Travel

Over the past few days I had an immense list of things that I hoped to accomplish.   I got the basics done.  There's an immense list of unaccomplished list items. Sigh.  The story of my life.

I was up at five.  I tossed and turned all night and found that I just got really sleepy when it was time to get up.  Coffee first.

Naida came to collect me around 9 and we arrived at the airport around ten.  I walked in and was surprised by six women from church there to see me off, holding signs in Ukrainian.  It was great to get hugs and kisses before flying away.  I also had several emails from my Orthodox bishop urging me to rest and self-care.

The flight to JFK was uneventful.  I was upgraded to first class.  I had a long layover at JFK so I hung out in the Delta Sky Club an snacked and drank coffee for a few hours before heading over to my terminal for a 6pm flight to Amsterdam.  I was in the center aisle of the KLM flight. It was a Boeing 777.  i had an aisle seat, the center seat was empty and the other aisle seat was taken.  After an excellent dinner with wine and a Heinecken, I drowsed for a few hours then read.  We arrived in Amsterdam around 7:20 Central Europe Summer Time (around 2a.m. New York time).  Now I'm hanging around for a few hours before my flight to Kiev.  So far it shows as on time.  If all goes well, we should arrive just after 1pm. After I clear customs and immigration, i will be met by my driver to go to my apartment.  I'll shower and nap for a few hours and walk up to Glossary Cafe, my usual restaurant.  I emailed my friend, Jenia, yesterday to pick up a SIM card for my phone and put some money on it.  So by tonight, I will have my Ukrainian phone number.

I'll post this now because I only have a few more minutes of interne service.  So far, all is well.