Stranded in Kiev

Not the day we expected when we awoke. Had a leisurely morning and said our goodbyes around 10. Bus, metro then airport bus went smoothly, but it was bedlam at the airport when we arrived. Found that our flight was cancelled, as were most others, and spent the morning queuing at the airlines desk to be told that there were no flights today, and they wouldn't book any for tomorrow either.

Retraced our steps to the train station, fired up the computer in McDonalds, and found that there was an afternoon train to Warsaw, which we spent all afternoon queuing for. While in the queue at the train station, we were joined by German flight crews trying to get home by train which wasn't a good sign, and were told that the ash from the Iceland volcano eruption had caused the cancellation of most European flights. Seems that the bun fight at the station was caused by everybody doing what we were trying.

Had limited options as we don't have visas to transit Russia or Belarus, so that only leaves Poland. Secured seats to Krakow for tomorrow, as there are none to Warsaw till Tuesday. Now we only have to work out how to get from Krakow back to Riga overland to catch up with our accommodation and travel bookings. Looks like Lithuania is going to get missed as we try to catch up.

Did the metro and bus thing back to Katrina's, and begged for a bed for another night. Granny had just finished stripping our beds and cleaning after us.