Yes, we lost one bag but it was the food bag. All documents made it here safe and sound. We have Internet in our little apartment but it's weird, it sort of flashes and although I'm plugged in, I keep getting a low battery balloon.
It's beeping now so I may just lose my connection.
Anyway, as mentioned we lost a bag so had to go to lost and found where a sweet pretty girl helped us and found our bag was still in Munich. She could have been Katie Dyson's Ukraine twin. (For those of you from the 28th ward!)
She helped me fill out the custom papers - the paper we filled out on the plane just gets you through the first check point-note to others following fill out top and bottom of this sheet even though it says arrival at top and departure at bottom-guys at this first desk not too patient, friendly or English speaking.
So the cute Katie looking girl took us to customs where a mean "Mr. Bean" looking guy asked us about our "gifts". Do we have any gifts? Well, yes the gifts of underwear for the orphanage. This obviously was a wrong answer as he had to see the gifts. He rifled through "mustard" (big yellow duffel bag) and then had to look through "ketchup" too-which was James and Alex's clothes. For some reason this bags looked suspicious? Finally after a bazillion questions about the gifts? How much they cost? Etc. he let us through....whew!
Outside we quickly found Hannah, our cute translator and Irina our facilitator with a sign holding our name. We went to the smallest little car (good thing one of our bags were missing as we would have never got it all inside!) and loaded up. James noticed her tire was low, when he pointed it out to Hannah she dryly said "Welcome To Ukraine."
We drove for quite awhile before reaching Kiev. There we stopped and exchanged money. Irinia parked right on the sidewalk and Hannah (I'm not sure if it's Hannah or Shanna-I'll try to clarify today) went with us to the "bank" which was just a window where we exchanged $500. I still can't say how the name of dollars here, I keep saying the word Gringots (from Harry Potter) but it's something like grieve-ness. Anyway 8.4 to our dollar. So when shopping things look WAY expensive.
The speed odometers are in kilometers not miles per hour so it looked like we were going 120 miles per hour down the freeway.
In getting to our hotel/apartment we went down this narrow alley way with other cars coming the opposite direction. Although I don't understand Ukrainian I know Irinia called the other car an idiot or something. We went to what appears to be a back door and loaded in our luggage. We're on the 2nd floor and our place is about 500 square feet with a studio bed/living room, kitchen, entry and bath. It's clean and relatively nice. We're paying $70 a night. I took video and will try to post.
We walked to this little market which made Lee Mart look plush! It is just about 40 steps from our apartment/hotel.
We did get our missing bag at about 1:30 am-it's about 2:30 am right now. We had our adapter in it and couldn't get online until we got our bag as the battery in our computer was dead.
We Skyped with our kids and that was awesome to see their cute faces and hear their voices. James and Dev & Rylee had fun making crazy faces at each other.
Our Ukraine phone is working and Hannah made it so it's in English and I can actually find the menu and what not. We can't call out (I tried to call Alex) as we need to buy some minutes but we'll work on that tomorrow.
When we went to bed (I think it's a double) there was a warm tiny comforter. James and I just couldn't fit under it. (I think it was twin size) anyway, after wrestling with it we realized it is TWO tiny twin comforters so we each have our own. We slept from about eight until the luggage came at 1:30.
I'm using an ironing board as my desk. I think James took a picture of that too. I keep saving my post and then going back to add more as I'm afraid I'm going to lose my connection.
Opps...looks like our adapter just burned out and now our battery is beeping again so I better go before the computer dies....
It's beeping now so I may just lose my connection.
Anyway, as mentioned we lost a bag so had to go to lost and found where a sweet pretty girl helped us and found our bag was still in Munich. She could have been Katie Dyson's Ukraine twin. (For those of you from the 28th ward!)
She helped me fill out the custom papers - the paper we filled out on the plane just gets you through the first check point-note to others following fill out top and bottom of this sheet even though it says arrival at top and departure at bottom-guys at this first desk not too patient, friendly or English speaking.
So the cute Katie looking girl took us to customs where a mean "Mr. Bean" looking guy asked us about our "gifts". Do we have any gifts? Well, yes the gifts of underwear for the orphanage. This obviously was a wrong answer as he had to see the gifts. He rifled through "mustard" (big yellow duffel bag) and then had to look through "ketchup" too-which was James and Alex's clothes. For some reason this bags looked suspicious? Finally after a bazillion questions about the gifts? How much they cost? Etc. he let us through....whew!
Outside we quickly found Hannah, our cute translator and Irina our facilitator with a sign holding our name. We went to the smallest little car (good thing one of our bags were missing as we would have never got it all inside!) and loaded up. James noticed her tire was low, when he pointed it out to Hannah she dryly said "Welcome To Ukraine."
We drove for quite awhile before reaching Kiev. There we stopped and exchanged money. Irinia parked right on the sidewalk and Hannah (I'm not sure if it's Hannah or Shanna-I'll try to clarify today) went with us to the "bank" which was just a window where we exchanged $500. I still can't say how the name of dollars here, I keep saying the word Gringots (from Harry Potter) but it's something like grieve-ness. Anyway 8.4 to our dollar. So when shopping things look WAY expensive.
The speed odometers are in kilometers not miles per hour so it looked like we were going 120 miles per hour down the freeway.
In getting to our hotel/apartment we went down this narrow alley way with other cars coming the opposite direction. Although I don't understand Ukrainian I know Irinia called the other car an idiot or something. We went to what appears to be a back door and loaded in our luggage. We're on the 2nd floor and our place is about 500 square feet with a studio bed/living room, kitchen, entry and bath. It's clean and relatively nice. We're paying $70 a night. I took video and will try to post.
We walked to this little market which made Lee Mart look plush! It is just about 40 steps from our apartment/hotel.
We did get our missing bag at about 1:30 am-it's about 2:30 am right now. We had our adapter in it and couldn't get online until we got our bag as the battery in our computer was dead.
We Skyped with our kids and that was awesome to see their cute faces and hear their voices. James and Dev & Rylee had fun making crazy faces at each other.
Our Ukraine phone is working and Hannah made it so it's in English and I can actually find the menu and what not. We can't call out (I tried to call Alex) as we need to buy some minutes but we'll work on that tomorrow.
When we went to bed (I think it's a double) there was a warm tiny comforter. James and I just couldn't fit under it. (I think it was twin size) anyway, after wrestling with it we realized it is TWO tiny twin comforters so we each have our own. We slept from about eight until the luggage came at 1:30.
I'm using an ironing board as my desk. I think James took a picture of that too. I keep saving my post and then going back to add more as I'm afraid I'm going to lose my connection.
Opps...looks like our adapter just burned out and now our battery is beeping again so I better go before the computer dies....
6 of my blog friends said something...:
Horray! So glad to hear you're doing alright. I saw a hit from Kiev and hoped it was you.:)
Marissa and I laughed our heads off. You named your luggage Mustard? Mr. Bean looking man? But you made it, and your documents got there. Thanks for your funny comments. I needed something to make me laugh today.
Hip hip horray! I am glad all is well.
Woohoo! Glad you made it safe!
I don't think it's funny at all that you named your luggage mustard and ketchup. I think only someone really creative and adventurous would do that. But I'm sorry they made you look suspicious. I'm sure the guy had a blast rooting through all the tighty whities. Glad you made it!
Jen-we only made it to your blog today! So your hit yesterday was not us. Maybe Kellers?
Lori-I would like to take credit for naming the luggage but they came pre-named by my good friend Amy. I'm glad you laughed. We laughed a lot too-in our apartment of course away from Mr Bean!
Amy-Yes, only someone creative and adventurous would name their bags "ketchup" and "mustard" and equally adventurous would be their friends that borrowed the bags and took them half way around the world only to be harassed by a grumpy Mr Bean custom's agent!
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