Journey Home
The return journey from the Crimea to Kiev at the end of the camp did not go as originally planned.
It started off just as planned, we had a nice little visit to Fiodocia where we all had lunch.
The problems started however when we got to Simferpopl. Two days before the our departure from the Hope Centre, a fire sparked a series of explosions at a military munitions depot near Novobogdanovka in South East Ukraine. The blasts were so severe that trains on the Simferopol to Kiev railroad were affected, either cancelled, re-routed or delayed.
When the we arrived at Simferopol station, we found all the platforms swamped with passengers wait for their trains. When the train did not arrive  nor was there any information of a revised departure time  the decision was taken to hire 3 minibuses and drive through the night to Kiev. We kinda had to do this because we all had flight to catch and couldn't risk the possible delay.
The minibuses left Simferopol at 11:00 pm on Monday night. We drove, and stopped and drove and stopped and drove until we stopped for breakfast. This was at a random little cafe somewhere.
After several more hours of driving we finally arrived at Kiev at about 1:00 pm on Tuesday.
When we arrived in Kiev we found out that as far as anyone could tell the train hadn't got to Kiev- having probably not even left Simferopol.
Once in Kiev we all arrived at thairportrt hotel and all jumped in the shower- grimacing at thdisgustingng colour of the water that came off!
Once we were all a mite cleaner we headed off into Kiev to explore. We saw a street market that was so long most of us didn't quite make it to the end in time for the meeting time.
Eventually we all made it through the market and we headed off to see the 'Blue church'.
Once back at the hotel we had a final team meeting to round up the trip. Then it was time for bed. Well almost. Some of the girls decided that it was pampering time, so spent a happy hour or so giving each other massages and face masks- the works.
5:00 am saw the final goodbye to the Americans. The brits got a bit more of a lie in before it our turn to head off to the airport.
We waved goodbye to sunny Ukraine and said hello to a dark and rainEnglandnd.
And there it was gone- a whole two weeks. However there is not the smallest chance that any of us will forget our time in Ukraine. It impacted us alimmenselyly and I for one can say that I miss iimmenselyly and can't wait for next summer.
It started off just as planned, we had a nice little visit to Fiodocia where we all had lunch.
The problems started however when we got to Simferpopl. Two days before the our departure from the Hope Centre, a fire sparked a series of explosions at a military munitions depot near Novobogdanovka in South East Ukraine. The blasts were so severe that trains on the Simferopol to Kiev railroad were affected, either cancelled, re-routed or delayed.
When the we arrived at Simferopol station, we found all the platforms swamped with passengers wait for their trains. When the train did not arrive  nor was there any information of a revised departure time  the decision was taken to hire 3 minibuses and drive through the night to Kiev. We kinda had to do this because we all had flight to catch and couldn't risk the possible delay.
The minibuses left Simferopol at 11:00 pm on Monday night. We drove, and stopped and drove and stopped and drove until we stopped for breakfast. This was at a random little cafe somewhere.
After several more hours of driving we finally arrived at Kiev at about 1:00 pm on Tuesday.
When we arrived in Kiev we found out that as far as anyone could tell the train hadn't got to Kiev- having probably not even left Simferopol.
Once in Kiev we all arrived at thairportrt hotel and all jumped in the shower- grimacing at thdisgustingng colour of the water that came off!Once we were all a mite cleaner we headed off into Kiev to explore. We saw a street market that was so long most of us didn't quite make it to the end in time for the meeting time.
Eventually we all made it through the market and we headed off to see the 'Blue church'.
Once back at the hotel we had a final team meeting to round up the trip. Then it was time for bed. Well almost. Some of the girls decided that it was pampering time, so spent a happy hour or so giving each other massages and face masks- the works.
5:00 am saw the final goodbye to the Americans. The brits got a bit more of a lie in before it our turn to head off to the airport.
We waved goodbye to sunny Ukraine and said hello to a dark and rainEnglandnd.
And there it was gone- a whole two weeks. However there is not the smallest chance that any of us will forget our time in Ukraine. It impacted us alimmenselyly and I for one can say that I miss iimmenselyly and can't wait for next summer.
posted by lewin at 12:44 PM
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