Booked Kiev - First Trip

[d62]

Hi, I arrive in Kiev December 03 and depart December 23. Working on booking a flat now. Will try booking around the center area. Probably book with http://www.flatlux.org/rus/ Any comments good or bad?

I have no idea where to go when I get off the plane in Kiev. Am I required to purchase some kind of local medical insurance at the airport? (though I don't need it). Where and or how do I pre-book a taxi?

Would I be better off purchasing an unlocked cell phone here or just buy one there?
What duration of a Sim card should I get?

Looks like at this writing , I will just be using internet cafes for emails, online banking, checking my business stuff..

I wont be using an agency. Have a couple of online friends who are willing to help with my stay. (they have their own lives also, so I cannot depend on them 24/7). One friend I have made, used to work at a marriage agency. She has offered to "advertise" me and arrange for coffee meetings. 

Just getting my feet wet, hope to have fun, enjoy the sites and culture. Meet some nice and friendly people !

I'm sure to have many more questions. Thanks in advance

[dogspot]

Just getting my feet wet, hope to have fun, enjoy the sites and culture. Meet some nice and friendly people !

Great attitude and approach! Best of luck and times to you, d62.

[JR]

I bought a new Nokia phone in Donestk for $45. If you take your current phone to your provider they should be able to unlock it for you if your phone uses a SIM card. Be warned, unlocking the phone will void any warranty.
Buying a phone there has one disadvantage, it comes with the Cyrillic characters as default on the screen and the English characters will be much smaller than the Cyrillic ones on the keys. Makes it hard to text if your eyes are as old as mine You can have the people at the store change the language default before you leave otherwise you'll be lost if you don't know how to read the language.

[viking]

I dont know if you speak any Russian, but having a guide/translator to help you out ( pickup at airport, driving around to see the sites, places to eat/drink, places to stay,  AND making sure you are not getting ripped off) woud be beneficial. They can also rent you phones, tell you where to go for groceries and the list goes on.There are several who have posted here that are very reliable. The "friend" you made at a marriage agency could have other motives than just helping you out, such as making sure your wallet goes home empty.

If you are leaving in only a few weeks, it would be a good idea to have a place to stay now. And getting off the plane and not knowing a thing is hmmmm, not a very bright idea.

You can PM me if you want and I can recommend some professional locals, whom I have used in the past ( and I have been to Kiev several times and still can use some help)  to help you.

[d62]

dogspot, hope so, Thanks

JollyRats, The cell phone I have now is so old it's rotary dial! Gracias for the tips, I'll get a phone there & change to English.

viking, If I find myself in over my head then I'll post from a internet cafe an SOS for help on here for interpretor, tyvm My "friends" husband has some medical issues which I have been able to relay to a doctor friend here for added assistance/viewpoint. She worked in the past for an agency, studying for MBA now. (But your right regardless!). Hopefully will have a flat booked tommorow. Working on the airport shuttle issue is important & your other points as well!

This is like a pre-trip checklist
(ps: bring clean underwear)

[Mars]

I strongly recommend that you buy here in USA a new UNLOCKED GSM phone.  You can buy new ones on e-bay for anywhere from around $30 on up.  Get the 4 band model and then it will work in any country in the world.  I also strongly recommend that you pay a little more and get a model with QWERTY keyboard for sending text messages.  Texting is a lot bigger in FSU than here in USA and the gals will use it a lot to send you messages.  The QWERTY keyboard makes messaging go great.

Buy it here and get used to how it works.  If you buy in FSU you will get a manual in a language you can't understand, plus the non English keys as others have mentioned.

I have purchased MTC, KyivStar and BeeLine sim chips.  There are pluses and minuses to all companies.  I think right now the BeeLine is the best deal as the chip never expires.  The others usually do, unless you put more money on every X months or so.

I would strongly urge you to get a season flu shot before you go.  The flu in raging in Ukraine right now and they are expecting a second and third wave to hit in next few weeks, months.  Also get the Swine vaccination if you can at all swing it.

Insurance hasn't been required in Ukraine for several years now.

I strongly urge you not to just show up with the slim contacts you have noted for helping you meet gals.  Get on LuckyLovers, rbrides, UkraineDate, AllSingleRussianGirls, and singles.ru as quick as you can and send out a thousand letters.  You can meet with a different gal every day you are there . . . if you get on the stick now and do some hard work.  Otherwise, come late December you will be back here posting about how you merely saw some really hot gals walking on the streets and in the malls, how you loved the food, sights, scenes, etc.  Much better to be reporting that you actually went on dates with real women.

[JR]

I like what Mars has to say about the phone. I'll probably do that when I go again. And I'll back up what he says a bout texting, they do it a lot! Another advantage about SMS is that there is less confusion about things like times, addresses, etc.

I also second the advice about making a few solid (whatever that means) contacts. While there are no guarantees (you can 'love' someone you've written to for a year and hate them within the first three minutes of meeting them) it would be a good idea to have a few phone numbers of ladies who are actually interested in meeting a marriage minded foreigner.

[d62]

Mars, picked up a 4 Band unlocked blackberry today. Flu shots, good thinking! I just can't get into the agency thing yet but your undoubtably right... Hmmm, maybe first week will work my contacts and leaves 2 weeks for agency. Girls who I write and tell them I will be there soon , are quick to respond now  , I understand their frustration. Many many thanks for your input!

So so true JollyRats. Phone numbers I have are being saved, Elana and Anna are popular names there!

 

[docetae]

flu shot now will make you ill during the 3 days following it ... And you can be refused at the border if you show flu symptoms.. be careful with it.
Full protection start around 14 days after shot.

[Rutherford]

D62 

Being a seasoned traveler  , I can say that you are going out on a limb , especially  since you have only been to Hawaii .
This will be a rude awakening    as first trip to a non English  speaking country , and I do mean NON English  , no English anywhere  , well almost .
You'll be lucky to find a menu  in English.
Always have the address to your apartment  with you   so when you get lost , just hand it to any taxi  driver  .
You'll pay double for the taxi ride into   Kiev  , maybe more .  You'll enjoy the restaurants  , they are top notch and most are in the basements  of apartment buildings  .     The women are beautiful  , I love Kiev   .
Enjoy your trip  , lol 

[Mir]

Saw this advert:

http://www.porttaxi.com/index_e.this

$16 for a taxi to Kiev Centre looks good value to me.

[d62]

Rutherford, very good idea about writing the address down!!! I'm just going with an attitude of this is a journey, not a mission. If I like it I'll go back, a little wiser. Right now they could serve me Alpo with sauce as chicken kiev and I'd leave'em a tip! Thank you for your insight I do appreciate it sincerely!

[Mars]

D62, you didn't specify, but make sure you got a GSM type of Blackberry.  GSM is needed for Ukraine and most of Europe.  You can also buy CDMA Blackberrys which only work in USA and a few other places.

The websites I listed for you are NOT agencies.  They are dating sites where you pay for a monthly membership with unlimited contact for all gals.  There is no intermediary between you and the gal; completely unlike the terrible situation with agencies who will interfere.

I have been getting seasonal flu shot for over 20 years and have never been sick for the three days stated (or any days at all), and I have never known anyone else who did.  Must be a big difference from person to person.

And it is untrue what someone posted about no English speakers.  I have met with dozens of ladies in Ukraine who speak English.  Many restaurants also have English speaking workers.  And best of all, if you run into any problems on street re trying to find something, etc., merely approach a teenage boy.  He will almost certainly speak some English and will be happy to help.  Even teenage girls can help, but you may be a little reluctant to stop them on the street.  However, I have talked to many teenage girls on minibuses, at McDonalds, etc.  Unlike American teenage girls, they are not afraid of strangers and are happy to practice their English.  I am NOT suggesting hitting on them.  Just asking directional questions, etc.

[Rutherford]

Good  one , Mars .
Approaching  young boys on  the street .
If he relies on  this as a way   to see Kiev , well, lol .


He needs  to have lined up several , maybe several   English speaking guides  , maybe only one will do .

Don't worry D62 , just jump in  feet first , you've been to Hawaii so I imagine you can swim .

Just kidding D62  , you'll be fine ,lol

[d62]

Mars, just checked the phone: Blackberry Curve 8320 Unlocked GSM Smartphone, good to go! My friend has has arranged for a taxi to meet me at the airport, 15-20usd she said so Mir was right! I don't know yet what she did but I'm getting emails now from women I've never spoken with, sending pics and saying they want to meet for coffee. Funny. Average to nice looking, what I like.

Should I try to exchange some cash here to local currency? Is there a cash limit as to what one may bring in? I have to pay, say 1K for the flat on arrival (near embassies downtown) or better to go with the flat owner to an ATM after inspection maybe.

Aloha 

[Rutherford]

Okay , now you are on the right track ,
 making contacts   .    Line up many possibilities   .
I would go on Elena's Models  and befriend women from Kiev, tell them you are looking for a friend only     , lets have dinner   and nothing more .     

As far as ATM's go  ,for what ever reason , imagine  the  machine kept your card   , what would you do then ??
       

[Kievman]

Mars, just checked the phone: Blackberry Curve 8320 Unlocked GSM Smartphone, good to go! My friend has has arranged for a taxi to meet me at the airport, 15-20usd she said so Mir was right! I don't know yet what she did but I'm getting emails now from women I've never spoken with, sending pics and saying they want to meet for coffee. Funny. Average to nice looking, what I like.

Should I try to exchange some cash here to local currency? Is there a cash limit as to what one may bring in? I have to pay, say 1K for the flat on arrival (near embassies downtown) or better to go with the flat owner to an ATM after inspection maybe.

Aloha 

Writing to women about 7-10 days before arrival get's you 10 times the response. Many girls receive letters from men saying they MAY visit next year etc so you are REAL in their eyes now.

10K euro is the limit for cash in to the Ukraine, but make sure if you have a large amount that you state this in a customs form, available in arrivals hall only. You can't take large amounts of cash out unless you have proof you brought it in in the first place.

For the Immigration paper, which you'll receive on the plane, you'll need to know and write your apartment address. Immigration will keep half and you keep half for when you leave.

I advise having sufficient to pay for the apartment on arrival. It would be a nuisance then trying to find an ATM without a daily limit if in fact you can.

$15-$20 for a taxi is fgood. The taxi men at the airport would be asking $30 to $40 if you have "I'm American" written all over you.

Enjoy your trip

[Gylden]

Ukrainian law requires that travelers declare all cash and jewelry, regardless of value, upon entering Ukraine. Travelers should fill out a customs declaration and ask customs officials to stamp it. According to Ukrainian law, foreign citizens may bring up to $10,000 in cash or up to $50,000 in travelers' checks into Ukraine without a special license. A traveler must declare the cash or checks. If customs officials determine that a traveler entering or exiting the country has undeclared cash on him or her, they can and often do confiscate the undeclared funds. When leaving the country, foreign travelers are only allowed to take out a maximum of $3,000 in cash or as much cash as they declared upon their entry into Ukraine. If a traveler wants to take out more than $3,000, the traveler must have a customs declaration proving that he or she in fact brought the corresponding sum of money into the country.

[Gylden]

Immigration officials can get pretty hard-nosed sometimes and it is best to BE PREPARED!!
I don't mean to debate the success of other posters here or make anyone take offense, but be careful of free advice. If you have these sorts of questions, it can be helpful to hear about others experiences, but only count on yourself and thorough research for the right answers. ( including mine, as I am pretty conservative and can err in that direction )
My wife and I researched this question pretty well and below I have copied and pasted what we found about this subject of cash into and out of Ukraine.
I strongly recommend that you look at the Ukrainian embassy web site and confirm for yourself, before you make an expensive mistake.
Ukrainian law requires that travelers declare all cash and jewelry, regardless of value, upon entering Ukraine. Travelers should fill out a customs declaration and ask customs officials to stamp it. According to Ukrainian law, foreign citizens may bring up to $10,000 in cash or up to $50,000 in travelers' checks into Ukraine without a special license. A traveler must declare the cash or checks. If customs officials determine that a traveler entering or exiting the country has undeclared cash on him or her, they can and often do confiscate the undeclared funds. When leaving the country, foreign travelers are only allowed to take out a maximum of $3,000 in cash or as much cash as they declared upon their entry into Ukraine. If a traveler wants to take out more than $3,000, the traveler must have a customs declaration proving that he or she in fact brought the corresponding sum of money into the country.
What Kievman says about filling out the immigration form is very good advice, however not all airlines provide you with this form. If you don't get a form on the plane, it can get a little confusing, as there are not really good signs in English at the immigration area. The waiting lines to the immigration officials are not organized as well. Forms can be found on small shelves around the concrete pillars in the immigration area and make sure to have your own pen.
On the lighter side, have a good trip!!

[JohnDearGreen]

Hi, I arrive in Kiev December 03 and depart December 23. Working on booking a flat now. Will try booking around the center area. Probably book with http://www.flatlux.org/rus/ Any comments good or bad?

I haven't used that site.  But here is one I did use:
http://www.ukr-apartments.kiev.ua/
Sergey is a fine guy from Siberia.  He can also get you an interpreter, airport ride, etc (Excuse the plug)  My comments and pic are on his references page.  The Kyiv AFA office can get you interpreters on very short notice also.   Kyiv is a great choice for your first trip.  See an opera, ballet, theatre.  I'm not big on any of those, but it is interesting to go out at intermission and do some people watching if nothing else.  Kyiv Circus was also great if your lady has a kid..  Outdoor military museum was one of the better tourist sites, but it might be cold in December. Also Andriyivsky Uzviz street with the artists and crafts people.
One of my favorite restaurants was Pervak, Rognedinskaya 2, 246-7784:
http://www.pervak.kiev.ua/
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Ukraine/Kyyivska_Oblast/Kiev-707621/Restaurants-Kiev-Pervak-BR-1.html
I think you will do fine.  Internet cafes are easily found.  Post back here if you need help...

[Rutherford]

Having passed through the airport  half a dozen times  , I never saw anyone   bother with the customs  guys , they all just walked right on by them.

I would explore  the idea of  sending money to your self via Western Union  , doing this means you can walk into any  location  and pick up your money  , no need to carry   a big dollar amount .   Maybe send  it to yourself twice  .     Or, have someone at home ready to send it to you at your request .

[Mars]

I would explore  the idea of  sending money to your self via Western Union  , doing this means you can walk into any  location  and pick up your money  , no need to carry   a big dollar amount .  

I checked on this a couple of years ago.  WU rules do not allow sending money to yourself.  There was some logic involved, but can't remember it right now.  Probably something to do with anti laundering rules.