I started learning to drive when I was 14, I was driving on my own by 16. I used to love driving, I felt free. Growing up in Calgary, I got to experience the four seasons of driving. One night I had to drive in terrible conditions through the Rocky Mountain pass on highway 1. I was caught in a snow storm and I could not see past my bumper. The road was covered in black ice and I remember losing control of my jeep and spinning while watching 18 wheel trucks coming towards me from either direction, luckily I went into the ditch.

Since I have been in Moscow, I have felt similar fear many times, although this time I am the passenger and not the driver. Luckily I can close my eyes and take a deep breath while waiting to hear the crunching of metal, but so far I have not. It would seem that Moscow follows similar driving rules as Canada with a few exceptions.

For starters lines on the road seem not to apply to drivers. If the road is wide enough for 2 or 3 cars then regardless of the lines on the road, cars pinch by each other in a mad attempt to get to where they are going. Secondly if you do not know where you are going, you must have a GPS because it seems they only like to label about half the streets. In general if most drivers from Moscow were in the US or Canada they would certainly be given dangerous driving tickets.

The roads in the center of Moscow feel more like a bumper car ride than a street. I keep thinking that all of these people are crazy and have a wish to get into a car accident, but the reality is most everyone on the road drives this way. The must be the way that the people have decided how to cope with the mass numbers trying to get from point A to point B.

On the flip side, Moscow's public transportation system is incredible. The majority of the underground stations are more beautiful inside then most american buildings. Vaulted ceilings, crown molding, hand painted murals and stone columns are some of the architectural beauties that I have seen so far. I have come to equate subways with homeless people the smell of urine and graffiti, not in Moscow. People are commuting very orderly, standing to the right on the escalator, leaving a clear path on the left for people in a hurry. Considering over 6 million people take the transportation each day, this is something Russia has to be proud of. However if you don't speak or read Russian it may be a little difficult to navigate.

Today I was in the car for over 6 hours...exhausting, I feel worse for my driver.