I freely admit that I can't spell very well. And I don't type worth a damn. When did I ever say otherwise?
But are YOU aware of the shift key on your keyboard? And are you further aware that the first word in a sentence is generally capitalized?
Get out your OWN dict (and maybe stop playing with your dick). Don't you hate it when a people can't follow simple writing rules and then knock others for obvious typos?
"I wouldnt considir Uzhgorod that small its not a town but a city and I was just suprised to see the
variance in prices throughout the country"
colon:
Ukraine is a BIG country. If you think the Yalta Intourist room I mentioned was expensive - the Suites go for over $400. The Oreander In Yalta STARTS at around $400 to 450.
If you want to talk really expensive - go to Donetsk and stay at the Don Bass Palace where rooms start at around $500 and WAY UP from there. But the rooms are the best in Ukraine. I know. I stayed there. Courtesy of Lufthansa - because they couldn't produce a plane to fly us OUT of Donetsk.
I got a choice - Because my Lady is working that day (dont blame her - she only found out Im coming 4 days ago) I got a choice.
Pre-arrange someone to pick me up from Simferopol Airport to my Krimskiy Hotel Room in Yalta (overpriced BS)<<<OR>>> My lady says there are Buses that go to Yalta right next to the Airport. Anyone used them (without knowing a spec of russian)? Any idea of the fees?
If the Bus is viable.... are Taxis metered in Yalta? Can I just hail one and ask it to take me to the Krimskiy?
I have not used the ones from the airport. I have used the busses from the train station and to the bus station Yalta to Simferopol. I think the price would be less than 30 dollars. First question is how would you buy tickets or would they already be there. There are two ways I can think of you could accomplish this not knowing any of the language unless you got lucky and found someone speaking English. The first if your friend knows the layout she can tell you which window, which bus and have her on standby with a phone so you can dial her and have her order your ticket as well as have her talk to someone in line to ride the bus so they can verify you are in the right line. You will probably still have to negociate a taxi at Yalta to get you to the motel, maybe $10 to $15.
The second would be to have her or another Interpreter send you explicit notes to show to people there that you can print and take with you. Such as "Where do I buy a ticket for Yalta on a bus" for the cashier. "I need a ticket for Yalta for one adult." "could you tell me where this bus loads (and show your ticket)" The where are questions you would just need to go a ways in the direction they point and ask someone else because you will not understand their verbal directions - unless you have them draw a diagram for you. There will probably be English speaking taxi drivers in Yalta so that should not be a problem. You may be charged more than a Ukrainian but there are just things you will have to accept.
Do not get discouraged because half of the time the locals do not even know which bus goes where.
So that is what you are up against or you can be met. It is up to you.
Evil in Ukraine there will be taxi drivers waiting to follow you like a puppydog when you land at the airport or get off of the train or bus. There will usually be a number of them that speak English. The motel may also have a courtesy bus that makes a run there so you might check with them if they have a schedule.
You will probably need to exchange some money at the Airport to buy bus and taxi fares also. You will have some time waiting in line for customs and may find someone coming off of your plane that is taking a similar route. If you have opted for the bus but run into a couple people going the same way you may be able to jew a cab and split cost 3 ways.
But phone support is important if you can arrange it.
Jonnyj.....what???? Declare if you have more than $1000? Don't know where you got that from but when I asked officials what rules are, I was told you don't have to declare $3000usd or less or $200usd or less value of gifts. Have you ever carried more than $1000 and had to pay tax?
Evil...are you doing this on the cheap???? If this is your first time, spend a few extra bucks and make sure you get where you are going safely and quickly. Get taxi from airport in Simferopol to your hotel in Yalta. Chris lives down there(Sevastopol) and can arrange this for you. Not sure what prices are now but less worries for you. If you are on the cheap, struggle to get a bus to Yalta and figure out there to get taxi to hotel...makes me wonder exactly what you will be saving.
If your 'girl' is getting you apt, good luck, I feel more comfortable making my own arrangements. Maybe she knows of a place she always wanted to be in???? Have a safe trip and great time!!
www.travel2sevastopol.com
His number is there also.
Here is a paragraph from http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1053.html
Ukrainian law requires that travelers declare all cash and jewelry, regardless of value, upon entering Ukraine. Travelers should fill out a customs declaration and ask customs officials to stamp it. According to Ukrainian law, foreign citizens may bring up to $15,000 in cash, or up to $30,000 in traveler’s checks, into Ukraine without a special license. A traveler must declare the imported currency. If customs officials determine that a traveler entering or exiting the country is carrying undeclared currency, they can and often do confiscate the undeclared funds. When leaving the country, foreign travelers are only allowed to take out a maximum of $3,000 in cash, or as much cash as they declared upon their entry into Ukraine. If a traveler wants to take out more than $3,000, the traveler must have a customs declaration proving that he or she in fact brought the corresponding sum of money into the country
Oz..if this is all true and enforced....every foreigner would have to fill out a customs form. Who doesn't bring in at least some cash? Can you imagine the line forming after you pick up your luggage? Especially on a large plane with couple hundreds passengers. This info should be known to all but I would rather take the word of a custom official right in front of me, that is the person I'll believe. In Kiev, I ALWAYS stop to talk to one of girls on side by area where luggage is checked and TELL exactly what I have, she says no problem, go ahead. Last time, when leaving Ukraine, for first time I was asked how much ukrainain money I was taking out. I think I said <100 hryvnia.
I always fill out a customs form. When I lost my luggage in Paris on the way to Kiev they even had me fill one out for the clothes in that suitcase separate. When I leave I hand it to them sometimes they look at it sometimes they just stamp it. I always take an extra or two with me as well as the immigration cards and fill them out at home before I leave so I just have to hand them to them when I get there.
But basically what this tells you is that they do not care much how much money you bring in as long as you do not take more out with you. And while they say you must declare all, reading between the lines you do not need a stamped customs form to leave the country if you have less than 3000 dollars. So why would you need a customs form any other time with less than 3000.
But I also agree with you Beemer I trust the government website and what customs told you long before I would trust somebody from New Zealand that dont need to check ,because Marrierd to Ukraine woman had about 10 Trips.
A caution posted on that same website: "Again, the Embassy emphasizes that the incidence of credit card and ATM bankcard fraud is high, and strongly recommends that visitors and permanent residents of Ukraine refrain from using local ATMs."
Agree with oz. The holidays spots like Yalta there many places to get an apartment from people that hang around watching for new arrivals.
Not always great quality but depends what you wantand if you don't like the look of them you can go back into town and get another.
Try here for apartments and sports activities like treking and excursions. I think these folks can pick you up from airport too.
There is also a Trolley bus that goes from Simferolpol to Yalta - worlds LONGEST one source says. Takes 2 1/2 to 3 hours but I think is considerably less expensive - though I don't know the cost. Never used it myself.
"I always take an extra or two with me as well as the immigration cards and fill them out at home before I leave so I just have to hand them to them when I get there. "
Just decided to do that this time.
Shortly after getting into Boryspil Airpost in Kiev - you have to go through Passport Control. There are two exit areas of course, one for Ukrainians and the other for foreigners. Last time I arrived there were at least 300 people wanting to enter. 100 of these were Ukrainian and at least 200 were foreigners. Of course four or five windows opened to handle the 100 Ukrainians. And two (sometimes one as the other closed for a while) processed the foreigners.
SMART foreigners immediately made their way to the large center posts where the immigration cards were located (none were offered on the plane).
SMARTER foreigners actually remembered to carry PENS on their person, to fill in these cards as of course none were available on the scene (I had multiple requests to borrow mine).
The SMARTEST foreigners - were those traveling in large groups. These people would immediately secure a place in the incredibly slow lines and then send someone BACK to the posts to get the neccessary immigration forms to fill out while waiting in line. But to do that of course you needed someone to hold your place in line and since I was traveling alone this option was not one I could use. So I filled out my form quickly and then waited, and waited and waited. You will quickly discover that Russians and most others from nonUkraine FSU countries detest the idea of orderly lines. These people will jump in front of you with great glee, placing there carryon in front of your feet in order to avoid you taking back your place in line.
The DUMBEST foreigners - waitied incredibly long in the line, only to be told (when they reached the front) that they had to go back and get an immigration form to fill out. These people grumbled as they went to the posts, acquired the form, filled it out and then took a place at the back of the line again.
This time - I brought a few extra forms so I will have the advantage of a FILLED OUT card before I get there. And may have to wait less than an hour to make it through the line.
Jet...your post reminded me about times I waited at passport control in Kiev. I have always got the form on the plane, I guess I have been lucky and have not waited very long in lines and no matter how big the plane was...came on a Delta flight one time with 150-200 people....what I HAVE noticed, is I always wait a long time waiting to pick up my luggage. Even if I had waited a long time in passport control, I still had to wait to get my luggage. It takes so long, sometimes, I think my luggage is lost...but it has always come through.....where is that wood...............
I agree about many russian people, more the men...they will run you overto get on a bus or in any kind of line.