Ukraina '98

We started our 2nd expedition to 'Zakarpatsky' region of Ukraina from Brno's railway-station with 5 minutes delay in 10:55pm. Movement was without problems, first appeared in Kosice station (eastern Slovakia). We didn't catch express train Prague-Kijev (2 minutes for transfer from train we arrived with). We took train to Cierna nad Tisou (last station before border Slovakia-Ukraina). There we found out that there cross border only two trains each day in each direction (one is Express Prague-Kijev). So we had 9 hours of free time. Really boring.

We hadn't enough slovakian money, but we discovered there is also possibly to pay by czech money, even in train-box-office (quotation 1:1).

We took train in 7:30pm to Tchop (Ukraina). Passport formalities without problems. (not for 4 Russian men, they were put back from Slovakia border, but they wanted to Slovakia very much, so they borrowed map from us and looked on green border). We used for our trip stamp 'AB - sluzebnaja' in passport (for people which have duty trip), we hadn't problems with it, anyone was interested in matter of our trip.

In Tchop we found right box-office for local trains (there are 3 types of box-offices, this one is in small dirty house, 200m from main building) and detected our next train. It departed in 10 minutes. This train, took us (with two changes) to Teresva. We were there before 4:00am

Narrow-gauge to Dubove should go in 8:30am. Train was in station in this time, but leave it in 11:00am (wonder? why, it's Ukraina), because it was waiting for some express. It's about 30km (18,75 miles) to Dubove, train was there in 1 hour 50 minutes. About bus to Ust'-Corna citizens said alternately that it goes in 1:00pm, it got off, it goes in 3:30pm,... Last information was right, so no long after 4:00pm we were in Ust'-Corna (we saw one bus-stop) and we went to visit father Peter, our good friend from last year.

We planed to hang-up for afternoon, but we were there couple days. Rest of day we rested after hard way. On Monday we went to place where we lost our bikes year ago. It was nice trip. We went over remainder of old water canal and about 10 km (6,25 miles) of light railway (narrow-gauge) including locomotives and cars in Ust'-Corna and in Lopuchov. In the evening was celebration of father Peter's B-day managed by father Janko and his wife Mat'a.

Next day we mined holes for paling around cemetery against cows. Father Peter with his housekeepers/cooks and his slovak guest Pal'o made trip to polonina Krasna. We climb up there after finishing our job on cemetry. Cool weather. We came down together. Since this time is possible to date Jarek and Viktoria courtship. Miss Viktoria is father's Peter cook and also potential teacher of German language. (she study on University). In the evening (after mass) was small party mainly for girls from village and for guests (again father Peter's B-day).

Despite problems with searching lent umbrella we left village and started to climb up to polonina Svidovec.

Foot-path wasn't good, we lost it many times. About 3:00pm started rain. We were above in fog. We haden't compas (small oversight), we lost 3 hours. We slept wooden saddle before main part of polonina Svidovec. Our tent is for 2 persons without rucksacks. We were three with rucksacks. In the morning awoke us herder's dogs. Finally, we are on polonina!

Rain. Fog. Horses. Fog. Rain. We are on peak Tempa and don't know which way downwards. Compas can be good. Fog. Rain.

Sometimes we could saw something around through hole in fog. We came to main edge in such a terrible weather (fog, rain) that we went to wrong direction. (compas could be good again). Our direction quandary was solved by sheep-herder. He sent us to opposite direction. We erected our tent short time after this, tired by weather and hardship of our way. Yesterday we thought we are placed in tent perfectly, but today we are compled to cook inside!

Next day on high. Beautiful morning. Until we bundled up, all were in normal, in one hour started hailstorm. Umbrella is cool thing. We edged to Bliznica, weather was getting better (rain abated, only showers, somewhere is blue sky). We erected our tent in saddle under Bliznica, cooked outside, dryed our things => good place for camping, a bit windy. First dry night.

Early morning we observed daybreak, because of it Strejda awake us. We rised in normal time, ascent to Bliznica, nothing but fog and wind. No outlook (we are in clouds). Photo on top and quickly away. We were under clouds, outlook. Weather was getting better, we crossed fold with stock, met people. We climbed down from polonina to Rachovo, it's longer than we thought. In falling to town we hitchhiked car (made in ukraina) with ukrainan driver, which work in czech republic. In car were four passengers, little space, we pressed. Strejda went on stepney. He took us to bus station, from where we went by bus in night (0:40am).

We went by bus to Tjacev, there we transfered to train to Tchop with one change in Batevo. We are waiting for train through border. Hag in box-office wanted 20 rubles (10 US$) per one ticket to Cierna (20km (12,5 miles) or less). It's sleeping-car train. We bought normal tickets (6 rubles per one) and we try to settle in train. In the end we had to buy it (sleeping-car-tickets), but we were in Slovakia. We went by train to Kosice. We glanced to city, really cool (beautiful fountain on square, but our train was leaving soon). We bought tickets to Brno (we used czech money again without problems) and next morning we were there.