Sumy got a hold of my heart ….

[Vinnvinny]

Friday 9th July 2010

Wizzair, London Luton to Kiev, non-stop. Mercedes Benz, Kiev to Sumy, several stops. I didn’t take any photos of the plane sorry. From what I remember it was big and purple if that helps, and the car was black. You don’t get TV’s on Wizzair flights but surprising the Merc had one although rather worryingly it was set up for the driver to watch. I guess videos of semi naked Russian pop stars provide a welcome distraction to the regular monotony of near head on collisions and traffic cops waving small batons. I don’t know if the pilot of my plane had a TV but I think he had a lisp.

A largely uneventful journey that lasted 12 hours from ‘door to door’ with the only notable exceptions being Igor at passport control nearly smiled and said “Welcome Mr Vinny, have a super stay in Ukraine”, and I now feel much closer to God after several near death experiences. (1)

Andrey of Hearts Connections is waiting for me at my apartment. As previously observed by AvHdB he is young and my initial thought was, as its 11.30pm - shouldn’t you be in bed? I agreed to meet Andrey the next morning, had a quick shower and went walkies.

Sumy centre consists of half a dozen pedestrianised streets that run parallel to each other. Other than a few youths hanging about drinking then the place was just about dead .. surprising for a Friday night. Found a beer tent, got some piva and people watched for an hour or two. Most guys looked like chavs and the girls were mainly fat and poorly dressed. It was like being at home except nobody was fighting, shouting or being sick. Went back to apartment, went to bed.

Saturday 10th July 2010

Got up, met Andrey.

We had communicated several emails before my arrival which resulted in me sending to him a list of ladies who interested me, a few of my photos and a short generic introduction letter. Once we eliminated the ‘sick’, ‘out of town’ and ‘he is too nice for me’ then we were left with 7 ladies who clearly had nothing better to do over the next few days. Some of these ladies had written me a nice letter that for $7 I could reply to. I didn’t reply. It’s not the money you understand, I just prefer to communicate face to face and besides, from experience, then when I tell ladies who have not met me about by many wives and children then for some reason they disappear. Much better to tell them to their face as most will be polite enough to finish their coffee before they leave.

My first meeting would be with ‘Olga’ at 3pm. In her letter she asked if she could use a terp “because my English is not perfect, and it can make our communication easier.” Although I’m missing the gene that allows one to talk via a terp I agree because a) its free and b) I arrange with Andrey that if after an hour the meeting still has some life then I will dump the terp and ‘go commando’ …. sort of speak.

I spend the rest of the morning and earlier part of the afternoon watching teenagers getting married. This wasn’t my plan, it’s just that my apartment overlooked the rags office. Also, when I ventured out again there seemed to be some tradition taking place whereby the newly married couple go walk-a-bout around the centre. By now I had taken up residence in some street café so every few minutes another happy couple would emerge from around a nearby corner. I wrote teenagers because most looked just that. I swear that one groom I saw could have been no older than 14. The exception to these were one couple, she looked 25 and he in his 40’s. Her face was quite miserable and he gave the impression he was very sad. Actually, it was around that point that I realised everyone in Sumy looked sad. Even the pigeons, who normally don’t make an effort to express their emotions, looked decidedly peeved off with their lot.

It was now 1.30pm and I hadn’t eaten for 24hours, I was peckish.  I tried to converse with my waitress with regards the possibility of food but I may of well requested that she take all her clothes off, sit opposite me and play arm wrestling – best of 3. The conversation ended with me saying odin piva and she agreed.

Back to my apartment, shower, change clothes, walk the ten minutes to Hearts Desire’s office. As I approach their front door I can see Olga is early and she’s sitting on a sofa waiting. She doesn’t look quite as good as her photo’s but I knew that as Andrey had already sent me her video. I introduce myself because that’s the way I roll. She introduces herself too and we went and stood outside. I think we are waiting for the terp. Having tried to start a conversation a couple of times then I realise she doesn’t speak any English. This should be fun I think and my stomach rumbles in (dis)agreement. I think my tummy is interested in ‘Game’ (or anything else edible) and is trying to get my ‘Frame’ to a restaurant.

(1) I made that up. Vitalik was one of the best drivers I have 'had the pleasure' of in Ukraine.

[Chris]

Nice start Vinny, now please get on with the next bit, don't do a Donholio on us and keep us in suspenders for years 

[Vinnvinny]

Nice start Vinny, now please get on with the next bit, don't do a Donholio on us and keep us in suspenders for years 

It only covers 5 days, not 15 years.

[skiingandrunning]

Found a beer tent, got some piva and people watched for an hour or two. Most guys looked like chavs and the girls were mainly fat and poorly dressed.

Vinny, stop spreading the truth as men might stop visiting Ukraine which would be bad for their economy. 

when I tell ladies who have not met me about by many wives and children then for some reason they disappear.

Just a slight handicap, but at least you tell them.

Even the pigeons, who normally don’t make an effort to express their emotions, looked decidedly peeved off with their lot.

The city even looks depressed from a distance!

I think my tummy is interested in ‘Game’ (or anything else edible) and is trying to get my ‘Frame’ to a restaurant.

Enjoy your humor and looking forward to the rest of the report...

[Vinnvinny]

Enjoy your humor and looking forward to the rest of the report...

 

[Vinnvinny]

Saturday 10th July 2010 (still)

Shortly after, Andrey arrives. The terp can’t make it so he’s doing the honours. Off we go to a nearby café.

I hate having a meeting through a terp. The first time I did it I vowed to never do it again and I took a similar vow the second time. We exchanged information about each other and a bit of blah, blah, blah and then after around 15 minutes a lady came up to our table and Andrey announced she was now taking over terp duties. If dear reader, you are like me and find the use of terps to be a tad difficult, then you should experience tag terping, its very off putting.

“I was just explaining to Olga how my first 2 wives both disappeared in unusual circumstances and the Police files are still open” was my opening line to Marianne. With a somewhat perplexed look on her face she was just about to translate that comment before I jumped in with “just kidding”.

Over the next 45 minutes I learned quite a lot about Olga, her child, her work, her life. She had brought her camera and showed me many photos. She had only just joined the agency and when I asked her why she advised me that she had had enough of Ukrainian men and that a friend of hers had recommend she gives it a go. Towards the end of the terps allotted time I was advised that Olga would like to take me shooting in the park. “Why not” I replied, I haven’t been shooting in a park in ages (IIRC). Marianne leaves and I’m left alone with Olga. It’s obvious by now that my Russian is definitely better that her English, and I only know about 10 words. So, off we go.

Olga takes me to a nearby park that seems to be designed for children. We walk for around 30 minutes and for me it’s got a bit hot. I cant see how we are going to shoot anything in this park unless she’s part of some population culling initiative, which seemed unlikely. All the time she is talking in Russian to me and I’m replying in English. Occasionally one of us works out what the other one is saying and as this is a first for me I am surprised as to how many Russian and English words sound similar. We are now leaving the park and as far as I am aware we haven’t shot anything or anyone …. yet.

We walked from one side of Sumy centre to the other, it took about 30 minutes. I have no idea where we are going. When I asked “where are we going, Moscow?” she must of understood because she laughed and made a shooting gesture.

We eventually arrive at park number 2 and ended up at a tin hut that served as an air pistol shooting arcade. Olga was quite excited and she was quite good. She hit a target just about every shot whereas every one of my pellets found their way to the back wall with grim regularity. The back wall was obviously designed to make a special two toned pinging noise that no doubt in Russian sounded like ‘you’re crap’. I never finished all my rounds as I now know that I cant shoot too good in a building where the temperature is 50c, and there’s no air. I gave what was left of my ‘amo’ to Olga and went outside to cool down as it was much chillier outside, a cool 35c.

Shooting over it was now time to eat. “’Nyet” Olga said as I started to head in the direction we came, “machines and carousel.”  Well bugger “machines and carousel” I thought. I don’t really live a healthy lifestyle but I do know that in order to stay slim then it helps if you keep your metabolism ticking over. With that thought I took her by the hand and led her to a piva tent where we took lots of photos of each other and I eat beer.

During our little interlude I was getting wind of a situation that involved Olga’s mother calling her, a cat and a sister. I haven’t a clue what any of that meant but I did teach Olga the words ‘bird’ and ‘trampoline’. She reciprocated but my brain can’t remember words that have more that 15 syllables.

It was the ‘carousel’ next which turned out to be a big wheel. As we approached it there was a ‘dancing rink’ which was a large enclosed area where middle aged and elderly couples were dancing in the afternoon heat. I imagined that it could be some kind of ‘heat dance’ to encourage an early death. Weird. I worked out a long time ago that health & safety are dirty words in Ukraine. It explains why you have to get on and off the wheel as its still moving and why the safety chains are considered no more than decoration and not to be used. Good view of the dancers though. Very weird, but kind of quaint and old fashioned – like incest.

‘Machines’ next which were dodgems/bumper cars. It was good fun and for the first time I observed people laughing. The cars went quite quick and I did half expect a Policeman to jump out at any moment and point his wand at me.

More photos, more piva, I’m really getting a bit hungry by now. I demonstrate this by miming an eating action and Olga acknowledges with a "da." Off we trot, hand in hand on our mystery tour to a restaurant I know not where. Out the park, up a boulevard, across the road and in front of me I can see a very nice looking restaurant. Super. Before I know it we’ve done a sharp turn and are now on a bus – my first trip on a marshrutki! It was full and it stunk of BO. I spent some time looking for the ‘Report to Operator’ button but I think the piva, heat and lack of food was confusing me. 10 minutes later we exit the bus into suburban Sumy.

It may be appropriate at this stage to mention that I had now communicated with Andrey that I didn’t want to meet anymore ladies who couldn’t at least speak a little English. As my next date was due to take place at 7.30pm, and it was now 9.00pm, it was somewhat fortunate for my evening date that she didn’t speak any English, as it was likely I was going to be a little late.

After a few minutes walk we past an Army base and upon approaching the main gate she whips a pass out, we get frisked by two heavily armed guards and we’re inside. “WTF we doing in an army base?” I ask her. I have started to speak in a much more enriched vernacular now as it doesn’t really matter what I say because she doesn’t understand nowt. I remain very pleasant though, despite my choice in words. “Art College” she keeps replying. “Nyet Art College, there’s tanks, rocket launchers and soldiers everywhere FFS.” She leads me by the hand zig zagging the ‘Art College’ complex until we reach a residential block. In we go, does she live here I wonder? Up 4 floors and into an apartment. We are greeted by a very hungry cat, a rat and a gerbil. I work out that this is her sister’s apartment, she must be away and her mother was giving her instructions to go and feed the mini zoo. It did cross my mind that if she let the rat and gerbil out of their cages then …. job done.

Feeding the cat meant boiling frozen fish and that, as I now know, is a lengthy process. As the apartment was hotter than the shooting arcade, and didn’t have a balcony, I inform Olga that I will meet her downstairs. Outside I have a smoke. Olga doesn’t like that I smoke. Perhaps I should smoke more. It does cross my mind what with the current spy situation that I shouldn’t really be where I am, especially unaccompanied. Fortunately I have remembered my passport so at least they will know a general direction of where to send the body to. As I’m having these thoughts some geezer approaches and starts talking Ruskie. He appears to have more armoury on his person than I think the whole of the British Army has in total. I also notice that he is rather tall, at least 5’ 18”. He only wants a ciggie, phew. He finds out I’m English and says “football!” “Now?” I ask, “I couldn’t sorry, I haven’t eaten for 1.5 days ….. and I’m hot.”

[Jinx]

 My Nataly is from Sumy and is on her way there as I write! I'm interested to read more. How long will you be there?

[Vinnvinny]

My Nataly is from Sumy and is on her way there as I write! I'm interested to read more. How long will you be there?

Turn back!!!! 

I am back now. It was only a reconnaissance.

[dazzer]

Funny places you go on dates Vinnvinny , this Olga seems allright though, just a pity she doesn't like fags, keep it coming

[alex005]

I haven’t eaten for 1.5 days …...”

Really?!

[Vinnvinny]

I haven’t eaten for 1.5 days …...”

Really?!

Well to be strictly precise it was 34 hours. I will try to be more accurate in future.  

[Vinnvinny]

Saturday 10th July 2010 (still, still)

“Shashlik and piva” I say feeling confident someone, somewhere will know what I want. No such luck. Ogla starts talking with the waitress and I hear the word steak. “Steak and piva” I say and they both repeat the word steak and smile. Well I know from experience that this is good news and bad news. The good news is that I might be eating. The bad news is I like my steak very, very, very well done. The last time I had a steak in Ukraine then despite asking for it to be very, very, very well done what was delivered on my plate could, with a bit of mouth to mouth, be brought back life. As Olga demonstrated by pointing to her watch that my steak would take 30 minutes then I was confident that whatever animal is was, it would be, at the very least, dead and we are at least now in a restaurant.

When we left the Art College I suggested a taxi, to which Olga nodded in agreement. We stand at the roadside, she sticks her hand out and … we’re back on a bus. This one didn’t stink so much of BO, just elderly people who hadn’t washed. Back to the centre, through the pedestrian zone, left at the big church, left again and downstairs to a restaurant that is basically a very large cellar. She tells me in English (which surprised me) that it’s called the ‘Grand Victorian’.

By now we have become quite intimate with each other, something that she was happy to be proactive in and I was happy to reciprocate. They say when a FSU woman is in to you then you are left in no doubt. I was left in no doubt. The steak was perfect, the company was perfect save for the limited verbal communication and now I was drank and fed I was having rather a nice time. She asked on a number of occasions where my hotel was and every time I told her I wasn’t in a hotel but an apartment.

When we left the Grand Victorian Sumy was enjoying a mini monsoon. Whilst we sheltered in the doorway with others Olga mentioned hotel several times pointing in the direction of my apartment. I will leave it to your imagination as to what might have happened next ……


Sunday 11th July 2010

I awoke around 9.30am having not had much sleep. The apartment had its own notebook and Internet connection and I had no problem hooking my own laptop up. I spent the morning ‘working’ and speaking with Andrey. My diary had changed a bit since I left for Ukraine. Some girls were no longer available, some had moved our meeting and some by default had been cancelled by me. I was scheduled just one meeting that day at 7pm with a lady who had been in ‘pole position’ in my mind since I first started communications with the agency.

By midday I took a walk and ended up in a café that was run by a very attractive young lady and someone who might have been her mother. Neither spoke any English but the older lady did have a reasonable understanding when I spoke. I ended up with a very nice omelette with salad and as much Staropramen as I could handle. After the previous evenings downpour the weather had turned somewhat humid and oppressive and there were signs that the locals we thinking this too. Just a word on the locals. I have never noticed so many mentally and physically handicapped people in one town before. I don’t know why but there seems to be rather a disportionately high number in Sumy. Also, I have travelled to a few Ukrainian cities in the past and one of the big advantages for foreign male visitors to this beautiful country is the abundance of eye candy. There was a distinct lack of this in the Sumy that I saw.

Andrey called to say pole position girl had cancelled and rescheduled for tomorrow night at 5pm. As at the very beginning I was due to meet her on the Saturday that was the second time she had cancelled. Andrey also informed me that I would be having a second meeting on Monday at 9pm. I was to meet Sveta by the green church next door to my apartment. As I had no dates for the rest of today I mentioned to Andrey that I would be happy to meet Olga again if she was free. He called me back 5 minutes later to confirm she was and that she would meet me at 7.30pm. I spend the rest of the day chilling out, people watching and catching up on some sleep.

At 7.30pm Olga arrives bang on time. I’m suitably impressed by her timekeeping and the effort she had gone through to look her ‘best’.

[Vinnvinny]

Sunday 11th July 2010 (still)

As Olga wanted to meet me outside the Grand Victorian I assumed it would be there where we were to eat. Not for the first time on this trip I was wrong. We were off on a mystery tour again which, under normal circumstances, wouldn’t have been a mystery because I would have simply enquired as to where we were going. I did try to do this and the reply was something that sounded like ‘chew chewit’, which from her gesture I translated to be ‘a little’ as in a little walk. She had mentioned ‘chew chewit’ on many occasions on our first date during our walkathon when I frequently feigned exhaustion. In my experience FSU ladies either like to walk a lot or can't move than 10 yards without a taxi. There doesn’t seem to be any middle ground. In fact there doesn’t seem to be any ‘middle ground’ in any of the FSU women I have met. IMO they are a nation of extremes.

It had been raining heavily again during the late afternoon so the good polish that I gave my shoes shortly before I left my apartment was largely a waste of time. Needless to say some considerable time later we were still ‘chew chewiting’ and I was rather wishing I had brought my passport this time as surely we must be nearing the Russian border. I would have to cross the lack of Visa bridge when I got to it.

I needn’t have worried. Eventually, having lost around 14 lbs, we entered a restaurant. She clearly knew it (how else would she find it?) and knew the staff too. I also recognised the place from photos she had shown me of a night out with her friends. The give away was the indoor fish pond full of fish who presumably were backing Holland tonight judging from their 'shirts'.

I had a nice chicken salad with potatoes and vegetables, lots of piva and some vodka that was so strong I assumed it was being made in the next room. I did request a vodka and orange which in fairness I did get, but a sliced orange wasn’t what I had in mind. We watched the World Cup Final where Iniesta grabbed a goal, Casillas grabbed a trophy and Olga grabbed some Crown Jewels. The fish seemed to take the defeat surprising well or else they decided not to show their disappointment.

Whilst more often than not I will be happy to ‘go with the flow’, we wouldn’t be walking or bussing back to Sumy central tonight. We summoned a taxi and left.


Monday 12th July 2010

Not much to report for the most part except that it was hot in the morning, rained in the afternoon and several workmen spent most of the day staring into a hole. The hole was outside my apartment and I presume they made it before I arrived as it was present when I got there. By now I had found somewhere reliable to eat, it was a burger bar called … Burger Bar. Nobody spoke English but they were able to follow my pointing and grunting from the picture menu. The fries were awful but the burgers very nice.

Around mid afternoon Andrey calls me with the surprising news that Pole Position girl has cancelled. I decide that I’m going to play hardball with her from now on and ignore her texts and calls. Not that she has my number mind, but it’s the thought that counts.

I go to the supermarket and buy some vodka and orange juice as I don’t think it’s a good plan to turn up for a date smelling of beer (don’t you just hate it when gals do that?). I’m not an alcoholic and I rarely drink when I’m at home but on holiday, that's different. I might be dating but I still consider my trip to be a holiday and, as I have read on so many profiles where a lady says she only drinks on holiday, then my view is if its good enough for you babe, then its good enough for me.

At around 7.30pm I hit the bottle. The orange juice I bought turns out to be grapefruit juice, despite having a picture on the front that, regardless of my lack of Russian, is an orange. It matters not because the vodka is so strong I can’t taste the grapefruit. I’ve a feeling that if I filled my glass with 1 part vodka and 5 parts arsenic the ‘flavour’ would be still the same.

At 8.50pm sharp I’m standing outside the church waiting for Sveta. The walk from my apartment was largely devoid of incident …. principally because it only lasted about 20 seconds.

At 9.10pm I need a smoke so I sneak off and have one keeping a look out for my next (potential) wife. 9.15pm Andrey calls. “Sveta is waiting for you.” “Ok” I tell him although I can’t see anyone. Then I see a lady talking on her phone some distance away (it’s a big church to wait outside) and figure that must be her. I approach her and say her name. She puts her hand over her phone and says to me “one minute please” and then crosses the street to continue her conversation. She didn’t look too happy.

When she returns I inform her that she didn’t need to cross the street, as I don’t speak Russian. She looks at me as though I just said “Hi fatty, how y’all doing?” We start to walk, she with her arms folded and me trying to start a conversation. She doesn’t unfold her arms and I fail to start a conversation. She speaks good English but she doesn’t say much and has a face like the weather – wet and miserable. We walk across the pedestrianised centre, across a main road and not too long afterwards enter a restaurant. We find a square table for 4 and she sits to my right although she has positioned her chair so far away from me that I sense this isn’t going too well.

A waitress arrives. Sveta would like to order a bottle of wine. I say with a big grin “no problem so long as it isn’t a $300 bottle”. There was a stony silence to my witty comment. She replies “Oh, I see. You are obviously one of those men who can’t afford to date Ukrainian girls”. I was just about to explain that there was a method in my madness when she announced that she was going home. “No problem I tell her” as I think by now that the chances of us sharing a wedding ceremony are rather slim. We hand the menus back to the puzzled waitress and leave. As we get outside she says “bye” and starts to walk in the opposite direction that she knows I have to go. “No problem luv, don’t worry. I know the way back home as I’ve walked every street in Sumy in the past 48 hours, several times”.

I’m not particularly angry with Sveta, I’ve done similar in the past. I believe that I still hold the world record with the shortest date between a WM and FSUW … it was 17 seconds. She arrived for our meeting at her agency office and her opening comment was that she only had 15 minutes as she was on her lunch break. My closing (and only) reply was to tell her that it takes me longer than that to remember all my kids names, so we’d best leave it, which we did.

[Manny]

This is great stuff. Loving the writing style Vinny. 

[Vinnvinny]

Thanks Manny. 

[Chris]

Yes it makes great reading with the humourous bits thrown in. So often some of these TR's are like reading a medical dictionary   not this one though Vinny  

[Olga_Mouse]

when I tell ladies who have not met me about by many wives and children then for some reason they disappear.

Just a slight handicap, but at least you tell them.

        I haven't seen you wearing a blue beard on the avatar picture...

“I was just explaining to Olga how my first 2 wives both disappeared in unusual circumstances and the Police files are still open” was my opening line to Marianne.

...oh, I forgot: you're growing a blue beard just before killing your band new wife, right?  

Olga doesn’t like that I smoke.

Indeed we don't!     

[dazzer]

At 9.10pm I need a smoke so I sneak off and have one keeping a look out for my next (potential) wife. 9.15pm Andrey calls. “Sveta is waiting for you.” “Ok” I tell him although I can’t see anyone. Then I see a lady talking on her phone some distance away (it’s a big church to wait outside) and figure that must be her. I approach her and say her name. She puts her hand over her phone and says to me “one minute please” and then crosses the street to continue her conversation. She didn’t look too happy.

IMO, It's all very well "sneaking off for one", the trick is em not seeing the smoke, had you done that, then Sveta wouldn't have informed Andrey over the telephone I'm not interested in  smokers

[Vinnvinny]

Yes it makes great reading with the humourous bits thrown in. So often some of these TR's are like reading a medical dictionary   not this one though Vinny  

Thanks Chris.

when I tell ladies who have not met me about by many wives and children then for some reason they disappear.

Just a slight handicap, but at least you tell them.

        I haven't seen you wearing a blue beard on the avatar picture...

“I was just explaining to Olga how my first 2 wives both disappeared in unusual circumstances and the Police files are still open” was my opening line to Marianne.

...oh, I forgot: you're growing a blue beard just before killing your band new wife, right?  

Can I recommend you change your cheese supplier Ms Mouse?  

Olga doesn’t like that I smoke.

Indeed we don't!      

Read on ……

IMO, It's all very well "sneaking off for one", the trick is em not seeing the smoke, had you done that, then Sveta wouldn't have informed Andrey over the telephone I'm not interested in   smokers

My view is if a lady doesn't want to meet a smoker then she should put that in her profile. I did meet a lady once who objected to my habit and I told her "yes dear, I understand but you're obnoxious and fat. Technically I could stop smoking right now ...."  

[Herrie]

Vinny, good stuff, keep it coming! Enjoying every bit of it

[Vinnvinny]

Vinny, good stuff, keep it coming! Enjoying every bit of it

Thanks Herrie, nearly done. 

[Vinnvinny]

Tuesday 13th July 2010

I had texted Andrey the previous evening that I wouldn’t be paying for the pleasure of meeting Cruella De Vil’s daughter. He replied ‘ok’ and that he would contact her in the morning and find out what happened.

I had no dates planned today and my tentative plan B’s were hardly providing me with encouragement. I had brought quite a bit of work to do as this wasn’t my first trip where ‘The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men' seemed rather apt. I wonder if Burns ever visited this neck of the woods?

Late morning Andrey called me. “Olga would like to see you tonight if you are free?” he said. “Well, too be honest” I told him, “I do have a busy schedule today. I have to go to the supermarket as I want an explanation as to why their grapefruit juices have pictures of oranges on them. I want to join some local guys and spend a little time looking in their hole with them (comrades, hand across the water and all that) and later on I’m planning an experiment involving vodka, arsenic and a gerbil, if I can remember the number of the bus.” “I’m sorry” he says. “No problem” I reply. “7.30pm at big Vicky’s it is”. He didn’t mention Sveta, neither did I.

Olga was on time and so was I. Actually I was early which is how I knew she was on time. “Chew chewit” and we’re off. I think we are going to see the goldfish again as we are taking a similar route. “I had an interesting four and half minutes last night at that restaurant over there” I tell her pointing to yesterday’s scene of crime. “Chew chewit” she replied. I guess my earlier thought that she might be become fluent in English over the course of the weekend was a tad optimistic.

We’re now taking a new route that I haven’t been before, it’s quite exciting. We cross a very busy road and stand by the curbside. “Taxi?” I inquire. “Da” she replies which can only mean one thing. When the next bus came we got on it.

Soon I recognise where we are. I was right, we are going to see the goldfish. They seemed in good spirits despite the previous evening’s disappointment but then I remembered that fish only have a memory span of 7 minutes, so perhaps their apparent ‘up beat’ mood was in anticipation of tonight’s match.

I order the same food as I previously enjoyed. Best not to chance things when you’re on a winning roll, especially as that might be the only thing edible if I take a chance with the menu. Not long after entering the restaurant 2 very hot looking young ladies entered the establishment. The first time I had viewed examples of this species during my time in Sumy.

Olga and I ate, drank and smoked (by this time she was ‘social’ smoking as much as me) and generally enjoyed each other’s company. Shortly before we left a BMW similar in size to the QE2 pulled up outside prompting the ‘kova’s to settle their bill and leave. It was good to see that Sumy shares some likeness to other Ukrainian cities I have been to.


Wednesday 14th July 2010

Andrey arrives at my apartment at 12noon to collect the keys and to introduce me to Alex my driver back to Borispol.

Alex speaks a little English so we discuss all sorts of subjects including football, football and football. By the time we reach the outskirts of Sumy the conversation has largely dried up and I sleep for most of the journey.

Despite a slight delay to my flight back to England we arrive in good time and I arrive home 13 hours later. I will write a conclusion in the next few days to include my final thoughts on Andrey, his agency, Sumy and Olga. Thanks for reading. 

[dazzer]

"My view is if a lady doesn't want to meet a smoker then she should put that in her profile."

Oh don't be daft

"I will write a conclusion in the next few days to include my final thoughts on Andrey, his agency, Sumy and Olga. Thanks for reading. "

Looking forward to it Vinnvinny

[shamus_mcgee]

love your sense of humor Vinny, thanks for sharing... enjoying every minute of your experience... 

[Donhollio]

I believe that I still hold the world record with the shortest date between a WM and FSUW … it was 17 seconds.

Yeah you beat me by 3 minutes and 43 seconds.
I've been sticking vodka in the freezer since my latter teens, during the winter I'd have a special spot tucked in a snowdrift where it would keep fresh at -25c.  Freeze it and it'll take the 'rubbing' out of the alcohol 

 Good TR Vinn!