Wednesday: Kharkov to Kiev

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Kharkov to Kiev

Weather: another sunny, beautiful day!
Got very little sleep last night. Fear of missing my train, I suppose.
Got out of bed for the last time at 4:30.
Showered, packed, and ready to head out the door by 5:30.
Decided to go downstairs and have a smoke while waiting for my driver. Got down to street level at 5:50, he was already there waiting!!
Showed him my rail ticket so he knew where we were going. He loaded my luggage, and went. We arrived at the rail station at approx 6:05 (my train doesn't leave until 7:06!!). The driver unloaded my luggage, wheeled my suitcase, and brought me right into the train station, looked up the track, and walked me right to the train! The people around here are amazing.
The train didn't board until 6:40, so I walked along the platform for a while, people watching.

7:06 The train departed Kharkov right on time.
Did one quick status update on FaceBook before the credits on the Beeline modem expired!
Dozed most of the following hour or so.
9:05 Pulled into Poltava station. Got out for a stretch and a smoke. Can't help but think about Svetlana while I'm standing on the platform - this is where we first met and my Ukrainian experience really began, a little over a week ago.
9:20 Rolling again. Ordered a coffee - This is my first coffee of the entire trip! Cappuccinos excluded.

I do notice as I see signs around that my Russian reading recognition is improving noticeably. Now, if I can located a Russian language teacher or school in the Oshawa or Toronto area, my Russian speaking skills will hopefully improve as quickly.

Arrive in Kiev

Weather update: sun is shining, and it's a comfortable (still seasonally warm) day in Kiev
Arrive in Kiev at 12:56 .. right on time!!
Locate a taxi driver almost immediately upon exiting the train. Give him the address, and we're off!
100 rph later, and a whole lot of traffic and time, we're back at the Guest House. The staff here are simply terrific. Get checked into my apartment for tonight (due to the change in my travel itinerary, I will have to have one apartment tonight, and relocate to my original booking tomorrow morning. The new apartment wasn't available for more than one night, and the original booking wasn't available for tonight.)
Driver arrives to bring me to my apartment for tonight. NICE place!!!! Pics to be uploaded to FB.

15:44 .. and I haven't eaten a damn thing today!! I'm going to go for a walk, try to locate a flower shop to arrange for roses to be delivered to Inga for her birthday on Oct 1, and then find something for dinner.

Didn't locate a flower shop. I'll do that on my way to meet Oksana on Friday morning.
Found a little place, Coffee House (Кафе Xay3). Very nice little place. Had a light dinner and an awesome cheescake!!
Back in the apartment by about 22:30. Have to get up early tomorrow morning (6:30) to meet Helen (Olenka) at the rail station for 7:30.

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