Trip to Kiev

[steve057]

Trip to Kiev…October 2011

We met on a Russian dating site (not an agency site) in September of this year. Sent a couple of letters back and forth then she gave me her Skype address and her phone number. She told me her English wasn’t very good but I was very surprised how good it really was! We talked almost every day and we decided to meet in Kiev at the end of October. To be very honest I wasn’t sure after the last two trips to Russia I wanted to go back over  but she seemed ‘different’ from the rest. I had never been to Ukraine so what the heck!:)  She is from Siberia so it was a long flight to Moscow then Kiev. She was to be at the airport 2 hours before I arrived so I was glad about that.

Well my flights were rather boring but I arrived on time in Kiev. Let me tell you the runways in Kiev are like landing in a plowed field!! But the pilot did a great job!:)

 I go through passport control without a hitch and come out into the airport and she is not there waiting on me. There was a driver there to pick us up and take us into Kiev to the apartment I rented for a few days while there but my woman was not any where to be found. So I called her and what a surprise, I was not in the US anymore and it would not connect with her. I did have a voicemail but couldn’t get it either! Then looking at my phone it was down to 2 bars…almost out of battery.

The driver and I decided to go ahead to the apartment and she could call the office when she got there and they would give her the address I was staying at. So I get to the apartment (which was not the one I thought I rented) (a little bait and switch I think) but it was nice and after all we were only going to be there a few days.

So I decide to charge my phone while waiting for her and guess what? NO charger, I left it at home!! I went to bed late that night and about 3am I get a call from her saying her flight was late taking off and she missed the flight to Kiev but she would be there the next afternoon. I will admit I felt much better after hearing that!:)

So the next morning I take a walk down the street looking for something to eat. Found a bank and exchanged some money then went to a coffee shop to grab a bite to eat. Her flight arrived on time and she called again and said the apartment people never heard of me and have no record of me staying with them. So I text her the address and get another call an hour later telling me there are many addresses in the city that are the same. She asks me to go outside and find someone that speaks Russian well and give her the address. So feeling like an idiot (but wanting to see my girl) I go outside and found a couple of guys standing there and handed the phone to him. Boy did I get a strange look!! He got done talking with the taxi driver and then told me not to move from where I was. A few minutes later there she was!:)) She jumped out of the taxi and gave me a great big hug and a kiss and all was right with the world!:))

We got to spend the next couple of days together and enjoyed the time very much! We are still talking and getting along fine and I hope to make a trip to Siberia in February and stay with her for a couple of weeks in her city. I know what you are thinking, Siberia in February! Same thought crossed my mind as well! I figure it will be very warm in the apartment and am not really worried about it!:)

This trip had a couple of firsts for me and I thought I would share them with all of you. First of all she paid for her own ticket to Kiev to meet me! That to me was probably the best sign I could have got that she was really interested in meeting me! In the past the only women I met were the ones that wanted you to buy them everything! On our last day together she wanted to go shopping. I know in the past (at least for me) this is when they want everything they can get out of you. Or at least that has been my experience so far. You know what she had me buy her? Figs!!!! She wanted a few figs to take with her for her daughter and that’s it!!!:)))

She also told me the coffee the man was selling not far from our apartment was ‘to expensive’ and we would go to the market and find some to make ourselves. She did not want expensive restaurants but rather cooked for me at the apartment! To say I was in shock is an understatement!!! We only ate outside the apartment once and it was a little café and very reasonable to.

To be honest with everyone I think I might have found my girl but I also think we need more time together and hope to get that in February when we meet again. She is a very caring and tender woman and I did enjoy the time spent with her!:)

Next time I will not forget my phone charger!!!! I did have one problem and it is ongoing for me. Don’t know if some of you have had it or not? I can send text with my phone to her but she cannot send it to me! I get a message from her but there is no text in it. Verizon says it is her phone because mine checked out but I’m not so sure about that. Any help with that would be appericated!:) Hope I didn’t bore everyone!:)

[GoodOlBoy]

Welcome back from your trip Steve057.
She sounds like a keeper.
My wife is also from Siberia (Omsk).
I have been there many times in cold and warm weather.
To bad you can't meet your girl for New Year's.
I swear, there is nothing like attending a New Years party in Russia with a beautiful Siberian woman by your side. 

  I don't mean to sidetrack your TR Steve057, but I have noticed that there are several (happy?) men on RWD, married to Siberian ladies.
Wonder if there is something in the water there?? 
 
Good luck to you in the future!
 
GOB
 
 

[steve057]

Thanks GOB.
 I would love to be there on New Years Eve but with my work schedule it is just not going to happen this year. Well I live in Ohio so it's not excatly a tropical paradise here in the winter either. But it is warmer than Siberia..lol She was very proud of the fact she came from Siberia as well!:) She is not a Russian woman but a Siberian woman as she said..lol

[Misha]

It looks like it was a great trip! I have to say that you trip should be example as to what to expect and how to go about things IMHO!

We met on a Russian dating site (not an agency site) in September of this year. Sent a couple of letters back and forth then she gave me her Skype address and her phone number.

A great example of how things progress normally. A woman who is interested in a man will want to have the best communication possible and she is the one who will want to Skype.

First of all she paid for her own ticket to Kiev to meet me!

Truly a keeper!

On our last day together she wanted to go shopping. I know in the past (at least for me) this is when they want everything they can get out of you. Or at least that has been my experience so far. You know what she had me buy her? Figs!!!! She wanted a few figs to take with her for her daughter and that’s it!!!:)))

Decent women won't take a man shopping on their first date for iPhones and expensive clothing

She also told me the coffee the man was selling not far from our apartment was ‘to expensive’ and we would go to the market and find some to make ourselves. She did not want expensive restaurants but rather cooked for me at the apartment!

Sounds like my wife. She too does not like spending money frivolously.

To be honest with everyone I think I might have found my girl but I also think we need more time together and hope to get that in February when we meet again. She is a very caring and tender woman and I did enjoy the time spent with her!:)

She does sound special

Next time I will not forget my phone charger!!!!

It might be cheaper for you to buy the cheapest local phone you can find and then buy a SIM card once you will be in Russia.

[Faux Pas]

steve#057


My wife is also from Siberia. Our first meeting wasn't much different from yours. I have been there in the dead of winter. It isn't as bad as you might imagine and very doable. Invest in some good boots, good coat, headwear and your normal Ohio winter clothes will suffice. I enjoy Siberia in the cold and warm weather. Good Luck on your path

[Misha]

Faux Pas is right. Having living through -45 degree weather, it all comes down to being dressed properly. My suggestion: Merino wool underwear and wool socks. I am not sure what the equivalent store is in the USA, but here is our Mountain Equipment Coop equivalent:


http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/MensClothing/BaseLayerUnderwear/PRD~5016-220/mec-merino-lightweight-2-long-johns-mens.jsp

[steve057]

Thanks Misha!:)
   I hunt here in the states so I have planty of warm clothing I wear under my hunting clothes. It does get quite cold here in Ohio as well but not for the long periods of time like it does in Siberia. I will have to buy a warmer coat though!:)

[Eduard]

Hey Steve,
my wife is also from Siberia - they are a special breed, I tell you! Sounds like you made a good connection there, hope it all works out for you because from your description she sounds really nice. I too was in Kiev half of October and early November too bad we didn't bump into each other. It's a nice, centrally located city to meet with women who can come in from Russia, Moldova and Belarus easily. Crimea is also nice for that in the summer.
If you go to Siberia in the winter make sure you have thick WOOL socks, Russian Ushanka (fur hat) you can find those on Ebay if you search for "Ushanka", thermal underware, a very warm coat with natural fur or goose down and UGGS makes nice, warm boots with sheep skin on the inside, leather outside - they work great in that climate. You can also get them on Ebay.
Ed

[steve057]

Thanks Ed!:)
   Yes I will agree with you , they are special! I'll check into the boots and hat on Ebay. It is to bad we didn't run into each other there in Kiev. You know the funny thing is we were at St Sophia and I ran into two Americans! The one had lived in Kiev since 1991 and the other guy was there for a visit. They asked wehre I was from and I told them and the one guy said his wife was in my city visiting a friend!! I don't live in a large city either so it was kind of strange. Guess it really is a small world!:))
   Yes we hit it off right from the start. The first time I talked with her on Skype we talked almost three hours..lol I've been talking with her almost every day since the start of September. She was very upset she had to leave me alone in Kiev the first night as well. I just told her not to worry about it I was fine, she was there now and thats all the mattered!:))
Steve

[Jack]

Hey Steve, from one hunter to another, and with some experience with Rus/Ukr winters, if you have a pair of Sorel boot's they will be all you need, and I imagine you already have a pair of Sorel's.

Kiev is wonderful, isn't it?  I think it is the most fun, exciting, vibrant, full of life city in the world today.  Always something to do and always something going on.

I noticed that when you first made contact with your woman she told you "Steve, I do not speak good English" and then you met her and you say you were quite surprised at actually how well her English was.  This is quite common. Most Ukr/Rus ladies will underestimate their ability to speak English and why I tell guys if you have interest in any Ukr/Rus lady and she say's she speaks only little English, or her English is not so good, guy's, go for it. 

You said the people you rented your flat from did a bait and switch on you.  I think it's always good when a member can share the name of an agency who would do this.  Can you tell us the name of agency you rented your flat from?

[steve057]

Hi Jack,
     Yes I have a good pair of boots and they should be fine I think. The agency I rented from is called UARent. The drivers to and from the airport were both very good but I was not impressed with the agency itself for a couple of reasons. They told me that my lady could call them and they would give her the address to the apartment, well they didn't and in fact didn't even seem to know I was there. When the agency called to tell me the driver would be there soon my lady asked if they could call a taxi for her from the airport to the train station (her phone was out of minutes and believe it or not she couldn't buy them in ukraine! Had to be bought in Russia) She had the number but they told her they do not do that!! When I got to Kiev and to the agency they told me there was a problem with the apartment I rented and here is another one you can rent,of course it was 5 more Euros a day as well. I was not impressed with the customer service at all!! I'm not that picky but I do believe it was the basic bait and switch. I did write them when I got home and had access to the internet again but got no reply from them. Probably just thought I was another 'rich' American that was complaining about nothing.
 I will have to say one thing, service is not a priorty in any FSU country and they have a long way to go really. At least that has been my experience with only one exception and that is the Hotel Vera in St Petersburg. They were very good to work with and attentive to your needs. Very resonable priced to I thought for a major city like that. The staff spoke English or at least some of them and they were always eager to help you in any way they could. The rooms were also very clean and comfortable. If I ever go back to St Petersburg I will stay there for sure.
Steve

[Kineo]

Sounds like a tremendous success dispite a couple of bumps in the road. I wish you the best and look forward to future posts.

[Misha]

Thanks Misha!:)
I will have to buy a warmer coat though!:)

You are welcome! Personally, I would say that layering is the way to go. Have the Merino wool underwear, a shirt, a  sweater (fleece or wool) and then whatever winter jacket you have. Where you lose heat in usually at the extremities: feet and head.

[Eduard]

Thanks Ed!:)
   Yes I will agree with you , they are special! I'll check into the boots and hat on Ebay. It is to bad we didn't run into each other there in Kiev. You know the funny thing is we were at St Sophia and I ran into two Americans! The one had lived in Kiev since 1991 and the other guy was there for a visit. They asked wehre I was from and I told them and the one guy said his wife was in my city visiting a friend!! I don't live in a large city either so it was kind of strange. Guess it really is a small world!:))
   Yes we hit it off right from the start. The first time I talked with her on Skype we talked almost three hours..lol I've been talking with her almost every day since the start of September. She was very upset she had to leave me alone in Kiev the first night as well. I just told her not to worry about it I was fine, she was there now and thats all the mattered!:))
Steve

there's always the next time )

[BillyB]

Let me tell you the runways in Kiev are like landing in a plowed field!! But the pilot did a great job!:)

 
If you ever land at the airport in Tashkent Uzbekistan, you'd love Kiev's airport.
 
 

This trip had a couple of firsts for me and I thought I would share them with all of you. First of all she paid for her own ticket to Kiev to meet me! That to me was probably the best sign I could have got that she was really interested in meeting me! In the past the only women I met were the ones that wanted you to buy them everything! On our last day together she wanted to go shopping. I know in the past (at least for me) this is when they want everything they can get out of you. Or at least that has been my experience so far. You know what she had me buy her? Figs!!!! She wanted a few figs to take with her for her daughter and that’s it!!!:))) She also told me the coffee the man was selling not far from our apartment was ‘to expensive’ and we would go to the market and find some to make ourselves. She did not want expensive restaurants but rather cooked for me at the apartment! To say I was in shock is an understatement!!!

 
It's good for newbies to read trip reports from guys who had actual experience with two types of women. One who is interested in the man and one that is interested in his wallet. A woman who takes her man shopping in the first few dates has bad manners. It seems you finally found a winner Steve.
 
Although you both are far apart, always remind her that you're serious and she's special to you. Although you plan a second visit, she's probably wondering if the relationship is going to progress much further after that. I remember sitting next to a man on a plane who's been visiting his RW on and off for 5 years. I don't know how a girl can wait so long.
 
 

I did have one problem and it is ongoing for me. Don’t know if some of you have had it or not? I can send text with my phone to her but she cannot send it to me! I get a message from her but there is no text in it. Verizon says it is her phone because mine checked out but I’m not so sure about that. Any help with that would be appericated!:) Hope I didn’t bore everyone!:)

 
I got the same problem with my fiancee in Ukraine. I can text her but she can't text me. I'm glad though. I prefer to call and hate typing on a phone.

[rookie37]

Hi Great trip report, its encourging to read that there are decent girls out there, just wanting why you met in
kiev and not in Moscow?

[LAman]

Hi Jack,
     Yes I have a good pair of boots and they should be fine I think. The agency I rented from is called UARent. The drivers to and from the airport were both very good but I was not impressed with the agency itself for a couple of reasons. They told me that my lady could call them and they would give her the address to the apartment, well they didn't and in fact didn't even seem to know I was there. When the agency called to tell me the driver would be there soon my lady asked if they could call a taxi for her from the airport to the train station (her phone was out of minutes and believe it or not she couldn't buy them in ukraine! Had to be bought in Russia) She had the number but they told her they do not do that!! When I got to Kiev and to the agency they told me there was a problem with the apartment I rented and here is another one you can rent,of course it was 5 more Euros a day as well. I was not impressed with the customer service at all!! I'm not that picky but I do believe it was the basic bait and switch. I did write them when I got home and had access to the internet again but got no reply from them. Probably just thought I was another 'rich' American that was complaining about nothing.
 I will have to say one thing, service is not a priorty in any FSU country and they have a long way to go really. At least that has been my experience with only one exception and that is the Hotel Vera in St Petersburg. They were very good to work with and attentive to your needs. Very resonable priced to I thought for a major city like that. The staff spoke English or at least some of them and they were always eager to help you in any way they could. The rooms were also very clean and comfortable. If I ever go back to St Petersburg I will stay there for sure.
Steve

I did use UArent one time a few years ago. One of a few that use euros for payments. I brought euros with me to pay tranfers and apt( did not want to get involved with conversation with them). I did get the apt  I chose. One thing I do not understand is why you didn't have UArent's driver pick up your gal from
Borispol....would have been much simpler?  Didn't she have the number?
 In my situation, UArent picked up my gf ( she came 3 hours before me) took her to apt so she can relax and get ready and later picked me up from airport and take me to back to apt .
What I didn't like about the agency was their 'forgetting' to give me my advance pay discounts for tranfers....I had to mention this to them.

[steve057]

Hi LAman,,
 
  Yes she did have the number but when she called they told her they didn't know me! They could have picked her up but where would they take her since I wasnt there? She also knew what it cost and told me after to talking to another woman at the airport they would share a ride into Kiev for a much lower price. All she wanted was the address so I texed it to her. I didn't have problems with my discount and they took dollars as well. I would almost bet the woman I talked to at the agency wasn't there when my lady called but I did think I had her cell number, maybe not?
 
 Hi BillyB,
 
 Never landed in that airport and from the sound of it I don't want to either!:)  Borsipol was bad enough for me..lol Not to worry,I tell her everyday how lucky I was to find her!:)  Thats is the truth too!!!  If you really want to see how I felt on my 'other ' trips watch the movie 'Priceless'. It is a French film and the first time I saw it I thought 'hey thats me'...lol Felt really bad for the guy in that movie for a while...lol It kind of gives you a look into the world of the 'pro' dater that will suck your wallet dry!!
 
Hi Rookie37,
 
 You do not need a visa to go to Kiev but you do need one to go to Moscow. Besides Moscow is the most expensive city not only in Russia but in all of Europe!! I've been there once and although it is kind of cool to be at the home of the Kremlin it is also not easy on the budget! I still want that photo in Red Square though!!!! Figures the day I was there they had it closed off so I only got a picture from outside it looking in.  Someday though!:)
 
 Just a little advice for those of you that haven't made the trip to a former FSU country yet. Get on a plane and go over there!! Until you meet with them face to face you will never 'really' know and they won't either! I read somewhere that only about 10% of the men that write Russian women will ever get on a plane to go and see them. Thats pretty sad to be honest with all the money people spend writing them! I've had a couple of bad experiences but never have I ever wished I didn't go to start with!! So get out from in front of the computer and go!!!:))) I'm not an expert by a longshot, there are guys on this board that have made many more trips than I have so I can only speak from a limited experience but I've had a blast!:) The people are for the most part very friendly (my experience). I had a Babuska that talked to me for 10 minutes before my lady got there and with my limited Russian could barely understand her but she was very friendly. When she was done talking she reached into her shopping bag and pulled out 2 apples and gave them to me!:) I thought it was very sweet of her!:)) I must 'look' like I 'm Russian or something? Every trip I've had people come up and talk to me...lol

[Anotherkiwi]

... I will have to say one thing, service is not a priorty in any FSU country and they have a long way to go really. At least that has been my experience with only one exception and that is the Hotel Vera in St Petersburg. They were very good to work with and attentive to your needs. Very resonable priced to I thought for a major city like that. The staff spoke English or at least some of them and they were always eager to help you in any way they could. The rooms were also very clean and comfortable. If I ever go back to St Petersburg I will stay there for sure.
Steve

I know that feeling! For me the place which stands out is the Hotel Baoli in Krasnodar (catch the #20 trolleybus from the main railway station) - the room and service were absolutely amazing (the receptionists spoke good English and the other staff spoke at least a few words).  Highly unlikely that I will ever be there again, but a joy of a place which served the best breakfast I've ever had in the FSU - for about $7!
 
Back on topic - this lady sounds terrific, so I wish you the best of luck.

[steve057]

Thanks Kiwi!:)

[Chicagoguy]

Your logistics were a little bumpy at the start but you worked it out. It would certainly be scary for a first time International traveler.
Sounds like a wonderful woman !  I too have been in Siberia many times in the Winter and have warm clothers from skiing but the truth is you are seldom outside for long unless waiting for a bus or a long walk. Only time I was cold was snowmobiling at -35 F.

[steve057]

Hi Chicagoguy,
 
   Yes, minus 35F is a little nippy out there! Funny thing is she doesn't like the cold either...lol I will take plenty of warm clothes with me!:)

[Chicagoguy]

And I have 3 cell phone chargers. Forget then sometimes    Now I keep one next to my suitcase plus I have a small box of everything I might need for foreign travels which I go through each time I leave. No Walgreens or Target anywhere ! But with local help things frequently can be found.

[onlyFSU4me]

I know that feeling! For me the place which stands out is the Hotel Baoli in Krasnodar (catch the #20 trolleybus from the main railway station) - the room and service were absolutely amazing (the receptionists spoke good English and the other staff spoke at least a few words).  Highly unlikely that I will ever be there again, but a joy of a place which served the best breakfast I've ever had in the FSU - for about $7!
 
Back on topic - this lady sounds terrific, so I wish you the best of luck.

 Wow, someone else who had the pleasure of staying at the Baoli hotel! I was there 1 1/2 years ago. Everything you just said was absolutely true Kiwi, it had to be one of the nicest, most welcoming places I've ever stayed at... and a great price too! 

[Manny]

I dunno about you guys, but I can't easily read a chunk of text not separated by paragraphs and which uses an unusually large typeface? Can the mods not edit into something readable?