May 9th....the kindness of random strangers when you travel:)

If I didn't realize how lucky I was before, this day proved it to me.... What a humorous fiasco to leave Poland and return to Ukraine.... I had purchased my train ticket two days early, taking with me a note, kindly written by a young hostel employee.  This note was to ensure that my ticket was for the 9th, not the day I was buying it, which was the 7th.... I went, bought the ticket and of course, you guessed it, didn't check the date.  Always double check.  The one time you don't check is when it will assuredly be wrong.

So this morning, I'm packing up getting ready to go to the train, check my ticket and see it's dated for the 7th.  Ow.  Talk to another young hostel employee and she writes me a note in Polish explaining, ticket was to be for the 9th, not the 7th.  I've spent my money down to the wire and have just enough zlotis left to get across the border by bus and to Lviv to catch my train.  The train will take me close, but I must catch a bus, at 7:30 p.m. from near the train station.  This bus will take me directly to Lviv, where my night train will deliver me back to Kiev in the morning.

At the train station I am told by the first lady, no.  Absolutely No.  You must buy a new ticket.... I give up and go to another ticket spot down the ramp.  This second lady tells me the same thing... Doesn't matter, too bad, so sad, no dice.  The ticket costs 42 zlotis..... I start emptying my wallet, my pockets, check in my purse and come up with just short of 40.  I tell her this is all I have, can you please sell me a ticket.... I then show her some greevna (Ukrainian money) and say here, this is all I have.  

Meanwhile, she continues to yell at me in Polish and finally relents and takes my money and gives me a ticket.  I thank her profusely, in English of course and smile.  She is still yelling at me as I leave with my ticket.  Thank you angry lady!

Once I arrive in the border town, I discover the bus which according to the schedule on the internet, leaves at various times, including 7:30 p.m., no longer exists.  The next and only other one this evening is at 10:05 p.m.  It is now 6 p.m., the train from Lviv leaves at 1:30 a.m. and I may not make it.  Oy.

After speaking with several people, I was advised to take a marshutka (mini bus) to the border, walk through and catch a marshutka there to Lviv.  After walking to two different bus stops, I finally was delivered to the right spot by a teenage boy who carried my backpack for me and told me when the next marshutka came.  I was assured this would take me to a small village, the last place in Poland....... Whew.....I had the name of my destination written down to show and ask about. 

I wait till the appointed time and when the marshutka comes I ask the driver about it.  He shakes his head no.  There is a teenage girl who I ask if she speaks English....she says yes, I can go on this one, but I will have to walk a kilometer to the border.  Worried about getting to the night train on time, I thought, hey, why not and got on.  

The marshutka stopped out in the country on the two lane highway and said ok, go there, pointing down the road.  Ok:)  So I get out and start walking..... luckily I had my Teva sandals on, so my feet were comfy, though once I got there I had to walk through Polish border, no problem, then continue on and on to the Ukraine spot.  

Luckily for me, no overstay fine and I got through just fine, with a smile in fact.  When I asked about a marshutka to Lviv, I was told it was too late, only taxis.  It was now almost 9:30 p.m., Ukraine being one hour ahead of Poland.  Since I didn't have to pay an overstay fine, which I expected I had some money for the taxi ride to Lviv.

I made it to the train station by 11 p.m., and was grateful to be able to use my overnight train ticket.