Sue - Day 5 - Travel from Kiev to Mariupol

Sue – Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Day 5 – Kiev to Donetsk to Mariupol

We slept in today, since the driver was not picking us up until 3:00pm to go to SDA to pick up the approval documents. The docs are not ready until after 4:00 or 5:00pm, so you just have to wait. You cannot take the train to Mariupol, because it leaves at 4:30, and there would be no way to get the docs and then drive to the train station and get the 4:30 train. I was looking forward to a private sleeping car for 16 hours (romantic), but it was kind of silly to take a 12 hour train to Donetsk (leaving later, around 8-9pm), arrive at 9-10 in the morning, get your bags, and THEN drive 2 hours to Mariupol, and not start the official business until after noon. So we fly.

The day started out slowly – no alarm clocks – and we had a “clean up” day for eating… eggs, great – toast, leftover steak, rice, banana, and whatever else we could use up over breakfast and lunch. It was a drizzly day, and we had to pack EVERYTHING back in those suitcases… did all this stuff really fit into those 5 suitcases? Hard to believe! I shuffled and juggled all the items; clothes, toys, candies, toiletries, emergency supplies, vitamins, etc, etc, etc… until no bag weighed more than 50 pounds… for check in. It took awhile, but we managed to do it before 3:00pm.

Our driver took us back downtown to the SDA office. We waited in line with about 6-7 other families. It was rainy and a little chilly, which made the cobblestone streets slippery and the pathways a little muddy. Unless you are a professional high-heel die-hard, then I would recommend NOT wearing high heels. I wear flats, so it didn’t bother me, but I walked gingerly across the muddy areas and wet cobblestone anyway… no sense coming this far and breaking your arm and not making your appointment! Okay, I worry. The actual appointment was only about 10 minutes or less. Maria, the lovely clerk from the day before, was now downstairs in a little windowed office right by the entrance door. She was still kind and gentle, and had a big “Zdrahst-wicha” and smile for every family. She makes you feel like YOU are very special and she is happy to be helping JUST YOU. She was wonderful!

So after a 30 minute wait, and 5-10 minutes of signatures and passport-checking, off we go with the paperwork; pick up our translator, and long drive to the airport (an hour or so in rush hour with rain…). It was nice to see Kiev again; each time you notice something different. For me, it is always a shock to see the dichotomy of absolute poverty and relative wealth all in one city block. Here, a new high-rise going up, or shiny lighted store with neon lights, and the next is a run-down 50 year old high-rise apartment building badly in need of TLC, with clothes hanging out the window on a makeshift clothesline. The other thing htat fascinated me is the highway/freeway going to the airport has these large, neon lights for the route number, speed limit, exit number (?)… They are right across the highway (like the large green signs with white lettering in USA), with brilliant blue and red lights across a bland background; very pretty.

The airport for local Ukrainian traffic is small, with only 4 Gates, but very, very busy! We waited in the small café (they had sushi but we were not that brave) for about an hour, then checked in our 5 bags. The two bags that Jeff and I normally carry on were too big for the smaller airlines. BE AWARE… it is VERY SMALL for carry on! So have your valuables in a backpack or briefcase or small travel case (you know, the kind grandma used to visit with), because that 19”x9”x14” that US airlines call “Carry On” will NOT be here!! The flights do not go to Mariupol; you fly to Donetsk (9:00pm) and then drive about 2 hours to Mariupol (1:00AM).
The funny thing about the airport is you walk down the stairway from the plain to the tarmac, walk to a bus, and the bus drives a short distance to the terminal. You are packed in like sardines, and you wish more people showered daily, like you do, or stressed about things less… if you get my “drift”. Then when the bus stops at the terminal, you wait for your bags, which arrive in the large baggage cart. We had an EXCELLENT driver who knew when to go around potholes or slow down for police radar traps, and although the roads weren’t “smooth” they certainly were no worse than many in and around San Jose.

We stopped at grocery store for water and milk, and then to the apartment – short wait for our “host” to bring the keys. The apartment is lovely by any country standards. It has beautiful wood trim, tall ceilings, modern kitchen, tiled bath, and is decorated very lavishly. There was no toilet paper anywhere we oculd find when we arrived, so my two rolls of “emergency toilet paper” I had been keeping (one in my purse, one in my checked bag) sure came in handy.
NOTE: Have toilet paper handy with you, in your carry-on bag… some places have it, and others do NOT. I used the one from my purse on at least two occasions so far, and we are only day 5 ( only 12 more days to go…). Speaking of toilets; the apartments have real toilets; public toilets are a lot like Cambodia (but without the mud and chickens), where there is a tiled bathroom, with a trench-like opening ON THE FLOOR. Think deep-knee squats. (Ladies, if you wear pantyhose, you are on your own…). Most places, the paper goes in a waste can, not the flush toilet. Okay, I’m done. Gross part over.

We were VERY tired at 1:30 in the morning when we checked in. We were so disoriented, that neither Jeff nor I could find our toothpaste…. (Didn’t we just pack it 6 hours ago??) I felt grungy form being jammed into a small plane and crowded bus, and sweaty, long, rainy rides, so I showered (nice, consistent-temperature, wonderful shower!) and crashed hard!

Tomorrow we see Anastasiya for the first time since July…
“Jeff…. I’m so excited!”
“Ya toe-sha (Me, too!)”

TOMORROW!!

Notes from Jeff:

I'm adding these notes on a computer at the internet cafe. I have a lot more respect for those who have gone before and have not had the luxury of surfing on a bottlegged connection in the apartment. We haven't found a network in Mariupol that is available from the apartment here like we did in Kiev. Sue had typed everything above on word before we left for the orphanage this morning. It will be much harder to stay on target with timely posts this way. We may go ahead and purchase an internet wireless access card - it's pricey, but we're both suffering from email withdrawal. Aside from the personal stuff that we both need to keep up with (carpool changes, Connor communication), there are also business issues and other communications that just need to occur. Our interpreter just checked this out - it looks like somewhere around 1500 grivna ($190 US), we could have unlimited internet for the rest of the trip. If it's really a purchase of the card, we may be able to give it to our facilitator for use by future families. Heck - that's how we got our phone for use here!

OK - about Tuesday:

Not much to add. I would emphasize what Susie said above about getting to work. We just casually asked our translator if she was glad that we flew instead of taking the train. Her comment was that yes, she was very glad, because that meant she could get to work on our documents first thing in the morning. Now, I'm not sure if doing this in the afternoon would have just been an inconvenience, or if it could have concievably extended the process, but of course we want every opportunity to make sure everything goes smoothly! So overall I think the flight was an easy choice - for us.

We have decided to work on the next post from home as well - haven't decided about the card yet, but Susie really wants to work from home. Lots to add Wednesday was an action-packed day!