Out of the vurtual world and into reality in 6 days

[Jumper]

shakspear -good advice,
and my mentioning jack  was more he could call him in the usa,, and jack always has someone in ukraine to help the guy out..
if he is in a fix.

[cranehand]

 3 days to go.  WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!  OMG Am I really doing this?  Well the whole family is expecting me. No turning back now.  Much food and drink will be on the table

 The weather is holding, but will be facing single digit temps for the touchdown in Kiev.  I spent a decade living in Colorado so I certainly have the gear for cold and snow.  This Texas boy will be warm and dry .

  TSA 100 oz rule in full effect.  Other than changing the size of my contact lens solution bottle im all good.  Got 3-4 days change of clothes in carry on's JIC the transfer in Rome goes astray.  ( MAN I HOPE NOT) got a months worth of threads in the checked bags.

  Thanks everyone for the advise.  I have Jack and Kevin's numbers.  I actually met her through KG and have spoken to Kevin a few times.

  Got the apartment for 200$ for the month inc. utilities + 100$ deposit.  Smokin deal.  Im glad I asked her to help.  I think she enjoyed looking for me.  She says it is nice and cozy with wifi SWEET!!!!!

 OK Ukraine ready or not here I come.  Wonder if I will look out of place at 6'5" 245 lbs  NAAAAAAAAA!!!  im sure I will blend.  NOT

[Simoni]

Wonder if I will look out of place at 6'5" 245 lbs  NAAAAAAAAA!!!  im sure I will blend.  NOT

Actually, there are lots of BIG Russian guys.  You won't be out of place because of your size; more likely it will be your smile or your clothes that will give you away :-)

PS-- Igor Olshansky, Dallas Cowboy defensive end from Dnepr, is 6-6 and weighs 315.  So you are a mere shrimp compared to him! LOL

[JR]

Welcome cranehead and a nice plan you have there. You're going to spend enough time together to sort a lot of things out.

Just don't feel obligated if to stay in a bad place if things should go south. Remember it's your adventure and don't throw good days after bad.

Best of everything to ya!

[cranehand]

YEP!!  I am sure the holywood smile will be a dead give away.  DAMM happy Americans always smiling.  Why? Because  fsyo at-lich-na
 But what am I sposed to do with a beautiful RW looking me in the eyes
 
 BTW simoni about 4 yrs ago I was at 1 time 6'5" 395 so ide go head to head with Igor.  :whirling:

   

   LOL neway  Gonna be a good trip no matter what the outcome.  That much I know,  I will learn much and experience a different culture and people.  I feel truly blessed to have this opportunity.  And who knows maybe just find that someone I am searching for.

I will come back and let ya know good or bad I ain SKEERD. 
 Again to every one here    spa-see-ba   za   va-shoo  po-msch

[Simoni]

Please do a trip report, cranehand.  And since you have wifi in the flat, you can keep us posted as you go.  Also, that is a good sounding board for you as you progress; lots of guys here can offer perspective and answer questions in real time.

[cranehand]

Yes Fred it is a long time in a small town.  But but I have seen her at 3 am and I have seen her at 3 pm.  To me she is an attractive woman no matter what time of day.  At this point I am more interested in finding out what her life is like in real time.  I am beyond the photo now.

 Kiev is where I will touchdown,  it is by choice. Odessa was a fleeting thought in the planning stages of this trip.  I figured the 13 hr train ride back to Kherson will be a good test of how well we can tolerate and compromise to one another is close quarters on little or no sleep.  When all said and done and we are in Kherson she will have traveled as many hours as I did.  That says alot to me about willingness to work together in the begining stages of a long and difficult journey together.

I grew up in a small town outside of Houston.  So to me it is more like home by going to Kherson.  I like the city but prefer to spend more time at a slower pace in a smaller town.

 54 hours to go ))))))))))))))))))))))))))

[GregfromGa]

I'm happy to see your doing the train ride.  I said it before and I'll say it again no trip to Ukraine is complete without an overnight train ride. Your trip reminds me of my first trip to see my wife.It was very cold during my first, second and third trip. I had already met her once for about 20 minutes. I didnt need a backup plan. I had a pretty good wingman with me from Estonia so if things got off track then I wouldve been ok. What are your plans during the day while she works? I spent the first few days trying to find an eating joint that didnt allow smoking. At that time there was 1 in all of Kharkov.LOL

[cranehand]

Greg,  She has her own clientele for hair and nails.  She will be working 2-3 days a week 6 or so hours a day maybe more around Valentines day.  My plan is to find the gym.  Keep the exercise going and the blood flowing on those days. I also play guitar and I will be on the lookout for a music store,  check out a few axes.  Maybe do a bit of shopping.  I would like to cook for her on those days also,  so I will have to see what I can find to make from the market.

  Got something special planned for V day.   

 I couldn't pass on the train ride.  It will be a first for me also.

TIC-TOC  TIC-TOC  51 hours.  man could this day go any slower.

[groovlstk]

Yes Fred it is a long time in a small town.  But but I have seen her at 3 am and I have seen her at 3 pm.  To me she is an attractive woman no matter what time of day.  At this point I am more interested in finding out what her life is like in real time.  I am beyond the photo now.
I grew up in a small town outside of Houston.  So to me it is more like home by going to Kherson.  I like the city but prefer to spend more time at a slower pace in a smaller town.

 54 hours to go ))))))))))))))))))))))))))

cranehand, thousands of men before you thought that the woman they were writing to was The One, only to find out upon meeting that the virtual person was a lot more compatible via chat and email than they were in real life. (And this works both ways, obviously.)

fred3's advice to have a backup plan in your rear pocket is a good one, even if it's just the names and locations of a few local agencies or sympathetic expats.

I made about a dozen trips to Ukraine and Russia, some to meet only one woman and others to meet several, before I met my wife. I can tell you there are few worse feelings than having all these wonderful hopes and emotions that were built up over months of daily correspondence dashed against the rocks a few hours after arriving.

Good luck on your trip and I hope things work well out for the both of you.

[kievstar]

I would not worry about not having a backup plan.  Very easy to meet other women if your one your meeting does not work out.  You seem like a normal guy who is not short and have decent career. The guys who need backup plans are the guys who are not great date material themselves.  Harder for these type of guys to get sincere girls to meet them on short notice.  But a guy who is a good catch can have an office full of sincere girls on a very short notice.  When it comes to RW dating it is in the favor of the men - meaning very few "good" men visit but there are many super RW available.  Majority of men who visit are not of dating material. 

[Aloe]

wow cranehand, you seem to have a very good attitude about this Im sure you will enjoy your trip no matter the outcome.  Keep us posted while the memories are still fresh Not after 30 days only, but as you go   everyone here is very curious how it goes for you  

[vortex]

Good luck Cranehead... I reckon you'll hit it off with her, big time! ... your virtual experience sounded just like mine... it gets to a point where taking the trip simply has to happen! Seeing her for real is surely one of the best moments in life.. and five trips later, that moment is still as good for me. We had about 2 or 3 hours adjusting to being face-to-face, then everything fell into place... like we'd been a couple for a long time!

Have fun and go with the flow!

V