Getting out of town

Had a bit of time to wander around this morning before the driver came to take me to the airport. Went down to the promenade and walked a bit watching people fish, watching the vendors open their kiosks for the day. But I've already mentioned all of that. Finally found some fruit to get for a snack and then back to the apartment to shower, pack, and write a bit before 1p.m., my pickup time.
My driver was right on time and I returned the keys, hit the bathroom, and away we went. In 2000, my daughter and I traveled by bus from Kathmandu, Nepal to Lhasa, Tibet. It was not a ride for the fainthearted! Becasue of the altitude, you must drink a lot of water and because of the bouncing bus, you have to pee all the time. I think in the first 4 hours on the first day of travel, we must have stopped about every half hour to "find a bush". That's how I felt today! We hadn't been in the car 20 minutes when he stopped to get gas and I ran to the bathroom. I though I could surely make it to the airport now but in another half hour, I had to stop again! I did make it the rest of the way but as soon as he gave me my suitcase and said goodbye, I was into the bathroom again. wow, didn't think I had drank that much water. In my defence, it was a bumpy road.
Simferopol is a small airport. There were several flights listed but I think there is only one set of attendants. They were checking in the Moscow flight when I arrived. They finished that, closed up shop, ran over to the domestic terminal and checked in the Kiev flight. Soon as they were done with that, it was back to our small building and check in the Istanbul flight. These ladies must have been exhausted. I've already discussed how they haven't turned on the heat in the Crimea yet. The heat was not turned on in the airport either. Dang it was cold in there. I had chosen not to wear my long underwear today but I was thinking of getting it out and putting it on again. Finally, I was able to move into the departure lounge where it was a tiny bit warmer but no one was removing their coats.
As we are waiting for our flights, there was a beautiful sunset. hmmm. I've always heard that sunsets are spectacular after a nuclear explosion. I remembered passing a power plant coming into town with two rather large distinctive cooling towers. i certainly hope there is not a bunch of radioactive particles floating around causing this gorgeous sunset. It is the Ukraine after all (shades of Chernobyl).
finally it is time to board and as we run ouside and across the tarmac, it is very windy and cold. We walk onto the plane and get blasted with hot air! It was like walking into a desert sand storm minus the sand. I could feel my skin shrinking and shiveling in the heat. I had to close my eyes to prevent dessication. Everyone was sitting down, shedding their coats and trying desperately to fiddle with the air flow over their heads. Finally when we took off, the blast of desert air became something more normal and comfortable.
Not a long flight but coming into Istanbul was a bit bouncy. Dang, having to go to the bathroom again as soon as I get off the plane! Good to know the kidneys are working fine after so many different countries. I finally get to my hotel after picking up my left luggage and snagging a mailing box from a nice gentleman at the post office bank. Hopefully i will be able to ship some of my loot and warm clothes home tomorrw. Then off to a new country. WooHoo.