Looking on booking Russia next how easy is it getting a visa
Can't help you with your query but someone was on Twitter before saying Krasnodar is a sound place to go and has got loads of bars. Probably be a great trip but I won't be going
I've heard it's decent mate. It's 50/50 as I've got 2 trips to the states before November . My bird is threatening to kill me but there is nothing new there
I live over their now mate and have done the visa applications ad invinitum, you will be best off applying through here
http://ru.vfsglobal.co.uk/ they handle all applications for Russian visas - if your in L'pool you'll apply to the London rather than Edinburgh one, saves money through the other route of going through a third party booking agent who usually slap on an extra 50 quid or so, long as you get your app in with plenty of time then don't go for the express service, the other normal app takes about 9-10 days from posting off to getting it back in your hand - make sure you include the return by special courier with the fee - my last visa think all round it cost about 90 quid and change - they changed it so you can pay by visa rather than having to bankers or postal order which used to add a tenner on

, if you don't mind paying extra like then can always use one of the accredited visa agencies that walk you through it all - honestly a waste imo - can also do an express service for an extra fee which will get your visa you in about 3 days instead
I've never had any problem getting a visa, and their really prompt on replying to any queries at the link i pasted here
Visa form looks a pita at first but pretty simple actually - you need any help shout out and will try to steer you right on it
As for Kras, i've never been, but the wife has with her old class of 15-16 year old students (when she was teaching) and she reckons its a really nice place - think it's one of the holiday resort places from communist times for the party aperachic