Kids, don't do what I did. Do not head for a hike, when you are only assuming that the whole tour group is going on it. The track might be unmarked, you might run out of time and you may need to literally run just to make the time for your bus. I survived of course, because I had maps.me app with the track on it, fast legs and some nice 3-toothed old guy who pointed me to the right direction, but so many wrong things could have happened...
Ukraine. Western Ukraine - definitely delivered.
I left Moldova after one last night hanging out with real people and enjoyed it to the bits, oh man, those are some great, even if a little crazy people. The 22 year old Dutch guy was my favourite - we bonded over cheap hipster kind of people and certain topics that should have never been elaborated. When this Indian guy started talking about girls dressing sleeveless tops and how they should not expect to be raped, so my kind of under my nose "should I start?" he just said "no" under his breath. This is the kind of people I want to round myself with for the future.
Anyways, I left Moldova to get back to Ukraine. In my mini bus I met this older architect guy who knew Lithuania quite well, because he was there a few times during Soviet times for work. It was hard to communicate with my rusty Russian, but nevertheless, it was interesting to listen to his stories. I came to Chernivtsi and that city blew me away. Such rich history and architecture. If you ever in doubt, don't anymore - go ahead and visit it. Nice small streets full of people and amazing buildings, plus a very helpful walking tour on a map - it was definitely one of the better places I have visited so far. I spent two and a half days there, and I did not get bored not even a little bit.
But I had to leave it to go to Lviv and I really did not have any expectations for it, but once I came, I was very pleasantly surprised - even more history and architecture, it's like walking in Vienna, but much cheaper. I have walked the sames streets over and over again, took some pictures, chilled at the parks, visited countless of churches and had some very nice foods. The hostel I am staying in charges me 3 Euros per night and it is in the very heart of the center. I think I will definitely have to come back here, sooner or later. I haven't experienced much of a night life here since hostel is full of older or Ukrainians, so I did not make any friends, but it looks like it has a whole lot to offer, day and night.
Today, however I took a little tour to Carpathians. I was very much against the tour, but there is not other way to get there, so there I was, in a bus, full of Ukrainians and 3 Polish people and we went to the mountains. A little disappointed, since it was less about mountains, more about old fortresses and souvenir shopping, but I did manage to get myself into an adventure. Guide was talking in Ukrainian so my understanding was limited. And I can swear I understood her saying that we will take a little trekking round and then get back to the bus. So I headed there. I was the only one. In the beginning it was an easy stroll, so I did not make much of it, but further I went, it became more and more challenging and I kept thinking - how these people with kids are planning on doing it. Well, they didn't, they all went for shopping and I was literally the only one on that track. Don't do that! I was the only one, no one knew where I was, I had a gps on me, but that was it. I was climbing up and don't the mountain, through the forest and got further than expected. Luckily I walk fast, so I managed to come back before they noticed my disappearance, but it freaked me out. What if I broke my ankle or something like that? No one knew I was there and no bars on my phone proved I was in the middle of nowhere.
But, as all good things end up good, I survived. Because I have a safety net. Or something like that.
Tomorrow off to Azerbaijan. Kind of excited and a little scared, I did not make enough research on the place. But Baku cannot be that bad, right? Let me check and get back to you.
* * *
Off Topic
Don't be afraid. Climb the cliff, try unexpected and unknown. Fall in love. Dare to say "yes" and dare to believe that this is for real. Of course anything can happen, but be true to yourself. You can be an exception. And so can I.
"-.....I'm the exception...
-You are *my* exception"
Ukraine. Western Ukraine - definitely delivered.
I left Moldova after one last night hanging out with real people and enjoyed it to the bits, oh man, those are some great, even if a little crazy people. The 22 year old Dutch guy was my favourite - we bonded over cheap hipster kind of people and certain topics that should have never been elaborated. When this Indian guy started talking about girls dressing sleeveless tops and how they should not expect to be raped, so my kind of under my nose "should I start?" he just said "no" under his breath. This is the kind of people I want to round myself with for the future.
Anyways, I left Moldova to get back to Ukraine. In my mini bus I met this older architect guy who knew Lithuania quite well, because he was there a few times during Soviet times for work. It was hard to communicate with my rusty Russian, but nevertheless, it was interesting to listen to his stories. I came to Chernivtsi and that city blew me away. Such rich history and architecture. If you ever in doubt, don't anymore - go ahead and visit it. Nice small streets full of people and amazing buildings, plus a very helpful walking tour on a map - it was definitely one of the better places I have visited so far. I spent two and a half days there, and I did not get bored not even a little bit.
But I had to leave it to go to Lviv and I really did not have any expectations for it, but once I came, I was very pleasantly surprised - even more history and architecture, it's like walking in Vienna, but much cheaper. I have walked the sames streets over and over again, took some pictures, chilled at the parks, visited countless of churches and had some very nice foods. The hostel I am staying in charges me 3 Euros per night and it is in the very heart of the center. I think I will definitely have to come back here, sooner or later. I haven't experienced much of a night life here since hostel is full of older or Ukrainians, so I did not make any friends, but it looks like it has a whole lot to offer, day and night.
Today, however I took a little tour to Carpathians. I was very much against the tour, but there is not other way to get there, so there I was, in a bus, full of Ukrainians and 3 Polish people and we went to the mountains. A little disappointed, since it was less about mountains, more about old fortresses and souvenir shopping, but I did manage to get myself into an adventure. Guide was talking in Ukrainian so my understanding was limited. And I can swear I understood her saying that we will take a little trekking round and then get back to the bus. So I headed there. I was the only one. In the beginning it was an easy stroll, so I did not make much of it, but further I went, it became more and more challenging and I kept thinking - how these people with kids are planning on doing it. Well, they didn't, they all went for shopping and I was literally the only one on that track. Don't do that! I was the only one, no one knew where I was, I had a gps on me, but that was it. I was climbing up and don't the mountain, through the forest and got further than expected. Luckily I walk fast, so I managed to come back before they noticed my disappearance, but it freaked me out. What if I broke my ankle or something like that? No one knew I was there and no bars on my phone proved I was in the middle of nowhere.
But, as all good things end up good, I survived. Because I have a safety net. Or something like that.
Tomorrow off to Azerbaijan. Kind of excited and a little scared, I did not make enough research on the place. But Baku cannot be that bad, right? Let me check and get back to you.
* * *
Off Topic
Don't be afraid. Climb the cliff, try unexpected and unknown. Fall in love. Dare to say "yes" and dare to believe that this is for real. Of course anything can happen, but be true to yourself. You can be an exception. And so can I.
"-.....I'm the exception...
-You are *my* exception"
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