In A Bind

[DuckMan]

Yes, that was the trip. Had me on pins and needles for a little. And, the lady isn't angry. I need a vacation so bad I hastily planned one I had no business planning. I realized I need to read everything again. Houston tomorrow to pick up more furniture. I understand winter travel to Ukraine can be treacherous? Thanks for all the input.

Scooter

[LAman]

Can't tell you how much all the great advice above is appreciated. I am moving into a new house built to my specs while I was overseas. 80% of my furniture is in the living room as my hired help the last three days only had enough back for that. On and on and on. I postponed the trip. I realized I need to go back through everything on this site as I did earlier, much earlier. I have tickets that have to be used or lost within a decent timeframe. I hope the lady isn't too mad. I apologized profusely and told her to tell me her expenses for the ticket to Kiev. I'm waiting to see how that goes. Two false starts. This trip was too hastily planned. That's how bad I'd like to go.

Much, much good advice in this thread. As usual this site is a wealth of knowledge. And, yes, Bill I read your trip report and others. If I remember correctly yours was the most complete and was quite an adventure. Someone was almost  stuck in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night but it turned out OK.

I'll be back.

Scooter

Not sure how bad your situation at home is to postpone your trip BUT you only have 1 time to make a first impression. Too bad you couldn't delay your 'moving in' since you CAN control that. It would have taken an avalanche for me to cancel/postpone a trip. Hope the lady understands, she will definitely not forget about this.
What did you mean by 'two false starts'?

About Calmissle's thread, I tell people to read that trip report as to what 'not' to do in Ukraine. I am glad he made it alive, it could very easily gone bad and we read about it in an obituary column.

[DuckMan]

Two false starts. The first trip I planned required much advance notice for time off. After being approved, Crimea and serious rioting/violence in Kiev coincided with the approved dates. Understand your comments but house can't wait. Luckily, no one is offended. It was a poorly, hastily planned trip (can you say I need a vacation and a real woman) and it is better this way. I understand Lviv and western Ukraine are very nice and a decent trip requires more than one week. I love architecture and countryside and meeting nice people.

Winter travel in Ukraine not advisable?

[mendeleyev]

Duckman,

Winter travel in Ukraine, especially since you like architecture, etc, should be very beautiful!

Just remember to coordinate your dates. New Years Eve and New Years Day constitutes the most important holiday of the year (Easter is second), and then Christmas Eve (Jan 6) and Christmas Day (Jan 7) are next.

Gifts are given on New Years, not at Christmas.

[LAman]

Duckman,

Winter travel in Ukraine, especially since you like architecture, etc, should be very beautiful!

Just remember to coordinate your dates. New Years Eve and New Years Day constitutes the most important holiday of the year (Easter is second), and then Christmas Eve (Jan 6) and Christmas Day (Jan 7) are next.

Gifts are given on New Years, not at Christmas.

Come on Mendy...you forgot to mention the most important part of winter travel........the WEATHER!!!! brrrrrr 

[2tallbill]

Winter travel in Ukraine not advisable?

Why not? I've always had more time in the winter and have traveled both to
Ukraine and Russia in the winter. I live in North Dakota and both are usually
warmer than here in the winter.

The time to travel is when you find a good girl to meet in a meet one strategy
and whenever you find time in the meet many strategy. If you find an excellent
girl in Siberia in January, go to the ski shop and buy some warm clothes and go
see her before some other guy does. You want to be considered a man of action
and a man of action isn't afraid of the dark, spiders and especially not afraid
of the cold!

Udachi!


Bill

[Miquel Westano]

. You want to be considered a man of action
and a man of action isn't afraid of the dark, spiders and especially not afraid
of the cold!

Udachi!


Bill

Crap!  The spider thing just put me out of the man of action category!

[Donhollio]

Why not? I've always had more time in the winter and have traveled both to
Ukraine and Russia in the winter. I live in North Dakota and both are usually
warmer than here in the winter.

~ You want to be considered a man of action
and a man of action isn't afraid of the dark, spiders and especially not afraid
of the cold!

  I live north of Bill, and in my two trips to the FSU in winter it was down right balmy compared to home. Odessa hit above 0c daily in December.  Rostov was foggy and just above zero. Even Volgograd was below zero but still warmer then what I left behind in December. Well we had one cold day about -25c in Volgograd, and even though my lil Human Heater thought she was going to die while out walking around, I silently rejoiced at the mostly mellow chilled air.

 The chick/s will dig a guy who visits in the off season. Just never whine about the cold. Just say in your best Russian voice, " I am strong like bull.''

[2tallbill]

Crap!  The spider thing just put me out of the man of action category!

Nobody has to know about it. (I won't tell anyone) but you've gotta be willing
and able to kill spiders and dispose of them in order to live around Russian women.

I've been summoned at least a hundred times to kill them. If the spider lives
outside he's allowed to live, but if they come into our house and my Russian 
wife or daughter sees them one of the girls is going to run and get me and
then it's bye bye Mr or Mrs spider.

NOTE: If the spider is missing when I get there, then I must search frantically
until I find any bug and kill it and dispose of it quickly before any notes can be
compared with the previously seen arachnid. In a two girl household this is
fairly rare because one girl positions herself to stare at the spider while the other
girl summons the executioner. If the spider drops from the ceiling then both
girls will squeal and I will tap dance on the spiders remains.

[2tallbill]

  I live north of Bill, and in my two trips to the FSU in winter it was down right balmy compared to home. Odessa hit above 0c daily in December.  Rostov was foggy and just above zero. Even Volgograd was below zero but still warmer then what I left behind in December. Well we had one cold day about -25c in Volgograd, and even though my lil Human Heater thought she was going to die while out walking around, I silently rejoiced at the mostly mellow chilled air.

Guys need to remember that if you find a good girl, then you better 
get on a plane and visit her before some other slippery guy (like Don
or I  before getting married) shows up on her doorstep. A guy on the
doorstep is worth more than a dozen handsome keyboard Romeos online.

The chick/s will dig a guy who visits in the off season. Just never whine about the cold. Just say in your best Russian voice, " I am strong like bull.''

 

[LAman]

   

 The chick/s will dig a guy who visits in the off season. Just never whine about the cold. Just say in your best Russian voice, " I am strong like bull.''

OMG, there are few girls available to get me back in FSU in winter, UNLESS it is to visit HER FAMILY!!!!
You 'leather-faced' guys can talk about your weather in SD, ND< Canada or North Pole and compare it to FSU and it being not-so-bad BUT my Cali tan does terrible in cold weather!!!!

I can think of very few things good about cold weather other than it's bad for my skin(yes I know about what sun does), in freezing weather can't walk around very long, girls are covered up( a highly negative feature), spend most time indoors and can cause havoc with flights. Just takes one summer evening in Arkadia, Odessa to really understand the truly positive aspects of warmth and good eyesight!!!

[2tallbill]

OMG, there are few girls available to get me back in FSU in winter, UNLESS it is to visit HER FAMILY!!!!
You 'leather-faced' guys can talk about your weather in SD, ND< Canada or North Pole and compare it to FSU and it being not-so-bad BUT my Cali tan does terrible in cold weather!!!!

I can think of very few things good about cold weather other than it's bad for my skin(yes I know about what sun does), in freezing weather can't walk around very long, girls are covered up( a highly negative feature), spend most time indoors and can cause havoc with flights. Just takes one summer evening in Arkadia, Odessa to really understand the truly positive aspects of warmth and good eyesight!!!

I lived in the SF Bay Area for almost 20 years, but I never skipped a chance
to hit the slopes in Tahoe, Utah or Oregon. Think of it as chasing ski bunnies.
Somebody has to warm up those girls after their visits outside 

[LAman]

I lived in the SF Bay Area for almost 20 years, but I never skipped a chance
to hit the slopes in Tahoe, Utah or Oregon. Think of it as chasing ski bunnies.
Somebody has to warm up those girls after their visits outside 

I knew you were the devil in disguise!!! How was the sunny skies in Tahoe!!! Ah, the days of skiiing in a T-shirt!!!

[southernX]

2tallbill  but you've gotta be willing
and able to kill spiders and dispose of them in order to live around Russian women.

I've been summoned at least a hundred times to kill them. If the spider lives
outside he's allowed to live, but if they come into our house and my Russian 
wife or daughter sees them one of the girls is going to run and get me and
then it's bye bye Mr or Mrs spider.

NOTE: If the spider is missing when I get there, then I must search frantically
until I find any bug and kill it and dispose of it quickly before any notes can be
compared with the previously seen arachnid. In a two girl household this is
fairly rare because one girl positions herself to stare at the spider while the other
girl summons the executioner. If the spider drops from the ceiling then both
girls will squeal and I will tap dance on the spiders remains.

y6es absolutly correct

nothing will make your women scream more than arachnids or terrakans ime

and a proper funeral ceremony  outside must be had as evidence of their passing also lol 

SX

[Donhollio]

OMG, there are few girls available to get me back in FSU in winter, UNLESS it is to visit HER FAMILY!!!!
You 'leather-faced' guys can talk about your weather in SD, ND< Canada or North Pole and compare it to FSU and it being not-so-bad BUT my Cali tan does terrible in cold weather!!!!

I can think of very few things good about cold weather other than it's bad for my skin(yes I know about what sun does), in freezing weather can't walk around very long, girls are covered up( a highly negative feature), spend most time indoors and can cause havoc with flights. Just takes one summer evening in Arkadia, Odessa to really understand the truly positive aspects of warmth and good eyesight!!!

 I've spent many-a-night in the clubs of Arkadia.    Winter fashion was quite pleasing to the eye in UA, yet it was horrible just a few years later during my trip to Russia.

[JayH]

I've spent many-a-night in the clubs of Arkadia.    Winter fashion was quite pleasing to the eye in UA, yet it was horrible just a few years later during my trip to Russia.

The winter has a style missing obvious flesh--but the style,elegance and presentation  is as present as ever-- so stylish --I love it-- and it is only outside in the open as all outside gear comes off indoors !
I am talking about Kiev-- and other major cities-- but it is the same in many other places.
For us from warmer climates-- it is a huge contrast-- and avoiding the absolute depths of winter makes a lot of sense-- not far either side of that period has been ok for me-- as long as I was wearing appropriate clothing!

[Chicagoguy]

Snowmobiling in Omsk in -25C. Walking the streets of Tomsk in - 40C.  Meeting my wife for first time in Moscow on Dec. 31. What's not to like ?  Plenty ! Now I go in Spring. My Russian wife doesn't like cold.

[JayH]

Bump for update?

[Anotherkiwi]

Nobody has to know about it. (I won't tell anyone) but you've gotta be willing and able to kill spiders and dispose of them in order to live around Russian women.

I've been summoned at least a hundred times to kill them. If the spider lives outside he's allowed to live, but if they come into our house and my Russian wife or daughter sees them one of the girls is going to run and get me and then it's bye bye Mr or Mrs spider.

NOTE: If the spider is missing when I get there, then I must search frantically until I find any bug and kill it and dispose of it quickly before any notes can be compared with the previously seen arachnid. In a two girl household this is fairly rare because one girl positions herself to stare at the spider while the other girl summons the executioner. If the spider drops from the ceiling then both
girls will squeal and I will tap dance on the spiders remains.

Maybe it's because Norf Dekody is cold, Bill, and you don't have any other "pests" around, but I'm really happy that spiders make their home with me.  Flies and mosquitoes are far more of a nuisance here in the summer, but our normal house spiders (colloquially known as "Daddy Longlegs") do an extremely good job of keeping their numbers down.  If one is in the bath or wash basin when I want to use it, I will quite happily pick it up (or let it walk onto my arm) and put it safely out of the way.

Obviously I wouldn't accept the man-eating variety as a housemate, but New Zealand only has one poisonous spider (the Katipo, a relative of the Australian Redback), and even that is not desperately dangerous to the average healthy person.  It's also very restricted in its habitat, and the great majority of us (including me) have never actually seen one.