At the time I decided to visit Russia there was considerable diplomatic tension between the UK and Russian governments so I thought it sensible to get professional help in arranging the trip. I wrote an email listing what I wanted to do – effectively have hotel bed and breakfast and transport to, from, between and within Moscow and Saint Petersburg. I did not want to be part of a tour group but to organise my own itinerary within each city. I sent this email to several travel companies. Some ignored it, some sent back their standard tour package. Baltic actually read my email and sent me a detailed, priced itinerary which covered every item on my list. I was already impressed. I exchanged a few emails and was further impressed to find that each one was rapidly and intelligently dealt with by the same person – Julija. This individual contact of course makes it much easier as there is no need for long explanations each time. I booked and in due course received excellent help with the long and tedious visa application – which, thanks to the accurate paperwork supplied, was granted without any fuss. All the agreed transport worked as expected apart from the Moscow – St. Petersburg high speed train planned which was cancelled by the Russian railways. Julija arranged a revised time and gave me a seat upgrade as recompense for the change. In Russia all went excellently apart from one mistake by the Intourist organisation in St Petersburg which did not supply me with the tickets expected. Here my level of being impressed by Baltic reached new heights. Julija responded immediately by email and eventually by phone [this on a Saturday evening] and all was sorted. The next evening I was astounded to find she had also organised an ‘apology’ present at the hotel and she kept in email touch all weekend. She further organised, though I did not ask for it, a refund of the Hermitage ticket payment I made because of the Intourist error. Both these, relatively minor, changes to my plans were caused by other organisations outside the control of Baltic yet you responded with incredible speed and generosity to both. I am very grateful to you and all your team [especially Julija] for doing such a lot to give me a very interesting and enjoyable trip. Undoubtedly the best travel company with whom I have ever travelled. Keith Parkin Sheffield UK