I know, I promised to write more... well, this is more! I'm still getting back into the swing of it... and it's not as if I don't mean to write, I just don't find the time... Or rather, I'm going to blame it on that.
So, last time I was excited about going to Ukraine. It was definitely an experience. The following is partially from the document I had to write for the insurance company for work... I've added quite a bit though...
"We landed on flight BD 851 from London Heathrow to Kiev International at about 3:30 PM on Thursday, October 8th. The football match we were covering was on Saturday, on the other side of the country in a city called Dnipropetrovsk.
After passing through passport control (which took ages) we proceeded to the luggage pick up where we found that one of our bags – the oversize one carrying our tripod and monopod – was missing. We had had to bring this bag to a special drop off point at Heathrow. While we were looking for it another passenger told me that she was also missing her oversize luggage from the same flight.
My colleague (let's call him Joe) made the claim at the lost luggage counter as he had checked in the bag. The woman at the counter told us it would be delivered to us in Dnipropetrovsk as that was our final destination. She also told us to call the next morning to find out where the luggage was and when it would arrive.
I proceeded to customs where we had to have our carnet (an official document listing the equipment we would bring in and out of the country- cameras, lights, cables, etc...) signed before entering the country. When the customs agent asked if we had all of the equipment listed I told her about the missing tripod.
Over a period of about three hours it was conveyed that we would not be allowed to enter the country with our equipment if any one piece of it was missing. We tried to reason that it was the airline that lost our luggage and would be delivering it to us, but that was not accepted by them. Even after showing them the proof that we claimed for lost luggage.
After another two and half hours of trying to haggle with them to let us bring our cameras with us, we were forced to leave the rest of our equipment in a locked room in the customs department at the airport.
My colleague (let's call him Joe) made the claim at the lost luggage counter as he had checked in the bag. The woman at the counter told us it would be delivered to us in Dnipropetrovsk as that was our final destination. She also told us to call the next morning to find out where the luggage was and when it would arrive.
I proceeded to customs where we had to have our carnet (an official document listing the equipment we would bring in and out of the country- cameras, lights, cables, etc...) signed before entering the country. When the customs agent asked if we had all of the equipment listed I told her about the missing tripod.
Over a period of about three hours it was conveyed that we would not be allowed to enter the country with our equipment if any one piece of it was missing. We tried to reason that it was the airline that lost our luggage and would be delivering it to us, but that was not accepted by them. Even after showing them the proof that we claimed for lost luggage.
After another two and half hours of trying to haggle with them to let us bring our cameras with us, we were forced to leave the rest of our equipment in a locked room in the customs department at the airport.
At this point we had met at Heathrow at 6:30 in the morning, flown to Kiev, stood in the queue for passport control for an hour and a half, and then sat and argued in customs for about five hours... we were tired, no exhausted. Keep in mind, there is no food or water in customs and at no point were we offered any or a way of getting any.
We finally got to our hotel at 10:30 PM (Kiev time, so 8:30 PM London time)...
Joe and I missed our 7 AM train to Dnipropetrovsk as we couldn’t leave Kiev without our camera kits. I was disappointed about this part more than anything. The trains there are like the old fashioned ones, with individual compartments, like the kind in old spy movies... I was looking forward to that. Oh well.
BMI couldn’t tell us where the luggage was when we called in the morning, but we were assured by someone that it would be on that day’s flight from London arriving around 2:30 PM. We called the lost luggage number given to us at 2:30 PM to see if they knew whether it was on that flight or not and they told me to ring back in an hour. I called again at 3:30 PM and was told, again, to call back in an hour. I called back again at 5 PM (giving them an extra 30 minutes) and no one answered. I called again for the next 15 minutes and no one answered, so Joe and I headed to the airport because we knew there had to be someone there and either way we were going to get our equipment.
Joe and I missed our 7 AM train to Dnipropetrovsk as we couldn’t leave Kiev without our camera kits. I was disappointed about this part more than anything. The trains there are like the old fashioned ones, with individual compartments, like the kind in old spy movies... I was looking forward to that. Oh well.
BMI couldn’t tell us where the luggage was when we called in the morning, but we were assured by someone that it would be on that day’s flight from London arriving around 2:30 PM. We called the lost luggage number given to us at 2:30 PM to see if they knew whether it was on that flight or not and they told me to ring back in an hour. I called again at 3:30 PM and was told, again, to call back in an hour. I called back again at 5 PM (giving them an extra 30 minutes) and no one answered. I called again for the next 15 minutes and no one answered, so Joe and I headed to the airport because we knew there had to be someone there and either way we were going to get our equipment.
We had spent the majority of the day in negotiations with the British Embassy and customs trying to figure out a way for us to get our camera kits if the tripod didn't arrive. We had to prvide copies of loads of documents, as well as a letter written, in Ukrainian, to customs. I have to say the Embassy was amazing with all of their help. They translated everything that needed translating and sent it all to the appropriate people.
We arrived at the airport at 7 PM on Friday evening, and after some delay, and without any assistance, managed to get the tripod and monopod (which had arrived on the 2:30 flight) returned to us. We then had to spend another two hours in customs to retrieve the rest of our equipment.
While we were in customs, we were supposed to be at a press conference and England training photo call in Dnipropetrovsk; we missed them because of our missing luggage. So that was more than half of our job that we couldn't do.
While we were in customs, we were supposed to be at a press conference and England training photo call in Dnipropetrovsk; we missed them because of our missing luggage. So that was more than half of our job that we couldn't do.
The office, back in London, arranged for us to stay in our hotel another night, though we had to change rooms, and booked us on a flight for the next (Saturday) morning's 11 AM flight to Dnipropetrovsk.
The only good that came of the lost luggage was that I actually got to spend about two hours wandering around Kiev.
Independence Square, Kiev
St Michael's Cathedral, Kiev
To buy beer you choose by looking in the window and then order it from the shopkeeper who is behind glass...
A street like any other, Kiev
Life in KievSo on Saturday morning we went to the airport, three hours early, only to find out that check-in only started an hour and a half before boarding. (Another 3 hours racked up in Kiev airport!) We got to Dnipro fine, checked into our hotel, ate some lunch, had a nap and headed to the stadium for the match.
Lenin Statue, Lenin Square, Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine
Karl Marx Ave, Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine
Lenin Statue, Lenin Square, Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine
Karl Marx Ave, Dnipropetrovsk, UkraineIt was definitely an interesting game. England had already made it to the World Cup, but Ukraine had to win or they wouldn't make it to the next round. Well, they did score, but only because England scored on itself.
Early in the match the Ukrainian fans decided it would be a good idea to throw flares onto the pitch and the English goalie, setting the pitch on fire...
ooh! What's going on over there?
See the firemen?
It was interesting to say the least.
I could write a whole novella about the whole trip, but I'll just say that the food was the same in every (and I mean every) restaurant, the people weren't very friendly, and there wasn't anything particularly interesting to see... It just seemed like the whole country was suffering from a really bad communist hangover.
While I am glad I got to have the experience, and I probably wouldn't change it, but I also wouldn't wish it on anyone...
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Coming up... the really important stuff about life in london, work, love and, of course, the weather... stay tuned!
While I am glad I got to have the experience, and I probably wouldn't change it, but I also wouldn't wish it on anyone...
***
Coming up... the really important stuff about life in london, work, love and, of course, the weather... stay tuned!
