Here we go again...
This would be my checklist and the guide and I would discuss the prices for each service.
1) Do I need transportation to and from the airport?
2) Do I need an apartment or hotel?
3) Do I need flower or gift delivery to my lady?
4) Do I need an interpreter?
5) Do I need a mobile phone?
6) Do I need to visit the Embassy?
7) Does my lady need transportation?
8 Do I need a driver or car rental?
9) Does my lady need a medical exam in Kiev?
10) Does my lady need help with her interview?
11) Do I need to book a tour or find out where the important sites are? (subway, atm machines, banks, internet cafe)
12) Do I need to book a train or plane?
13) Non-covered emergencies
1) Do I need transportation to and from the airport?
2) Do I need an apartment or hotel?
What's wrong with using the links on RWD??? You can book an apartment, have a wide range of choices AND get the transfers from and to the airport.
You can choose to use guides for this but I'd hope Dan is getting a kick from the links on RWD and I'd like to support the venue that gives us the best information available on the web!
3) Do I need flower or gift delivery to my lady?
Again, RWD has links for this... Why wouldn't you use them?
4) Do I need an interpreter?
Yep... maybe you need a guide for this but I think if I needed one I would use an agency translator (I assume you're using a reputable agency??) or allow the girl to use someone she trusts. Indeed a guide could be used for this though!
5) Do I need a mobile phone?
Why not "go by feet" and find one yourself? It's really not that hard. I bought a SIM card in Cherkassy and guess what??? I didn't get mugged or scammed I just went in and found someone that spoke a little English and read the brochure before choosingthe pre-paid SIM that suited me best.
6) Do I need to visit the Embassy?
HAHAHAHA... I don't know... DO YOU? Here's a tip... walk to the curb and stick your hand out. if you have the address of the embassy written down point to the address on the paper and there will be no confusion. It's cheaper than a price 10x the price originally quoted!
7) Does my lady need transportation?
OMG... This is too silly for words!
8 Do I need a driver or car rental?
Please please please don't make me post a link to a web site fo a company in Kiev that GUARANTEES fixed price cars AND the prices are a fraction of those charged by "that guide".
9) Does my lady need a medical exam in Kiev?
Actually, mine does... and she's quite capable of finding the doctor herself. She would be angry at me for wasting money on a guide that overcharges. In fact, we're talking and when and how and where she goes in Kiev for a medical exam and she won't even accept money from me for the 6 hour train ride each way. I would prefer her to fly to Kiev but she won't do it... The best women are those that don't throw money around like a drunken American tourist!
10) Does my lady need help with her interview?
A guide will go into the interview and answer questions for her??? that's very cool... I thought fiance's were even allowed to go in! Or do you mean help preparing??? Hmmm... I wouldn't marry someone that needed to be coached about how to answer questions on the quality of our relationship.
11) Do I need to book a tour or find out where the important sites are? (subway, atm machines, banks, internet cafe)
Tour?? Tour guides might be good for tours IF you agree on the itinerary first and don't let the buggers change YOUR plans and charge you 10x the agreed amount!
Oh, the other company I mentioned earllier in Kiev looks great for tours.. If you're interested PM me because I'm getting tired of seeing people advertise vendor services on a site meant to help the men and women in this pursuit... not those making money from us!
ATM's, Internet Cafe's, Banks and Subway are ALL easily identifiable! Come on... we all know that!
12) Do I need to book a train or plane?
I don't know.. Do you??? If you need a plane you might want to try to that new fancy thing called "the Internet". There's a mob called aerosvit that fly all over Ukraine and even to some other places. You can go online and book and pay there. I don't know why anyone would need a guide to use the Internet for them!
Trains... hmmm.. more complicated but not impossible. Those that need assistance might use a guide or I found an agency online recently that charges a flat rate of $20 for arranging train travel for you. I've done a quick calculation and I reckon my guide would have been needed for 1.5 hours from pickup to drop off. Add the cost of the car and allow for him to turn up and hour early and I reckon you're up to $50 or $60. You can choose!
13) Non-covered emergencies
Oh I hear this one over and over... OK, if something happens that you can't deal with you might need a local to help you out... I'll give you all that one. I've heard cases of impounded motorcycles after accidents (my advice is don't take your motorcycle) to police problems and being help for hours at a police station (which I find too funny for words unless you're looking for trouble). Go on... use a guide all because of "unlucky #13"
Of course some people NEED guides but if you REALLY feel like you NEED one, not WANT one, you should think about whether you're up to a journey like this in the beginning!
Kuna
(No offence meant to the original poster but there really were some silly ones in there!)
