So you have found the lady of your choice and you have been communicating for maybe a few months and have now decided to make the next step.

To organise the first meeting with a Ukrainian woman:

• Generally from my experience you will need to make the first move and visit the lady in her own country.
• I say this, as most ladies feel safer in having the first meetings in their own country. It is their home and they can relax more rather than travel to a foreign country where the language and surroundings may be a little difficult to comprehend plus all the problems and cost in arranging for travel visa’s unless you are living in Europe which now has pretty much an open border policy with regard to Ukraine. So to me the best option will be to visit .Then, should either party find that perhaps they are not mutually compatible she will be able to return to her normal life. You meanwhile would have the opportunity to a) maybe connect with another woman or b) treat it as a vacation.
• My experiences are based on two countries Latvia and then Ukraine.
• Latvia: is a great little country and well worth a visit and Riga the capital city is very accessible, not only to travel to but also it means that it is also very easy for the lady of your choice to commute to. If there is a down side is that since joining the EU and taking the euro as its base currency then living costs are not as cheap as some of the other Eastern European countries.
• Ukraine: Many people do not quite understand Ukraine.
• A lot, like me, have to look on a map in the first place to discover geographically where it was.
• Apart from Russia it has the largest land mass in Europe
• Its population is around 44 million (although very difficult to actually get the true figure)
• They have their own currency the Hryvnia (pronounced Grivna). Over the last few years it has a very favourable rate against the major currencies.
• Cost of living is maybe rising a little but is still very low as against the EU countries. So wining and dining becomes very reasonable as well as the cost, if you are a smoker, for cigarettes as well as local vodka and wine. Imported spirits are a lot more expensive.

VISA Free Entry in Ukraine

In general, many countries enjoy visa free entry into Ukraine but check before you make travel plans. However and it is a point you must remember, is that Ukraine has now tightened restrictions and strongly enforces a 90 day within 180 day rule. If you break it, you can receive a very heavy fine as well as a ban from re-entering Ukraine.

ARRIVAL in Kyiv: 

As Ukraine has many arrival cities that you can fly into from abroad then this comment is a general observation. The main entry city is Kyiv and is serviced by two airports, with the main International airport being Borispol. It is situated around 40km outside the city and on arrival and after clearing immigration and baggage you will find yourself in the arrivals hall. If you have arranged to meet either your lady or the agency at the airport then you should have no problems in getting yourself into the city centre. If not then there are three ways to travel.

• a) Bus: exit arrivals and turn right, around 20 to 30 metres is bus stop advertising city centre. Price per ride is advertised on the side of bus and last time of using it was 80 grv (around $3-4)
• b) Train: Follow signs at airport. About a 40 minute journey. This will take you into the main railway station in central Kyiv. (It does have a stop before but if you are a stranger I would not advise exiting there)
• c) Taxi: Now this can become a little tricky. Firstly my suggestion is book before you arrive. Airport taxis will cost a small fortune. A booked Uber taxi or one of the local firms should cost around $10 to $12 to centre of Kyiv. If you book, you need to check where they will be waiting for you. From personal experience you need to clarify, before you leave the terminal as to whether they will they be waiting for you at “Arrivals”. If so you will need to go out of terminal. Turn right and walk about 200 metres to large carpark. Many times they will be waiting at “departures”. This is Ukraine and sometimes there is no logic. If this is the case DO NOT LEAVE terminal as you will need to get lift and go up two floors and exit “departures” turn left and car park approx. 100 metres. If you inadvertently leave terminal at “arrivals” there is no exterior way to get to “departures” and you need to go through checking and X-rays to get back into the building.

HOTEL VERSUS SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION

This is a personal choice. My experience for my first meeting with a lady was to book a hotel. It will depend on how long you intend to stay for your first encounters. There are many options from 5* luxury end to 3* middle range in the centre of Kyiv and prices can be high in local terms but on conversion are considerably cheaper than other European countries.

I found that ladies feel a little less pressured for initial meetings to know you are staying in a hotel and will happily meet you in the lobby/bar.

Should you be deciding to stay for a month or longer then again my suggestion would be hotel for maybe a week and then book into an apartment. Central Kyiv can offer many options. There are cheaper choices outside the city centre but if this is your first visit then better to familiarise yourself with the metro and bus services before selecting this option.

One point to also possibly consider, and would depend on how you are progressing with any potential romance, is if the lady of choice offers to find you an apartment. From experience this is around the 50/50 point. Some ladies are genuine and will do their best to assist. Some will have a “friend” who wants to let their apartment and you will pay heavily. Go by your feelings.

LENGTH OF STAY IN UKRAINE 

So you have made your choice and decided to travel in order to continue and hopefully build on your on-line connection with your lady. Some points to consider. Since 2018 Ukraine has tightened up considerably on people overstaying on the 90 day rule. So for me you need to ask yourself a couple of questions. If I find the lady of my choice then what am I looking for? Do I want her to eventually come to my country or would I be interested in uprooting from my current lifestyle and move to another country? Either choice can sometimes make you feel that you are running a marathon rather than a sprint race

If you are looking to find a new bride to eventually take back to your own country then the first thing you will need to check are the immigration rules of your own country. Many countries do not make it easy with regard to a new bride. It can get easier the longer you have been married and they can see that this is more likely to be a marriage of emotion rather than a marriage of convenience. So be prepared.

Or you may choose the option that I did which was to look at it as an adventure and arrive in a new country with open eyes. I was lucky in a way as a) I am a silver surfer generation b) I was retired c) I had no real close ties back in the UK that I needed to worry about as my children are adults, married, with their own families d) I wanted to escape the conventional retirement to death option that is normal in my home country. I was not ready for the rocking chair, aching bones and a visit once a month from my children.

My adventures can wait for another time.

There are two things to consider should you choose the visit option. a) As mentioned earlier there is now a strict 90 day rule in 180 days. So please always remember this and b) Ukraine is very seductive and can embrace you just as easily as any woman and before you know it you are in love with the country and this relationship becomes far harder to break away from than a divorce.