Information & Chat > Adventure Stories & Travel Reports

Donhollio's FSU Pursuit !

<< < (2/125) > >>

Donhollio:
Thanks guys , this long winded version is not something that comes natural to me. I like the facts ,just the facts, so be patient please :)
Anyways continuing on with the iron horse :

A full day on the train and I arrived at Ukraine's border town of Chop. Border checks are taking place, and I am looking at one hot looking female guard. Heels, skirt and everything a young lad remembers when reading Penthouse forum mags!  Anyway, we continue through tunnels that are guarded by machine gun and man. It made me wonder what the hell I was getting into, or was it dehydration from my 1L bottle of water running low?
 I pulled into Winnipeg's sister city of Livi Ukraine at about 6pm. I was taken straight to the ticket window to get my ticket to Odessa. A half hour before on the train, the cabin steward tried in vain to call someone who spoke English. He wanted me to get some help on how to get to Odessa. Finally he got another couple, and they walked me over to the window. There behind the glass sat a really cute brunette who was happy to help me. I gave her my now worn ticket, and than she called a guy over who looked at it, and wrote something on it handing it back to the girl. The brunette replies in a tone of like, "What are you doing, that won't work!"  He mumbles some words to her and walks off.

  Now I'm too worried to walk outside in case I miss the night train to Odessa. So I wonder around the stations platform, when all of a sudden this very patriotic music blares over the speakers! It's flashbacks to cold war propaganda, then at the top of the stairs this man in his 50's is standing there proudly signing the words, and swinging his arms like a parade soldier. It was wild!

 The time finally comes to board and I walk up to the train, holding my ticket in front to the cabin stewards who wave me further down the train. Finally I get the right car (so I thought) and she looks at it and tells me to go to hell. Well at least that's what it felt like. With this rejection I'm back in panic mode! I run back down to the cutie in the window, but she's not there! I bang on the glass and then run to the other window, where I point to another ticket seller get the cutie back to her window!
 A moment later she comes around and has a shocked look on her face! She knows the train is pulling out in minutes, and I need a real ticket fast!  I toss her 100 UAH and she trying so hard to get it done fast she drops her pen and mis types! She gives me 80 UAH back, and  finally I have my ticket and plead with her to help me to the train.

 She closes her window and scrambles to my aid, only as I turn I almost wind up kissing two guards who request my passport. The one guy spoke English and waves me on within a minute. By this time the guy who wrote on my ticket comes around and decides he'll take me up to the train. I thank the cutie, and I board the train with maybe three minutes until it leaves. Inside the air was thick with body odor, and was very humid from the scorching heat of the day.
 I make my way behind my helper and he directs me to the steward. I tell her I don't know where to go, and then I hear a voice in English asking if I need help. I was so relieved when I was in this girls cabin with her aunt and cousin.

 Lena about 26yo had been to America on a work visa. She came back home and really didn't want to leave Ukraine. Seated in the small cabin her aunt and cousin seemed to take to me as if I was a novelty. What I found really nice was the cousin made my bed for me (I had no idea how it all fit together) so I was thankful. I had no food to share with them as I was almost out of water, just a few sips left.
 This was my first night I was able to lay down since getting to Europe. This cabin was much better as it even had air conditioning, however since it works off generators from the rolling wheels, it would heat up fast when the train stopped. I spoke to Lena for a couple of hours, her cousin seemed to be quite curious about this Canuck travelling alone in Ukraine. So while the teenage hardbody was using Lena as a translator and asking me some questions, it proved to be a nice break from the past day.
 
  She may have been 14, or maybe 15, and was asking about my teeth!  This was alittle weird to me, but being polite I just chuckled and brushed it off.  Well she then taps my teeth with her long nails, and I just laughed about it. Glad I had no idea about the general hygiene of the country at the time!    Somewhat embarrassed by the attention of her, I just kept thinking good thoughts, and looked forward to Odessa.

 Morning arrival in Odessa and I tried to call Anna right away. First I stood in line for a payphone, and I got cut in front of constantly. Then I noticed that 5 out of 7 payphones didn't work!  So I kept trying several times, and gave up after about an hour. Frustrated I walked out front of the train station, and showed a taxi driver Anna's address. He told me 15 UAH, I agreed and got in. So the bloody guy drives around the traffic circle and drops me off about a block from the train station!
 There I was in front of Anna's apartment, but couldn't figure out how to find her suite. I also wasn't too keen on knocking on her door, just didn't feel it was right.

  So I walked across the street and bought my first UA (Ukraine) beer! Yeah baby! Nothing better than a beer on a 30c day after taking a train ride from Germany to Ukraine. Saturday afternoon until Monday noon on a litre of water, and a pack of juicy fruit gum!  Nothing better for ya than a cold beer with high alcohol content!
 Now I walk around looking for a telephone to call Anna, I stop to buy bottle of water as the beer is making my head spin. So I casually walk and take a sip of water only to have it spray out of my mouth!  Great it's carbonated!  Who the hell drinks carbonated water I thought?
So now I have a wet shirt, with added embarrassment thrown in for good measure.

 I continue walking and I finally find a payphone, yeah you may of guessed, it was back at the train station...whatever. I finally get her on the phone and she thinks I'm in Germany (I told her I would call her from there,never did)  I tell her I'm in Odessa at the station. She's worried about me being there alone, and tells me to head over to the McDonald's and she'll be there in 20 minutes. Now after all the hours looking at the website, writing, phone calls, there we were, facing each other what for me seemed almost impossible after the trip I had made.

 The Photo's are of Odessa's train station.And some more of the Carpathia mountains . and Odessa's train station.

Donhollio:
It really was hard to believe that I got to Odessa unscathed, and seeing Anna for the first time after months of wanting this moment. It was a bonus to hear her speak without all the poor telephone hiss whirls and cracks. Not forgetting the regular dead air, followed by a dial tone.
 So there we were outside the McPatio hugging each other with the smell of transfat in the air!  Before leaving Canada I asked Anna to find me a place to stay. I didn't know that they rented apartments, so I told her to get me a hotel room. Knowing what I know now, it would of been an apartment. Anyways, we head off to the Black Sea Hotel, that is a short five minute walk from the train station.  Anna got me settled in, made sure the phone in my room had a dial tone, and let me be for a while so I could get some desperately needed sleep.

 The phone rings a few hours later and Anna is wanting to know if I was ready to meet up. Hey of course I was! I Didn't come this far just to sleep in this "luxurious suite!"  I told her I haven't ate anything since leaving Munich, and she was shocked! I told her I wanted to eat some chicken, and to sit in a decent place for dinner.

So we walk over to the edge of the street and she holds out her hand for a taxi.  A car stops, and I'm wondering where the taxi sign is. As to me it looked like a Lada, just like the 1500's they sold in Canada. Some words are spoken and we hop in and head to a nice place, turns out I never knew what the place was called until I received my visa statement. To this day I have never seen or heard of a Red Lobster in Odessa.  During dinner we talked about many things, and I tell her how it's nice that we found each other. I expand on by saying since I wrote her first, without her getting my postal letter. Then she writing me from Aweb. To which she replied, "No, I didn't write you."   

What! I couldn't believe it!  I had her explain to me that the agency writes to men ,then asks the girls to write to them. Anna got tired of this dishonest game, and that's why she sent me the, "I already have a guy letter."

  But she was curious to speak with me, and that's why she had the 3-way call. Anna had her fill of men old enough to be her father wanting her, and all the bullshit that comes with it. She even attended a social, and after getting a number pasted to her chest and paraded around, she was disgusted with it all.  Feeling like a whore, she left and wanted to leave the agency behind.

 It was mid July and hot in Odessa +30 everyday, even the beach was too much to handle at times. We spent some time together in the day, then would meet up again in the evening. I got a bit sunburned, and was using what I thought was cream that I purchased days before. It wasn't working very well, infact it didn't work at all but I continued to use it. Then one day while applying the cream, my face began to burn real bad!  I ran to the basin to wash it off, and to my horror it began to lather up on my face! Afterwards I took the tube with me that day and showed Anna, she laughed and told me I had been appling shampoo to my face!
 WTF! It said creme on it! Later that evening her friend Olga brought her 'Olya of Olay' with her for me. I looked at it, and questioned appling women's cream to my face, but it was better than the other 'creme' I bought. So Anna started to apply it right there on the patio, wow it sure felt better!

  I thought Anna was great, she was pretty much what I wanted in a girl. But I was getting the vibe that she didn't feel the same about me.  What was I to do? I had no plan B, no other contacts at all in eastern Europe, and wasn't in the mood to get on a train back to western Europe, via Poland enroute to Germany. So I decided to stay in Odessa, and just enjoy my time with her.
  The nights were spent going to small sea side clubs, and I told Anna to bring a friend as I don't dance. The last thing I wanted was for her to be there and wanting to dance. So she brought along Olga, who was enjoyable company for us. After a very late night, Anna calls me early in the morning to say her mother had to be taken to the hospital, and she couldn't see me today.  It's a tough call, you can't come out and say she's lying to you unless you don't want to ever see her again. So she suggested I hang out in the hotel lobby with the American men on a Aweb social tour. She knew of this because they sent her an invite to the socials.  I tell her I hope her mom will be better soon, and to call me later.

  I went out for a walk, took some photo's, and thought about the situation at hand. Didn't look good in my books, Anna was my only connection here in Ukraine. Without her I was just lost in a country that the only word I knew was 'No.'  Later I headed down to sit in the air conditioning of the lobby where a guy comes in and I can tell he's American. He later takes a seat near me, and we spark up a conversation. He of course was here for the same reasons I was, to find a girl. We got talking and it became clear to me that this guy was a little sick in the head. 50 years old and he had been writing to some Aweb girls, one he wrote to the most was a 18 year old from a nearby town. Then adds he has a 14 year old daughter! I really didn't say much, just kept my thoughts to myself.

 He wanted to get to this Aweb social, and said he was late in arriving, and it was going on right now. I told him a group of guys headed off a few hours ago, but didn't know where they went. But he's determined to get there and asks if I was going. I told him "No way it's $400 I tell him"  He knew it was winding down and said maybe we can just walk in.  So I walk over to another American guy I had met earlier, and asked while he was eating with his date, where this social was. With the directions off we went, and sure enough we walk in.
  It was almost over and these 2 girls at the front stop to say hello to us. I'm just keeping quiet, and he chatting it up. He was really on a mission!  We end up in Arkadia at a seaside cafe. It was quite nice, the one girl Marina was interested in me and gave me her number. Though I never called her and I never saw her again. Meanwhile he was wanting to dump his girl, and try his luck elsewhere. So it's back to the hotel, then back to Arkadia, reason was we didn't know where anything was. Normally I'd be not into it, but when your alone in a different country and you have nothing to do, you go.

 The night ended without any luck, and the following day he was off to his other social city. I had called Anna that night from Arkadia, telling her that I was going to go to Zakota for a couple of days. I couldn't handle the noise of the city centre any longer. I was getting hypertension, and needed to do something besides walk to the beach in Odessa. I figured if her mum was sick and had no time for me ,than I may as well see something else.  Anna didn't take this very well, infact it was met with a dead line .
  No matter I went anyway the following morning. Zakota is a beach resort with great clean beaches, and small cottages to stay in.  I got the luxury suite that had it's own bathroom!  Getting there was by taxi, and I was greeted by some very friendly staff, who seemed very surprised to see a Canuck travelling alone. Hitting the beach solo isn't the greatest, most of the people there were families so I relaxed and pondered my trip thus far.

 If your in Odessa and want to take your girl to this place, she will know of it. There's even a mini bus that leaves the train station regularly.

 So after two days in Zakota, I returned to the Black Sea hotel. I called up Anna to see how things were going with her mum. To put it politely, she was cold, colder than a north wind blowing in January. I saw my Zakota trip as a small get away while she was tending to her mum. She on the other hand saw this as a stupid move on my part, and said she was busy and hung up!  WTF!!!  Ok I sat down on the edge of my tiny bed, and contaplated my next move.  Going through it in my head went something like this.

#1- I just pissed off the only girl I know in Europe.

#2- I had no back up plan.

#3- I had a few more days to kill before my return flight to Canada.

#4- There was no way I was going to take a train back through Europe to Germany.

So I did what every loser tourist would do without a plan... I walked and walked and walked. Got lost for hours, and it didn't matter because I was killing time. Then I noticed on a pole a poster that said something along the lines of learning English. On the poster I noticed the word Canadian, and thought I'd give this school a call. Turns out a guy named Guy, owned the school and once hailed from Montreal. Well just my luck, I travel 1/3 around the world and find a Quebecker!  Well I put my political differences aside, the way I saw it he couldn't be all that bad if he left Quebec.  Guy and I chatted for hours down at his school, he was excited to speak to another Canuck, and even spoke of his dismay for the way the French screwed up Quebec. We continued until 2am, having some beers and agreed to keep in contact.

  My plane was leaving at 2pm the following day, I had a couple of hang ups from Anna since my Zakota return. I figured I better go over and see if she would at least say goodbye to me. I made my way to her apartment and as I'm approching she was walking out of these big steel doors. I thought great, what timing!  I called her name and she looks over. Their wasn't much reaction from her, a little bit surprised I was there, and somewhat wondering what to do next.
  I told her I was sorry, and didn't think she'd be so mad at me for leaving. She asked me when I was leaving, and I told her in a few hours. Than she says she has to go, turns and walks towards a mini bus. I follow and hand her a stupid map of the world. She had told me earlier didn't have a globe, and I couldn't find one days earlier, so this big poster was the best I could do. What was I thinking,this thing was huge. I give it to her anyway ,and she continues towards the mini bus. I ask her to stay, but she says her mother waits for her to visit.  I reply, "So that's it? " Anna turns and walks towards me giving a farewell kiss on my cheek. Seconds later shes gone. I'm standing there feeling like a Hollywood moment has just happened, and I'll never see this girl again.

 I watched that mini bus go down the street until it disappeared. I return to my hotel, packed up, and head for the taxi ride to the airport. Things got so much better for me as I got the time wrong, and was at Odessa airport 4 hours before my flight. Great waste another 2.5 hours while I'm at it. Landing back at Munich was like stepping into a different world, the differences were unreal. For starters my ears weren't ringing from not hearing the noise of Odessa's centre. There is a sense of order and calmness that I found in Munich.

  I waited for my plane to board, and pondered my time spent in Europe. I hadn't seen any castles, didn't use my Polish visa at a cost of $100. Annoyed the girl I based my entire trip on. So all in all, it seemed like a wee bit of a waste, however I didn't regret it at all. Upon my return to Canada, everyone wanted to know if I was married.  Some were thinking she would do whatever it took to get me to marry her, after all they know what those girls are like...whatever.  When I told my stories of the train travel and pissing her off they thought I was nuts!  But I vowed to return again, and this time I will tour western Europe and continue looking in eastern Europe.

  A couple of months passed without any communication with Anna. I suppose I was waiting for her to cool off.  Than one day I decided to call her, she was nice to me and we had a nice talk. No future visits or any plans were discussed. But we were at least on speaking terms.

 That was my first trip.

 Photo's are :   

                       My hotel room, I hope it was the economy room.$40p/n
                     

                       The beach in Zakota,and of course the dude tanning his pubic patch
                       

                       Leaving Europe behind











[attachment deleted by admin]

alenika:
Don.. don't know if you want comments on this.. But if you still wondering where you made mistake and if she made mistake judging you too strictly. I think it was your mistake still.
I'll try to explain: As I understood you communicated and liked each other, it was serious step to visit her, she waited for you, there was some level of lcloseness between you two which means care of each other.
I understand you could consider her behavious as cold, but as you tell she had sick mother. And.. you know if I visited a man and if he had sick mother I'd try to help him and wouldn't require and expect him to spend all the  time with me. And in case if I offered help but it would appear that it couldn't be accepted then only in this case I'd think how to spend time somewhere alone and maybe have fun.

On your place I'd ask her if you can somehow help her, maybe accompany her to hospital. I don't mean financial support btw. But maybe go with her, help with buying food - as here people usually take food when go to those who are in hospital.
If she worked this all was not easy for her at all. And if she used minibus but not taxi it was even more difficult - therefore she had to restrict herself in spending, had to carry maybe heavy things in hands. Do you at least know what exactly was sickness of her mother?

Donhollio:
 I did ask if there was anything I could do,but Anna declined any help. I have since found out that her mom does have some health problems, so doubting her honesty was my own paranoia.
 Thanks it's always nice to get a FSU womans opinion  :)
 

Donhollio:
Fast forward to spring 2004, I'm still searching the agencies, getting a little better at it (I thought). In hindsight I wished I had remembered about a forum that I found one evening. However I had forgotten all about it, and didn't recall even reading a single post, Oh how this could of saved me a lot of time, and $100.
I moved my search onto Globalladies I think, and Family Plus (scam agency)
I began writing to several girls and it quickly went down to two then one. But things over at Free Personals date site were going good, well so I thought. I was itching to return to Europe, and determined to see the sites that I missed the year before. So in October I found a $500 fare Montreal to Brussels return, taxes in. I took it, and began plotting my western Euro tour.
The girls were to be a second to the sites this time, history was to be first. So it was to be 4 weeks in Europe, with 3 girls to meet in UA. My friends thought I was nuts. But it just gave me more determination, after all the more someone pisses me off, the less I listen.  I set out to show them I will succeed!  Uhh yeah well still working on that. So did I have a back up? ..... No, I thought my time spent in Western Europe, will be my back up. If I hit it off with one of the girls: all the better. I even had scuba diving and mountain biking in Crimea on the list. So if nothing worked out, I always have some activities to do.

  I land in Brussels Belgium on a beautiful autumn day, and I walk out of the airport with no idea what to do next. Or for that matter. Eventually I managed to navigate my way how to get to where some of The Great War history was made. I went to see Tyne Cot, it's the commonwealths largest war cemetery. I have to say it was shocking to see this place knowing that each cross was a young man who had his entire life in front of him. These guys were younger than me, and I tried to put my mindset at their ages, and how differently I would have viewed going off to "kick the Gerry's ass."
 My life at 25 was all about girls and having a good time. There's was a war with British aristocrats plotting the battles, with little regard for human life. So I also visited the, "In Flanders Fields Museum."  It was good to see the schools were taking the kids to see this place.  While in Belgium I went to a battle that was a turning point in the war, Passchendaele. At the time it was a small bombed out town on elevated land. At the time a Canadian general said to take this town it will cost the lives of 16 000 men. He wasn't far off the mark, in fact he was off by less than 350. (see photo)

http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/canada-europa/brussels/passchendaele/battle-en.asp

 I stood at the monument for the Canadians who took it that day in 1916, and then walked around to see what 16,000 CDN dead was all for. It was shocking to see this small rolling area having a death toll so high, and that was just for that battle. Back on the bus, and to find a place to sleep and eat. I had also wanted to see a few castles, and upon asking at an info booth, the man handed me a pamphlet, and told me it was easy to get to. Alright!  So I headed off in the direction he told me, and as I was reading the info it said the castle was closed for renovations. I guess that's to be expected when you tour around in the off season.

  I was lacking in sleep and headed off to the local hostel. Got a bad night’s sleep, and in the morning took off to France. In keeping with the WW 1 theme it was to be a stop at the Canadian war memorial, Vimy Ridge. During the war the French & British both tried to take it, but failed. I suppose the way the British thought back then was to give it to the colonies to get slaughtered. This was the must see site on this European holiday, as was the Menin Gate, and Passchendaele ridge.
 The border between France and Belgium is indistinguishable, and you move without border checks. It was great to see these sites, and strongly recommend it to anyone.

  Getting off the train in the town of Vimy was shocking to say the least! (see photo) Before I could get any idea of what I walked into, the train was gone! After getting my bearings, I made my way up to the local shops to ask for directions. One shop   keeper was surprised that I would walk up to the monument, and after doing so I could see her point. Little did I know it was to be a 2 hour trek up hill. But I figured I'd keep my bitching to a minimum as the guys who died on this ridge went through way more than my walk to the park; kind of put it in perspective for me anyways. France was so grateful to Canada that it gave them this land. And to this day it remains the only Canadian park outside of Canada. I spent a few hours touring the park, and it was near closing, so I thought this maybe a good time to look for a place to eat and sleep for the night. 

  I got a ride down the ridge by a local who will drive Canadians up to the park from the train station. Now why wasn't he there when I departed the station? Well he was there, but I walked out and turned right, and he was sitting in his car on the left side. I headed via rail to Ypres, found a small place to eat, and inquired if there was a place to sleep. It was about 8pm, and the town was closing down for the night from what I could tell.  Yeah, you may be wondering,"doesn't this guy plan these trips out"? Uhh no. But hell, ya only live once! Luck was on my side, and a patron in the restaurant/bar owned a hotel! 40 Euros and a ride to the hotel, I'll take it!

  It was the best night’s sleep I had in days, even though the room was so narrow that the door hit the single bed when you opened it!  But it was in the town square, and I couldn't be too fussy.
 So it was at this time I decided to see Paris, and get in at least one bloody castle.  Why I went to Paris I still question, I knew a guy who lives there, but never bothered to call him up.
 This time I had a hostel room booked, and I later went to the centre and had the worst food in years at a place that calls itself a restaurant. 14 Euros for roast chicken and a beer.  But I should of known before even eating that it was going to be bad. While I was drinking my beer and taking in all the city noise, I noticed the "chef" walking across the street to get my chicken at a rotisserie outlet!  Yeah!  Can't wait for that Parisian renowned food experience!
  As you may of guessed it was pathetic, only made worse by all the noise, and I couldn't help but wonder why these people brag about what a great city it is.
 In October they have a celebration of "White Nights."  From what I could tell it was them turning all the lights on the tower, and some other stuff. I didn't really care, but just walked around until I noticed a small rush towards the subway entrance. It caught my attention, and it soon turned into a mass exodus!  I thought to myself ,''they can't be running the last subway trains at this time could they?"   It was a Saturday night and a festival going on. The place was packed, and they shut it all down at midnight? 

Well within a minute the exodus turned into a full out sprint for the subway!
 Thinking I better follow, I went down, looked at the subway layout, got confused, hopped on one train, and realised it wasn't the one I needed than went to get off. Too bad the driver didn't think I should, and the doors slammed on my arm while I was standing on the platform!  As it started to pull away the idiots, err riders just looked as I tore my arm free, I realised just how much I hated this place!!!

  Early next morning, I made my way back to the train station, and headed back to some normal city.  Now if you have never been to Paris, go and you'll know exactly what I speak of. I thought I'd get a train to Germany from Belgium, and when I got to the ticket window in Belgium, she informed me I'd have to catch that train to Berlin in, yup you may of guessed........ Paris . OK so back on the TGV, cool train it does like 300 km/h! Tilts into curves and take about an hour to Paris. I finally get my ticket to Berlin and set off in due time.

 Yah!!! Berlin comes at a late hour. Since I have no watch, I noticed it was after midnight. Great: nothing like looking for a hostel in a new city after hours, and in eastern Germany.   For those who have not been to Germany, the east and west is noticeable still by the general run down condition of the landscape, trains and vehicles. There's also a lot more graffiti, and you just know you’re not in Munich.
 I find the hostel quite easily, and the dimly lit streets again remind me that this is not the best Germany has to offer.
 I had some things on my itinerary to see, mostly WW 2 and the rise of Hitler's Germany. I took off to find some food to eat, as it had been a long day, and found the golden arches in the train station to be just what I needed.  I walked around for a couple of hours taking some photos, and questioning whether it was safe to walk the streets of Berlin after midnight.

 Photos of:
 

Tyne Cot cemetery
Passchendaele
Vimy's train station , monument and some of the battlefields
Berlin


 Is this getting boring for you to read yet ?  It's been a ball breaker trying to write it, so if you want me to speed it up, just tell me .....please !!!
 OK if not Ukraine is coming up shortly!

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page