Day 40: 1st July, 2012 : Kiev, Ukraine


8.30 am: I had gone to sleep again and felt so relaxed. Then I got ready after a hot water shower and put on new washed and crisped clothes. Alaya has kept a new towel and soap. It has been day light for a long time.  Today is Sunday; most of the people would be sleeping till now.

The wall clock is showing the time as 7.45. I think the Ukrainian time is one hour behind Russian time or Sochi time. Sochi time is same as Yerevan time. I have re-set my wrist watch. Alaya came to my room at 8.45 and asked to join for the breakfast in the lawn. There he broke the news that his father whom he had gone to see in Rostove died this morning at 5 am. He and Tamara will go to Rostov for the funeral. His mother is alive. I consoled him and told him not to worry about me. He asked to proceed with the breakfast. Tamara was silent. He kept on saying that his father was very old and had to go one day. After the breakfast when we got up I suddenly hugged him and he also clasped me tightly. Tamara kept on looking at us with tears in her eyes. Both of them silently approved of my gesture. I came up to the room and fortunately had phone number of one of the hostels. There is a vacant bed in this hostel for 50 Euro which is listed in HI list. I told this to Alaya who himself telephoned the hostel and spoke in local language. He got all the directions jotted down on a piece of paper. By then I had also packed my stuff. They had to go to the station for their train booking as it is not easy to get a ticket on immediate basis. He would try to meet the train manager and explain to him. Alaya said he will come to see me off till the metro station. Tamara also insisted to come. The couple came to see off despite of their personal tragedy. It was certainly mystique. 

Alaya has written all instructions so clearly that I had no problem in reaching the hostel which is an apart-ment on the 6th floor. The receptionist is young man named Valentine. He is a student and works part time. I gave my card to him. His manager or owner will come on 2nd or 3rdJuly. He showed me my bed in a bunk bed dormitory. I got lower bed. The place was full of Spanish people who had come to watch the Euro football final between Spain and Italy. There were 32 beds and 2 W.C., a dining room and a kitchen. I phoned Alaya and told him about my safe journey and arrival to this hostel. Here, shoes are to be removed at the reception.

Spanish people are drinking beer and getting high. But it is not a problem here, the receptionist is handling very well. I went out for lunch and found a kiosk selling chicken Shorma. It  was filling. By 5 pm the hostel got totally empty. Everyone had gone out to watch the match. Receptionist and myself were only two souls left here. Valentine gave me some soap powder for washing my clothes in the machine. I asked him to sleep for some time as he has been working hard and seemed very tired. I kept on working on small laptop. We watched match till it was clear that Spain is finally winning. I went to sleep only to be woken by loud fireworks and noises. I think Spanish people came in the morning only after their celebration. It is good that no Italian is staying here.

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