In general, July is the wettest month with an average rainfall of 68.7mm. July has around 14 days of rain with an average wind speed 3 m/s in a northern and western direction. On average cloud cover for the month of July is 80% and does not vary substantially over the course of the month. Over the course of July, the length of daylight gradually decreases. The longest day is July 2nd with 17:26 hours of daylight and the shortest day of the month is July 31st with 16:05 hours of daylight. During July the average sunrise is around 4:30am and the sunset is 9:00pm. WATER AND CUISINE Quality of tap water varies around the country, and may even be variable within cities. In old buildings tap water can be non-potable. In the big cities of European Russia, the water is clean of biological contaminants, but often suffers from the presence of heavy metals, due to out-dated city plumbing. If you can't buy bottled water, boil water before drinking. Take care when choosing bottled water in a market. Ensure the water is transparent, free of any form of deposits, and that the bottle is smooth and clear. Also check to ensure that the seal is intact. Russian cuisine derives its rich and varied character from the vast and multicultural expanse of Russia. Its foundations were laid by the peasant food of the rural population in an often harsh climate, with a combination of plentiful fish, poultry, game, mushrooms, berries, and honey. Russian specialities include Pelmeni (meat-filled dumplings, especially popular in Ural and Siberian regions), Blini (thin, savoury buckwheat pancakes), Piroshki (small pies or buns with sweet or savoury filling) and much more. MONEY The Rouble (RUB) is the official currency of Russia. The units of RUB are made up of the Kopeks, where 1 Rouble is equal to 100 Kopeks. Notes come in denominations of 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000. Conversions (approximate): 50 RUB = $1.64 AUD 100 RUB = $3.28 AUD 500 RUB = $16.42 AUD 1000 RUB = $32.83 AUD
$1 AUD 0= $10 AUD = $20 AUD = $50 AUD =
30.46 RUB 304.55 RUB 609.11 RUB 1522.77 RUB
All major credit and debit cards can be used in Automated Teller Machines (“bankomat” in Russian). Here where you can use Visa, MasterCard, Cirrus, Maestro, Plus and American Express to withdraw cash. Airports, major hotels and some department stores have ATMs. The exchange rate on ATM withdrawals is similar to credit cards but there is a maximum daily withdrawal amount. Usually banks charge up to 1% commission if you withdraw money from a foreign bank. Also note that your bank may have a fee for international transactions, so check before you travel. Credit card use in Russia remains relatively low compared to Western countries. Commonly-used cards include Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Credit cards are usually accepted at hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and department stores. Do not 2013 WORLD SUMMER UNIVERSIADE – AUSTRALIAN UNIROOS TEAM GUIDE 14