Paul & Lauren’s Travels

After a spectacular Christmas eve with friends, on Christmas day it snowed! We could not have asked for a better Christmas.

Blaine came to visit and the Swanies were united once more.  One glorious week of company and food from home… Tim Tams and Daralea Licorice.  It was great to have Blaine stay with us.  He even joined us in the Kiev experience of no hot water.  We had a fun week just hanging out.  On the 12th of October, Blaine continued on his trip.

It seems like it was yesterday; it was September, our street was completely dug up and all the water pipes replaced. But that was last year, and this is now. I was willing to give the local water department credit for upgrading our local infrastructure last year, but as they’ve seen fit to completely repeat the exercise this year it’s time for a lampooning. Dunderheads! Over a month without hot water and note the the safety measures … that caution tape ought to keep Grandma and her pooch from tumbling into the abyss.

After a couple of days in Berlin we have now arrived home to Kiev. It may be chaotic and disfunctional here but at least we can enjoy a short break from the rigours of traveling before we start work on Monday. Maybe now the bank balance can stop taking a Euro beating as well!

You can view all the posts from our trip by clicking on the European Holiday category on the right hand side of this page.

Whats round plump and red? You guessed it- Berries.  They are in abundance at the moment.  The best part is we bought half a kilo of raspberries for the same price as a tiny half punnet back home.  You might just be lead into thinking that we would be happy with this arrangement.  Well we are.

Weekend’s in Kiev are an exception to the maddening pace of this city. Major city streets are closed and crowds take to the streets with a summery vigor. Street performers entertain passersby whilst vendors sell windup toys and bubble blowers. For a brief interlude in the week good cheer abounds and the city is carefree.

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This morning we awoke to an absence of electricity, not a huge problem but a significant threat to our morning coffee. Fortunately we had invested in a large supply of tea light candles and a small BBQ, in not much time we were enjoying Italian espresso. Now, if only there was something we could do about our temperamental, centrally supplied, hot water?!

In all absence of heat, humidity, and the Australian bush, we took matters into our own hands!  Out comes the extra heater, oil burner, eucalyptus oil, rain-forest sound track and vegetable steamer (for the humidity).   Aus in our living room!  It was great.  All we are missing is some good Aussie junk food… Tim Tams, Chicos, Australia Natural Co lollies and some Darrellea Licorice….mmm.

We may be harassed by pigeons, beset by dogs and overwhelmed by crowds but none are as spectacular as the giant swarms of crows that circle ominously over our humble neighbourhood. These unruly congregations will often stretch out of sight in the cluttered Kiev skyline as they methodically herd themselves along their favourite flight paths. Oddly enough, while there can often be, ostensibly, thousands in flight at any time I am yet to see more than one, or two, on a given occasion tackling some obtuse piece of garbage at ground level, or with feet facing the sky in some kind of macabre pose.