Voyage to Andorra. Conclusion
There was no longer any strength to drag heavy covers, and we shoved them with our feet, advancing in line for landing. Some girl asked what we have there, musical instruments? I joked about light machine guns. Would we kick fragile musical instruments with our feet! The male representative of the airline had only one question for us: “Are we flying in transit? ” To which, a woman standing nearby, apparently more intelligent (or perhaps knowledgeable), laughingly said to him, like: "Yeah, from Andorra. " We immediately printed out luggage tags and receipts for them. The weight of our luggage and hand luggage no longer interested anyone. Moreover, the bag with the boots, which was supposed to be packed together with the case, was unpacked during the inspection, and there was nothing to tape it back with. So we dragged her into the salon. And the skis were left in the sleeve at the entrance to the plane. Just like leaving baby strollers.
Why did they take away all our port wine? He wouldn't have made it into the salon anyway. I know I know! For the fact that we went to visit, you know who. Well, we're fine! Port wine got drunk for several years ahead. What did Verka suffer for? She was in the Crimea, the last time, about 8 years ago! Two bottles were meant for her.
We got places, one might say, elite ones. The first three rows were occupied, apparently, by a business class, or some kind of economy premium. They were fenced off with a curtain. The fourth row was empty, and we sat in the fifth. I suspect that we weren’t the only ones who couldn’t go through online registration until Andrey intervened. But about what is already possible, we learned the same hour from him, and, apparently, we were among the first to be able to perform this procedure.
Sitting in chairs, we finally exhaled!
The commander apologized for the flight delay for half an hour, which occurred due to the fact that they were waiting for some transit passengers back in Kyiv. Thank you UIA for waiting for them! God bless you!
However, a thermos of whiskey successfully passed through security. But he was in Oleg's backpack, who refused to get it. What a disgusting creature! Okay, we still have a long way to get home. If we had not been late, the plane would have landed at 18.00. The train to Mariupol leaves at about seven in the evening. We would not be able to catch it even in the most favorable scenario. Therefore, tickets were purchased for the next day. And we still had to spend the night in Kyiv. Nastya and her husband did not have this problem. Their youngsters are already 6-7 years old, since they moved to Kyiv, and even managed to buy housing. But, firstly, their flight arrived late at night, and there would not have been enough space in the apartment for all of us.
I remember that I had a file with documents in my hands - printouts of tickets, reservations, and some other pieces of paper. I wonder where I put it? Apparently, in the running, left, somewhere, at the airport of Barç a. Of all the papers listed, I needed only train tickets. Oops! How can I scratch them out of the mail now? But I remember that it was not I who bought them, but Nastya. Okay, let's figure it out.
The flight was fine, but boring.
The question arose, where can we pick up the skis? In the same place where they handed over or, already at the airport? Vadik suggested that right at the exit from the plane, like baby carriages (we had experience). Just don't be in a hurry to get out. Until they lift them out of the luggage compartment! But I'm impatient! She said I'd go take a look and was one of the first to leave. Two airport workers, a man and a woman, were standing in the sleeve. They told me that we will get the skis on the tape. I made an attempt to get back on the plane, but the flight attendants politely but firmly wrapped me up - got out, got out! Then I asked them to tell those two to go out, and not wait for the weather from the sea. They promised to deliver. And I stepped aside and stood next to the workers. Bald-headed Yevgeny Koshevoy emerged from the plane. The smile stretched my mouth all the way to my ears!
Turning around, I ask the workers: “Is this him? I didn't recognize it? " They confirmed. That's him!
Finally, my companions came out. We went in search of skis. Leaving Vadik to guard the backpacks, and Oleg, just in case, near the tape, went to look for where they give out oversized luggage.
With difficulty, but I found it. More people started to come up. They waited for quite a long time, until they began to unload bags with ski-boards in batches from the elevator. Therefore, in anticipation, many shared their impressions with others. One guy caught my attention, with a painfully familiar cute physique. He enthusiastically told a group of onlookers how unlucky they were with the weather. Only two days were good, out of six. Andorra was praised very much for him!
I couldn't resist sticking my nickel in. Asking for words, raising her hand, as in a school lesson, she told them how we were unlucky with the weather. After that, I asked, where were they? The guy answered - in Cervinia. Where did I see him anyway? Diesel show? Comedy Club?
We waited for our skis. We boarded the skybus and arrived at the railway station. One friend told me that she spent the night there in some kind of rest room, for 200 UAH per bed. Yes, and aunts with signs about renting apartments, usually hang out at the station. Leaving the boys with their luggage at Yuzhny, I rushed to Tsentralny, carefully reading the signs along the way. But I didn’t find any rest room, although I cut a circle around the station building, which stank through and through with lousy charcoal, which had been used for heating trains for some time now. Went outside. It was already half past eight in the evening, but the aunts with signs, thank God, were standing.
Coming. The aunts perked up. I, I say, need an apartment within walking distance. One of them, grabbing my arm, says: “Here I have it, for 600”. The second attacked her: “The woman turned to me, why are you intercepting her? ” And, in turn, grabs my other hand. I have, he says, for 800, but with European-quality repair. The first one is not inferior - it also has a European-style renovation! At the same time, they pull me in different directions. Laughter choked me. From the aunt, who is over 600, clearly smelled of alcohol. The second was more decent, in appearance. But I chose the first, feeling, apparently, a kindred spirit in it. Freeing her hand, she said to the second aunt, “Sorry! ” And, arm in arm with the first, she departed. Then, suddenly, remembering, I tell her: “What time will you evict us? We have a train at seven in the evening. We should be up to six! ” The aunt stopped. No, well, it turns out in a day and a half! They have a check out, you see, until 12! Pay 800 if before evening!
No-no-no! I'm trying to get back. The second aunt was already celebrating the victory, but the first, stamping her foot, proclaimed - 600 before evening! That's fine! We went to the South, where the kids were waiting for me. On the way, the landlady told me that the second aunt was her godfather, and today they quarreled. And their apartments are absolutely identical and in the same building. As she stepped off the escalator, she collapsed. I had to lift. She said that she would call her husband now, and he would meet us, and she would come back. She, as it turned out, has another apartment.
We didn't have to go very close. Having rounded the Ecomarket, we walked along the icy sidewalk for 350 meters (as the Google map says), but with a heavy burden it seemed like a whole kilometer. At the crossroads we were met by a husband, to match his wife - with a clear smell, with a maple leaf tattoo on his wrist and with missing front teeth. He served, you see, for a youngster. But well dressed. And he's behaving normally. I wonder what kind of hut is there?
The apartment turned out to be quite tolerable. For a one-room apartment - very spacious! A relatively large corridor, a shared bathroom and a large kitchen. And another balcony. With glass door. Double bed and sofa bed. Parquet. Curtains with drapery. Chandelier. A hefty TV, but still of those times, not a plasma. True, she knew the apartment, and better times. Apparently, they bought it 10 years ago, repaired it well and then used it in full. But we are unpretentious people, it suited us quite well.
Having received his 600 hryvnias, the owner said that if the wife does not come for the key tomorrow at 18.00, leave them under the rug. And left us. Oleg cautiously issued: “Won’t they rob us here? ” Frankly, I also had such an idea - I have seen such horror films on TV. But that's on TV! Can you trust him?
After dinner in the Pot-bellied Hut, we slept like the dead. Opening my eyes, I saw that it was almost 9 am! Wow!
The morning was sunny, and from this, joyful! As the youngest, she drove to the "Family Bakery" for puffs, which we had breakfast with a symbolic seagull, brewed from one bag for three. And we went for a walk. I put on new boots, just in case, so as not to be stolen. It is unlikely that someone will covet skiing. Well, for spirits, perhaps! Vadik also put on a new jacket. Sun, sunshine, but it was quite cold.
It was already quite possible to call Nastya. Voldemar took the phone. "How are you? " he asks. Well, I'm all on emotions, I say, we almost missed the plane! He says so are we! Oops! Okay, then tell me! What am I calling! Lost train tickets! He promised to solve it.
Coming out of the subway to Khreshchatyk, we trudged along the street. My Geoffrey dragged the leg. Yesterday he gave her a lot of trouble with this running around. But he categorically refused to stay at home.
On the Maidan, a dressed-up cat clung to us with an offer to take a picture with him. Barely fought back. A Christmas tree was being dismantled near St. Sophia Cathedral. A sad sight. Tents with sweets were also dismantled. And mulled wine would be just right now! Despite the sun, it was very uncomfortable. We wandered around the St. Michael's Cathedral, then - to the landscape alley. Vadik sat down to rest right in the mouth of a toothy cat, and I suggested that Oleg lie down on a homeless bench with a pillow and a blanket so that I could take a picture of him. But he refused - the sight of a snow-covered blanket made me shudder.
And the kids had absolutely fun!
Vadik said that he had worked up, and we went to Puzata hut on Khreshchatyk. A brother-in-arms of the old disguised cat was walking towards us, accompanied by a policeman. Passing by them, I heard from the lips of the latter the phrase: "One and a half is enough. " Apparently, that's how much a license to molest passers-by costs. However, this is just my guess, and he meant something quite harmless.
After lunch, Oleg and I sent Vadik home by metro, and we ourselves went for a walk further. We wandered along the streets parallel and perpendicular to Khreshchatyk. I have never been here! Surprisingly reminded me of Odessa. We walked along the cliff, went to the puppet theater, then to the Golden Gate and Shevchenko University. The tents were still standing there, and we got hold of two glasses of mulled wine and grog for 50 UAH each. The mulled wine was piping hot, but with a clear predominance of citric acid. The grog was good, but a little warm. Nevertheless, we warmed up a bit (sorry, warmed up).
From this place to get to the station, I got there, but I didn’t remember exactly how, for the life of me. Maps me demanded to load a map of Ukraine. I have a map of Sri Lanka, but no Ukraine! And no memory either! I had to use the old-fashioned way and ask for directions from the oncoming-transverse. One man, like us, who sipped something from a glass, shook his head and said that he could not orient himself. Another, very corpulent, accompanied by the same dog, said that it was a very long way to go! You can only get there. Very informative!
Let's go at random. And we managed to get lost!
Seeing a trolleybus with the final stop of the railway station marked on the windshield, we sat down. It's good that I guessed to ask the conductor again, is he really going where we need to go? The conductor bulged her eyes - what railway? We're going in the opposite direction! We went out on the next one and, returning to the starting point, moved to a parallel street, as we were recommended. There was the Olympic Stadium. We didn’t get on the trailer, but when we saw the letter “Me”, we went downstairs - we had tokens. It seems that the station is somewhere here, nearby, but I had to go with a change! Who builds like that!
We came to the hut. Vadik managed to sleep. Phoned friends. The car's husband successfully printed out our train tickets. Without waiting for the owners, they put the keys under the rug and stomped to the station. A group of law enforcement officers were seen approaching. I tell the peasants: “They will slow us down, thinking that we are dragging bazookas. ” They didn't slow down. Vigilance dulled.
We loaded into our compartment. Nastya, when buying tickets, managed to buy not a whole compartment plus one more seat, but 2 + 3. Our poor neighbor! However, by 21.00 we managed. So. The most interesting. When I emotionally told Nastya and my husband the story of our misadventures, they, in response, gave out their own.
Arriving in a rented car in Barcelona, they did not find a parking place near the hotel and left the car with things somewhere there. While they were going to the hotel, they were robbed - they broke the glass and stole backpacks with a bunch of gadgets and much more. Then, however, one of the backpacks was planted. It turned out to be Masha's husband's backpack, for which he was very much killed, since he once climbed Elbrus with him. Inside were the documents for the settlement, thanks to which there was a backpack, a password-protected tablet and Mashkino's expensive hair care product. She was still laughing, which, apparently, did not suit the type of hair of the robbers. The guys went to the police, of course. But they just shrugged and said: “This is Barcelona, baby! ” and showed a bunch of backpacks - choose any! So, compared to them, we got off with little bloodshed. Yes, and for broken car glass, they swindled 150 euros. Such an event was not included in their insurance.
But, despite this, Nastya was extremely pleased with the trip! Barcelona simply fascinated her, although it was in striking contrast to Andorra la Vella.
Well, after her story, I was even more convinced of the correctness of my decision not to go there. I can't stand big cities. And the further, the stronger.
At home, they found a second bottle of whiskey in the luggage - the customs officers overlooked it. Cute guy from the airport, I finally identified. His angelic appearance served as a hint - it was Angel Pedan. And the missing 92 euros were taken from my card. How - I do not understand! I did not give the secret code to booking. Something like that!
Thanks for reading.
Special thanks to my guardian angel cgistalker and consultant AllOverTheWorld!
I am very glad that everything happened exactly the way it happened. You don't get that kind of emotion very often. Gained invaluable experience. And most importantly, there is something to tell.
What the hell is our voyage for?
