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This next bit is called JOURNEY TO KIEV

Hooray!! We have got something new to do!  We are catching an overnight bus to Kiev to go to the Kazakh Embassy to try to extend our visas.  Weâve dropped off our bag at Nadiaâs house (hotel receptionist) â our possessions are getting spread all over Ukraine. 

7pm â right bus (we think)

Stop 1 â scraping noise 9pm â body work bent, scraping on wheel â stop, crowbars out, bend bus straight.  Into v. dark field for wee â hope no cowpats, hope bus doesnât go â back on

Stop 2 â 11pm â INTERESTING TOILET (diagram to follow, currently we canât do pics, v. flaky internet) â see diagram to clarify: (1) queue for loo (as girls always have to), (2) cross large hole in floor via old door laid over it, (3) squat loo behind blue waist height curtain with fish on it, (4) get out quick due to queue, pull up pants in public, (5) run back to bus & hope it hasnât gone

Lots more stops, unremarkable

6am â arrive Kiev â taxi to hotel, nobody came into reception, trudge out with our carrier bags of remaining possessions (still too heavy), walk streets, find soviet style hotel eventually â fine except for ubiquitous tv with loud bdc (braindead c- - p) â a small triumph, I ask them to turn it off & they replace with bossonova music.  Walk 4 miles to Kazakh embassy (closing in 10 min), run to bank, they want US dollars (we did have some of those but not any more),  nice American Korean man helps us with translation, nice Ukranian girl makes phone call for us, just make it & get application in.

Now we just have to wait.