive. Convinced that everyone a person can find something for everyone. This must be the case which he is in love – one that nobody does as well How is he. And then you just need to set a goal and go forward, and all work out! Dare! The main thing is faith in yourself, love for your work, directed work and proper organization of their work.
Oleg: How do you decide where next time? are you lucky people?
Vanya: Oh, this is always a very interesting discussion. In our club already about two hundred people, and among them are many active people who have their wishes for future trips, they are their express. And although the ideas of the routes we usually offer ourselves, to the desires of people, we also listen, making up the calendar for season. Competent planning is also important here: travel dates we we paint for six months or a year in advance to successfully get to travel on the dates of all major holidays, especially the long May and New Year’s. And then together with the members of the Club on our meetings, tea parties, choose a trip for ready-made dates. The nearest meeting – June 28 and July 10.
Masha: By the way, absolutely anyone, including a novice, can come to our meeting, express your opinion on the future routes, and it will be taken into account. I think it is very important to take the decision to travel together directly in contact with her future by the participants. We even discuss the topics of specific excursions – to make a non-standard excursion, as is usually the case travel agency, and make a one-of-a-kind excursion, such on which the listener will know exactly what is most interesting it was him. And people like such excursions much more!
Vanya: Speaking of excursions. In addition to weekend trips, we have time from time to time on behalf of the Club and Moscow tours for all wanting. Well, a standard walk along the boulevards or courtyards Now, few people will be surprised, but such excursions in Moscow in Moscow, I read, no one else will offer you in Moscow: I have been professionally engaged in the history of the subway for more than ten years, and it was even possible to speak on the radio several times with this topic.
Club meeting “Ivan da Marya” in Murom
Before the bike tour of Belovezhskaya Pushcha
In Arkhangelsk – the city of a five-hundred dollar bill
Oleg: Still, you should somehow come to your meeting and see what your travel club is from the inside, at the same time and learn from experience. BUT where are you dialing the nearest group now?
Vanya: Now we are recruiting three groups at once for routes for the summer. July 28-29 we will have an interesting two-day trip to Karelia Here is its announcement: http://ivan-da-maria.org/2012/07/karelia/. We will visit and the Kivach waterfall, and the Marcial waters, and the marble canyon in Ruskeala, where not so many tourists go. Climb up the mountain Sampo, to hear the ancient Karelian legends there – the runes.
Masha: We will have a second trip after Karelia from August 11-12. This is our traditional and most favorite route to Kineshma – Plyos – Shchelykovo with riding on the boat along the Volga: http://ivan-da-maria.org/2012/08/kineshma-plyos/. This is one of the most beautiful routes, and at the same time the most comfortable: there will be old people and families with small children. A trip for all ages!
Vanya: Finally, on August 18-19, we invite everyone to Tatarstan: http://ivan-da-maria.org/2012/08/kazan-sviyazhsk-elabuga/ Waiting for us Kazan, Sviyazhsk and Yelabuga. There will be Shishkin landscapes and delicious Tatar cuisine!
Oleg: Thank you guys for your answers! Hope we intersect in real life.
On a tour of Minsk
In the car of the Minsk Children’s Yellow Road named after Zaslonov
Favorite walking place of Dostoevsky – Polisti Embankment in Staraya Russa
In the Vologda outback, on the forest-carrying Monzensky iron the road
Extreme motor-car trip on Monzensky iron the road
Soligalich from the height of the bell tower of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin
Summer thunderstorm in Kineshma
On Mamayev Kurgan
Salt lake Baskunchak, Astrakhan region
Red rocks at the foot of the mountain Big Bogd, Astrakhan region
Beauty Kenozerye, Arkhangelsk Region
The Fifth Fort of the Brest Fortress, on the border with Poland
In the ethnographic park Suvar, Chuvashia Republic
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