Just some tidbit that we want to pass along:
- It's okay to wear jeans, we are practically the only ones not wearing them!
- Bring Oust and Lysol, you will use both. The odors here (especially coming up from the toilets) is quite different from at home!
- You can buy most anything here in Kiev.
- Diapers and Pull-ups are easily bought here. If you have a hard time, ask Yuri to take you to the market behind the apt. on Gorky Street.
- Bring lots of jelly packets like you get from Hardees. Yuri didn't know what jelly or jam was and what we bought didn't really taste that good.
- Bring just a few napkins with you in case your apartment does not have any and you can't make it to the market
- Toilet paper is plentiful. Maybe just bring one roll with you for emergencies.
- LOTS of hand sanitizer that fits into your purse.
- Just bring 3 pairs of pants and shirts - don't pack a lot, they rewear everything!
- Bring warm scarf, glove, and mittens! Don't wait until you get here to buy scarves!
- Keep bottled water with you at all times.
- Bring babywipes on the trains because the bathrooms are NASTY!!!!
- No need to bring a hot pot - there has been one in every apartment so far.
- Bring plenty of nylon cord for clothesline - the suction cup lines do NOT work.
- Bring a travel clock and iron. Most places have had hairdryers but we forgot our iron and clock!
You will adore Yuri! He is great to be around and very friendly. He will NEVER treat you like a dumb American.
We're praying for you!
By the way, we haven't experienced any holes in the ground for toilets - another prayer answered. Actually in all but one of our hotels, the bathrooms were actually MUCH nicer that ours at home! There is a slight odor that oftentimes comes-up through the sewage but that's nothing that a little Oust or scented Lysol can't remedy!
Also, be sure that Yuri takes you to The Arena for pizza. We loved the San Francisco pizza (pepperoni). The TGI Friday's is also good!
Have a wonderful trip and walk very, very fast. If you have to ride a train, be ready to run because when it is time to board, the people will flat run you over because the train loads very quickly and then leaves again. There is no stopping a Ukrainian who is on a mission to board a train - trust us!!!! Try to have fun and ejoy the ride (try to secure first class tickets if possible and prepare to wiggle on those long rides because there's not much padding for your rear!). Just have fun and consider this a journey, at night you will have something to laugh about from the day - trust us because with all the disappointments and horrible experiences, we have always had something that we could smile about.
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