... They don't? What on earth do you mean? Enormous amounts of people travel their own regions. What planet do you live on? Go hang out in a CIS platzkart, a budget Asian bus... You will encounter them - no joke - by the millions.

And if you think Russia or the CIS countries are "empty", you're dreaming. As someone who has traveled to tons of places, I consider that region to have some of the coolest travel destinations no matter what you're interested in. From Moscow to Kamchatka to the shores of Georgia, there's really something for everyone.

> and a plan, where to stay?

... What? How would that prevent someone from going somewhere? So many options, from cancellable hotel reservations to Couchsurfing hosts to hostels... If you can't figure that out you really should not be going to a foreign country.

I am not sure what to make of your Wikipedia link. If you meant to imply that Russia is a richer-than-average country, well, the numbers simply do not bear that out (Russia sits about a third lower than the global median income.)

> I don't know how many people in the US have about a month of the average US salary in their bank account

Thankfully that's easy to look up! The average American family has around $40,000 in liquid checking and savings according to the latest US Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, so no prob to that one. (If you're wondering how that works with the terrible Twitter statistic of most Americans not having $400, well, turns out that's a bastardization of a question asking the payment method for a $400 expense. The number that actually can't afford a surprise $400 is 14%; furthermore, keep in mind the survey includes teenagers, people on disability etc.

Regarding your human trafficking comment, those fleeing conflict are in an unusual situation globally. Yes, someone applying for a visa with a Yemeni passport will have to meet stronger requirements than someone with an Indian, Chinese or Russian passport. That's the unfortunate reality of the situation. For most people, that's not a consideration. If you have never applied for a visa, you may also find it useful to know that many things are taken into account. Your bank balance is more of a box to check and a fairly small part of the equation, all things considered.

>So no, this is not something anybody can do, but just a rich kid's hobby.

I like how this is an opinion you've formed by writing weird and incorrect comments on HN. I have had tens of Couchsurfing guests from very poor places. I have had guests who hitchhiked from Turkey to Amsterdam, eating donated bread and peanut butter. I have had guests that flew from Russia on a $30 flight, and that was their largest expense. It is extremely possible to travel in this way if you are poor, and even if your passport sucks. More difficult? Sure. Possible? Absolutely. If you would like to meet some of this army of hyper-budget travelers, go spend some time where they hang out. Budget hostels, Flixbuses, the 24hr McDonald's when they need a spot to charge their phone. They exist, and they exist in fairly large numbers. You'd be surprised.

Finally, I'm not sure if not reading the comment you're replying to is just something you do, but I would recommend replying appropriately. Again, I'm not talking about any sort of "digital nomadism". What I'm talking about is distinctly different and separate.