05:00 19/08, almost 2 days since leaving Kosmach our bus had a comfort break at Moisei, Romania so thought I’d check progress. Kosmach was still only 100 miles due north! I’d travelled east then west, equidistance – the miles to home remained unchanged!

We had a slow nighttime ride south through the Romanian, Carpathian Mountains but still awesome. On the south side, the land quickly flattened out, the road straightened & quickened as we moved west. By 09:00 19/08 we’d entered Hungary nr Urziceni. Though both countries are in the Schengen Zone, passports needed showing. Then, by 16:00 19/08 we were skimming the eastern edge of Slovakia. And by 07:00, next day, 20/08 we were at Calais ferry port.

Until Belgium, our 15min rest-stops every 3hrs allowed me simple conversations with the two Ukrainian guys we’d collected at the Romanian border. Their certainty of being drafted had kept them away from their homes & families. Instead, they’d chosen a nomadic existence, picking up any work they could find within the EU. For now it’s Belgium until January’27. One said their lives were just an existence.

At Calais a UK customs officer took great interest in one of our drivers, even scrolled through his phone contents. I was surprised he answered in English after having been told he didn’t speak it. Eventually we got through, but the delay caused us to catch a later ferry.

Once in England, new information. I learnt we were to first deliver some of the Romanian cargo in London & Birmingham. As the day went on, I’d given up counting how many we’d done. There were quick exchanges: a bag for money, other times it was time consuming: locating/unloading, weighing, recording, pricing & paying.

London drop offs: 12:00 to 20:00

Birmingham drop offs: 21:00 – 00:30 (21/08)

Home: 01:30 (21/08)

Travelling nonstop on a minibus for 2days, with no English speakers wasn’t that bad. Spotify, internet (sometimes), the occasional chat with my outside world, lots of drowsy thinking & an extensive supply of food & drink – thanks to Oksana. Sleeping was a challenge but when I got really tired, I slept.

Well that’s my diary blog done. 29June thru 20August’26, Ukraine & back.

My ride took me through seven countries & I met many amazing people along the way.

However, Kosmach, Ukraine, was on a different level altogether. For 10 days I had the privileged to call this my home with the opportunity to immerse myself in the hutsul way, providing memories I will treasure for the rest of my life. Here it is truly Gods country. Surrounded by nature, the breathtaking scenery, the central role of the church, the rich culture, & the friendliest, caring people. But for the war, it has it all. Here, church & community endure. Money may be tight but is not everything. The cultural places we visited in Kosmach were opened just for us, purely to share the village’s heritage. We gave a contribution but were never asked. The war is having a huge impact but here neighbours are on hand to help those in need – nobody feels isolated.

My huge thanks are to my amazing Ukrainian hosts, Oksana Topuziak, & her parents Peter & Miroslava Kushnirchuk. Also to daughter, Mariia, for translating & being a charming 11 yr old. Despite the language barrier, by way of Oksana, Mariia, Google translate, & unspoken interactions, her parents & I got to know each other quite well.

They planned & executed every moment of my stay. Oksana managed the itinerary, Miroslava supplied her wonderful hutsul dishes, doing an excellent job of fattening me up before my return to the UK, Peter provided the transport & together they gave me an experience of a lifetime.

It’s hard to say if I will ever get my head fully around my Ukraine experience but, I do believe, even in my short stay, it made me a better person.

A final thanks to you for following & joining me on this adventure. For now I have no idea how I’m going to find another experience to top this.

THE END

I woke to my new pick up time, 16:00! Even then, Oksana remained sceptical. Being in Chernivtsi now with time on my hands, I joined Oksana & Mariia on a hospital appointment to check on Mariia’s adenoids – thankfully she’s much improved & should recover full hearing without treatment.

Back at the house, revised pick up times came & went, creating growing impatience. To pass the time, Svitlana’s mother, Zhenya, who was housekeeping in her absence, gave us a tour of the kitchen garden.

The minibus finally arrived at 20:00, a long wheelbase Mercedes CDI Sprinter, 8 seater layout with a huge storage area to easily accommodate my bike. However, without fixing points I hurriedly laid it flat & jumped in. Now 11hrs late, but we were off – as far as the next two pickups that is. Eventually we did turn south to Romania 50ml away, stopping briefly to show our faces at the Hertsa military checkpoint. By 21:10 we’d arrived at the border & 3hrs after that we crossed into Romania & collected two new Ukrainian passengers plus two new drivers – the lady driver left. We were still not finished! A mile later we turned onto a dirt road then a farm drive & then a dilapidated shed – other than our vehicle lights, it was pitch dark. For almost one hour these four new guys loaded the van’s rear & every empty void with bags, boxes, containers, etc. Finally, we set off again naïvely believing my ride home had finally began in earnest!

08:00 we were at the roadside ready for Vitaliil to take us to the bus – a neighbour pulled over, opened his car doors & encouraged Oksana, Miroslava & me to pile in. Earlier, Peter had biked up & was there waiting. The village centre, normally very quiet so early, was buzzing – had everyone heard I was leaving & turned out to see me off?! No, it was Kosmach market day. Traders lined the streets filling every available space, selling all sorts – fruits, clothes, hardware, machinery & more – the village was transformed to a sizeable town.

There were last emotional goodbyes with Miroslava & Peter. Vitaliil too had made the journey up to see me off. Again, I told them all, I’d like to be back next year speaking a little Ukrainian.

Reaching Kolomyya Oksana & I headed for Dolcey Factory for breakfast, good coffee & the pleasant first floor view of the city square. Then a little shopping before returning to the bus station for the 12:15 to Chernivtsi 2hrs away.

Bus facts – for the comfort of passengers, bigger buses are needed – they are mostly very old & always carrying too many people. At a station, passengers arriving too late to secure a seat are happy to pinch your’s; bus drivers collect fares but don’t issue tickets. Today, our Chernivtsi driver spent the 1st hour with his phone glued to his ear, making multiple calls – sometimes taking both hands off the wheel.

Our bus terminated 4mls short of the city leaving a trolley bus to bounce us along the cobbled roads the rest of the way. We explored Olha Kobylianska Street, selected Gorno cafe & had a very nice pot of tea & a tasty snack. Then, another trolley bus to Oksana’s cousin Oleg’s house to meet his family & rebuild my bike.

Lillia & Dmitro drove Oksana, Mariia & me to the university where they first met, the Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, once the Residence of the Bukovinian & Dalmatian Metropolitans.

A UNESCO site since 2011, it’s a huge 1860’s complex with grand church & extensive buildings – all built with ornate brick. Students studying in winter here may be a little chilly but today, being set in the surrounding landscaped woodland park, it looks the perfect place.

Returning to Oleg’s house, the family had prepared a lovely meal. We sat down, ate & chatted until very late – having four English speakers at the table definitely helped. Topics included travel, education, learning a language, work and, of course, the war. Daughter, Nastia, was planning to move to Poland in 2027, she likes hot climates, thought England too cold to visit but liked the thought of Norway. Oleg’s dream was to visit Australia & sail the Norwegian fjords. For now their holiday will be Herzegovina, a days car ride away – starting 03:00 tomorrow morning! Their son, Dan, phoned in from Poland. As with Nastia, he speaks good English so we were able to chat.

The war has had a major impact on this family’s life, especially Svitlana. Her brother was badly injured & she was required to leave her Odessa job where she was responsible for the city’s gas supplies. When war broke out, many family & friends fled to this small house, accommodating up to as many as 15 until they found more permanent accommodation.

Today we learnt the minibus taking me back to the UK has been delayed, & so I need to wait on a new pickup time. With everything fluid, I’ll go to sleep knowing another day full of surprises awaits me – I’ll certainly miss such unpredictability when I eventually get home to England.

Up early & finished yesterday’s entry ready with Oksana’s input. I was still feeding off yesterday’s barbecue so breakfast was minimal. Priority was to load my bike into Dmitry’s car. My luck was in.

Our leaving time to the Shepit Polonyn Fair had been brought forward. At 12:30, six of us piled into her uncle Gregory’s VW for a one hour drive further up the valley. The roads to Kosmach are infamous but the drive today took it to a new level. At little over 5mph the van survived & arrived at 13:30.

Despite our early arrival, the stall attendants, all in traditional dress, were patiently waiting for customers & we obliged with a few purchases for the children. The area is famous for its cheeses and the main stalls, around 20, sold nothing else. Great effort had been placed on the stage setting & cheese stall displays but fell short on most everything else. Seating included two rotten planks which collapsed after enough people sat on them, also no tasty food or drink stalls & minimal local craft stalls.

After a while, the consensus was that we head back. Later that day, Miroslava was asked what she liked about the fair – her reply “nothing”. For me, it was worthwhile because it was new, the mad ride up the mountain, experiencing such a remote village & their traditional fair – but I did feel we were intruders into this closed community fair in which none of us belonged.

Back home, Vitaliil showed me around his/his father’s building project, designed by his architect friend who had since died in this war. The multi purpose building is to be a restaurant, function room & guest accommodation. Aesthetically it already has curb appeal &, despite the war, work continues as funds allow. Because of the loss of his friend, completion will be bitter-sweet but Vitaliil’s intention is for the building to include his memory in some way.

Our day ended with a barbecue at Vitaliil’s family home. A spacious house with lots of outside space for entertaining & growing food. Again, the same question arose as to whether I’d live here. My answer was the same, that from here on, Kosmach will be my second home. Next year, Petro, a guy I’ve never met before committed me to a 3-5 day wilderness hike in the mountains. Around 19:00, we broke up. The cows needed milking & I needed to get ready for tomorrow’s early start. I said my goodbyes with a commitment to return speaking some Ukrainian.

Just before bed, Miroslava & Peter called by with Oksana to say goodbye & hand over gifts as thanks for making the journey here & for the support Christine & I provide Oksana’s family in the UK. No thanks was needed – having this family has enriched both our lives & is more than reward enough!

Tonight is my last night in this amazing place, tomorrow I start my slow journey home.

Today everyone had a very relaxed morning. Once the girls had finally surfaced in Oksana’s sister’s house, Oksana prepared breakfast while I used their shower (no water in my place). A nice hour chatting & gaining input for yesterday’s draft diary note. After that I retreated to my favourite spot to read my online paper. Mariia & I had a very lively video call with Christine, mostly girly rubbish about make-up & hair, but in the conversation I inadvertently learnt that my home was undergoing unknown changes – only to be revealed on my return.

Meanwhile, Oksana & her dad had biked up to the village for barbecue provisions & at 15:00 our single line procession began the long, steep climb up to Sichlin, the picnic spot with its spectacular views & enormous swing. To Mariia’s disappointment the swing was already occupied & a small group of well dressed people were also there preparing for a wedding & within 3hrs had increased to 50 or more. High heeled ladies in their full refinery walking on dirt tracks in the middle of nowhere looked very odd indeed.

The guy getting married & many of the guests were front line soldiers, taking a short time out. One guest was videoing the event with a GoPro strapped to a drone. I went over & was pleased he spoke good English from working in England for 3yrs. I made clear my respect for him & his friends. Within days, they’ll be back on the front line fighting & as he put it – wedding today, kill Russians tomorrow!

For our group, we’d carried up what seemed like a months supply of food & drink & the adults got into action setting everything out. Though no one was given a role, without instruction, everyone worked seamlessly together – if something needed doing, someone did it – I think this was something they’d done a thousand times before.

Children & adults patiently waited their turn for the swing & Vitaliil & Gregory became its principal pushers. Throughout our stay, the swing was in constant use & sometimes it was easy to think Mariia had been glued to it!

Taking pictures was a big part of the day & between us all, we must of taken close to 1000!!

Looking out over Kosmach, Vitaliil pointed out Mountains Gregor (left) & Monchely (right). We also made plans for my next visit, to hike the highest one in Ukraine.

Before heading back down, Peter, Gregory & Vitaliil led me along a narrow track to view the next two Villages, Prokurava & Sheshory. Less dispersed than Kosmach & in my humble opinion, though popular to many, not in the same league as Kosmach.

Back down, I was introduced to Lillia’s boyfriend, Dmitro – he’d kindly offered to take my bike to Chernivtsi. It’s a smaller car than Oksana had thought & will need to check it for fit tomorrow. The only remaining option is to ride the 113km & have my packs transported by others.

Another lovely day, though not speaking Ukrainian was an obstacle only overcome thanks to Oksana, Mariia & Vitaliil.

Today was a full day’s trip to Kolomyyia city. Oksana thought a visit to their local city, & away from the mountains, would provide a nice change. To secure our seats on the 8:30am 1 hr bus ride, we left home at 7:30am for the 4km walk – any later we would have certainly been standing. The small, 20 seater bus arrived, & Oksana paid our fares, 90UAH each (£1.50). The bus bounced & weaved down the 300m hill that I’d peddled up seven days before & I took pleasure in reminding Oksana of her overlooking this climb when estimating my ETA to their house. By 9:00am we got to Yabluniv when silence broke out – at this time, every day, for 1min, all Ukranian people should give thought for their soldiers. Until this moment, I’d been totally unaware but will certainly participate from here on.

From the bus station we headed to the centre &, as with all places in Ukraine, images of the fallen are honoured. Nearby, flower sellers were doing brisk business as people purchased them to place by their loved one’s picture. Still fighting & dying in a war with no end in sight is very distressing. We both spent time here.

We chose a restaurant for breakfast that delivered excellent food but rubbish coffees. Oksana agreed & recommended we move to her No.1 coffee choice, the Dolce Factory on the edge of the square. Here, a coffee was created to my precise instructions & was the best yet. This opulent place with stunning views across the square proved perfect for our second breakfast – Two enormous croissants, one chocolate & one cherry & cream.

Our first cultural visit, the Pysanky Museum, dedicated to the Ukrainian Easter Egg (pysanka). A little different but very worthwhile, the intricate craftsmanship applied in their creations is mind blowing. The craft originated in the hutsul region, to which we are part, but is now widespread throughout Ukraine & beyond, each region having developed their own designs, colour preferences & techniques.

The museum left us in need of exercise. We needed a good walk, found Motuzkovyy Park lake, walked around it & had refreshments, before heading back to the centre for the Museum of Hutsul Art.

The museum though interesting, after a while, were more interested in food & less in culture.

We ate in a traditional hutsul restaurant, very nice but not a patch on Oksana’s mums cooking, then hurried back to the bus station for the 15:30 bus home. Here you must buy your ticket from the ticket office where, if lucky, you’re allocated a seat between 1 & 20 – if no seats then you’re standing for a very long time!!

We arrived back in Kosmach & Peter was already waiting on his bike to take me then Oksana back home. Only back home 30mins when Oksana brought over her mum’s freshly made doughnuts & pastries. I’m desperately trying to fight these temptations but they were delicious & I’m only human!!

Oksana went back to spend time with her mum while I did stuff & returned for dinner around 19:00. Then I learnt that Peter was to go potato picking. Thinking, at last, this was my chance to be of help, I headed straight for the field. I found him picking enough to fill only one bucket so we all stood by and watched. On the way to the field, I’d passed Bumir, their dog, not seen until now because he’s kennelled in the day & let out only at night.

To close the day, we all sat down & had a nice chat, this time including Mariia. Miroslava & Peter were keen to gain a better understanding of my UK life & me attempting the same with them, though now I have the big advantage of being here in Ukraine. Of course, the topics also included Mariia & the grandparents made clear their delight & admiration of her fluent English.

Another lovely, full day.

Oksana brought the breakfast her mother had prepared. After eating she checked yesterday’s diary & filled in some gaps. For the morning, I decided to have my own adventure while Oksana visited friends.

Across from Oksana’s drive, & a little way toward the village, was a track leading up into the wooded hills. It looked interesting so I took it & it turned out to be a great choice. Nice & steep to give me the exercise I needed &, at the top, more stunning panoramic view of Kosmach. The whole hike plus stops took 1hr 15mins. Later, when I showed Oksana where I’d been, she was most impressed / this was Sunday’s big mountain hike. Looks like I’ll be doing it again but without the time pressure & in company.

Lunch was prepared by Miroslava – a traditional Ukrainian dish called Chenaxi: potatoes, white mushrooms, butter beans, beef/pork, onions, carrots, etc. with sour cream – local, organic & delicious. Oksana’s mother is definitely living up to her reputation!

Next was our visit to the Egg Lady, Anna. Several years earlier, Oksana had gifted us two of her beautifully hand painted eggs. Being of Kosmach design, I was keen to learn of the pattern’s meaning, if any.

As the crow flies, Anna lived nearby but to get there was not a straight line. It required a 30mins walk along undulating, rough gravel tracks & fields, an eventual climb of 200m. Also, as previously mentioned, Kosmach is a labyrinth of tracks – impossible for any one person to thoroughly know them all. A few times, Oksana, sensibly confirmed our route and we eventually arrived – being close friends of the family, Oksana received the warmest of welcomes.

Anna’s living room was packed with traditional Kosmach-Hutsul design clothes, throws, eggs, pictures & more. Again more to document when time allows.

Anna’s son-in-law, Andriy, a potter lives with his wife & children slighter higher up the hill. For such a remote place, he’s extremely well connected. He has a YouTube channel and through the internet, sells to as far away as the UK. Before leaving, as a token of our visit, he presented me with a ceramic pendant. In turn, we filmed a clip for his next posting.

Throughout our walk back we were accompanied by a very friendly corgi dog who wouldn’t take the hint to go home. Eventually, at the top of our drive, Oksana walked up to him & shouted sternly in Ukrainian. Not sure what, but it worked!

Thanks to Putin’s war, no electricity this morning so no shower & no toast. Yesterday Oksana bought a toaster from Yabluniv because a couple of days earlier I’d asked if she had one! Breakfast & hot drinks became the duty of Oksana’s mum. Their traditional home setup was far more resilient & when required, functioned perfectly well without electricity.

Peter invited me into his workshop & we talked about his work.

The wood Peter uses for his doors is a dense, close grain, quality pine & the doors produced are of exceptional quality. Quite a craftsman!

Today our new schedule was implemented. First on the list was Oksana’s Aunt Paraska’s house (Peter’s sister). She’d had a long life, outlived her husband but died about 10 years ago. The house is exactly as she left it & has remained unoccupied ever since. It’s a glimpse of a bygone Hutsul way of life & treasure trove of Oksana’s dad’s family history. I suggested that she, Mariia & her dad, Peter, spend time here, capturing the family history which may otherwise be lost, something I wished I’d done with my family but didn’t. A privilege to have been invited here. I borrowed a few old photos to bring back to England. There I will carefully clean & scan them, then pass them back.

We’d spent too long at Aunt Paraska’s house & were now late for our next item on today’s schedule, the Kosmach Orthodox Church.

Vitaliil is church warden for the Kosmach Orthodox Church. With full access he had offered to give us a grand tour. We found him in his car patiently waiting at the top of our drive. Once in the village centre, despite our lateness, it was Ukraine, so we found time for coffees & ice creams before starting.

His tour exceeded all our expectations.

I became the only Englishman to have ever tolled the Kosmach Orthadox church bells! What a privilege!! Even the priest came by for a chat. As with many other locals, he asked if I wanted to live here. I gave my now standard answer – “it is to be my second home”.

Next, on to visit Oksana’s husband’s grandma, Halyshka. This was a high priority – the wider family normally visit every Sunday, after church but, this week, we will be hiking. She’s a very popular, engaging member of the family & Oksana’s niece, Lillia, joined us. Another, still living a Hutsul style life, her house is small, surround by a barn & other outbuildings, plus the essential well. For livestock, a cow, chickens and at least one dog. A traditional Hutsul lunch had been prepared in quantity & quality & we chatted as we ate about my ride & Ukrainian stuff. Translations being provided by Mariia & Oksana.

Our final stop of the day was the Butinar Museum, still in Kosmach but over a mile walk beyond the centre. We were very late now & found curator, Vasyly, patiently waiting over 1hr. We did our introductions & apologies which he generously accepted. The museum is dedicated to the history & crafts of the butynars, (traditional Carpathian loggers). After a video introduction with English subtitles, he gave a full, knowledgeable tour of the reconstructed buildings & contents. Eg a logger’s hut, an Austrian period house, a period Hutsul shop and much, much more. Oksana did the translation and I hope much will remain in my head until I have time to write it down.

Walking home from the village centre, on two occasions, motorbikes stopped to shake my hand & congratulate me on riding here from England. I’d been recognised from the Facebook post that had gone viral throughout the village – and was easy to spot by how I dressed.

Once back home, we ate the local traditional Hutsul food prepared by Oksana’s mum. Peter asked if I enjoyed it. I told him Maraslava’s cooking was always excellent & that I believe she had a role in heaven.

The last visit of the day was to join Oksana & her mum & dad & Mariia down to the field to milk their cow. A task they must undertake twice every day of the year. Our reward is a plentiful supply of fresh milk, home made butter, cheese, & cakes. The act of milking was the responsibility of Miroslava as we all watched which took about 20mins. Hard on the wrists, she said afterwards. Still not seen their pig but I’m told it really does exist.

What a day – it was full-on & another to look back on with great pleasure. Lots of videos still to review & lots of pictures & notes still to add.

Another day in paradise & another slow start.

Today Oksana prepared a cooked English breakfast with a Ukrainian twist. Baked beans, 5 eggs, tomatoes & Ukrainian cucumber slices, followed by cheese cake.

Afterwards, we met at Miroslava & Peter’s home – keen to overcome the language barrier. Initially Oksana translated until leaving for a dentist appointment in Yabluniv – Peter rode her to the bus stop in the village, leaving Mariia to translate.

Later, much to Mariia’s delight, instead of 4km walk, Peter agreed to take her & me to the village centre on the back of his Honda 150 (together) for ice cream & an explore. We had a lovely time just chatting on anything & everything that came to mind. On the way back Peter & Vitaliil came by together. Two bikes this time – Mariia went with Vitaliil & I with Peter.

Miroslava had prepared our lunch & she, Peter, Mariia & I sat down to calf’s liver & potato prepared the Ukrainian way – very nice indeed. With Mariia off playing with one of her infinite supply of cousins, we resorted to Google translate for conversation & it worked well enough until the internet began to fail.

Later on, more time spent with Mariia chatting & plasticine creations, until her mum returned.

Vitaliil called by & contributed to the planning of my remaining time in Ukraine, before splitting & bed.

So nice to be here but Wednesday tomorrow – time is already racing by!!

Breakfast was Banush, a traditional Hutsul dish especially popular within the Carpathian Mountain region. Made from cornmeal, cooked with sour cream or cream & topped with crispy bacon cracklings & bryndza cheese. Creamy, rich, very filling & excellent.

Afterwards, Oksana went to spend time with her parents & to help a neighbour whose well was now dry (every house has at least one well). With my help not needed, I chilled & WhatsApp videoed Christine & Chloe, then Mike, to share with them my beautiful 2nd home.

14:00 & Oksana & I set off for the Oleksa Dovbush Museum. Like many places in Kosmach, finding it required local knowledge – hidden away down a wooded, dirt road, it wasn’t easy to find – even for Oksana.

Dovbush was the Hutsuls’ 1800’s real life Robin Hood, stealing from the rich to provide for the poor & through the many myths & movies, he remains a very popular guy even today. For years, Dovbush evaded the Austrian authorities but following his mistress’s betrayal, in 1746, was captured & hurriedly executed. That’s only one version of his ending!

The museum is the work of Mykhailo Didyshyn, the guy who had showed Oksana around when she was a teenager, 20 yrs earlier – his efforts are also credited in Lonely Planet’s Ukraine Guide.

The museum was opened just for us & Mykhailo was there waiting. Now very old, his school teacher daughter, Maria, stood by ready to give us the tour. Inside, I gazed at the huge collection of artefacts crammed into such a small, single roomed building.

Maria’s tour was in Ukrainian, Oksana translated the best she could & videoed some. I listened hard & took some photos & hope to learn more later.

Back in the village, we grabbed an ice cream & continued to the Orthodox Church to pay our respects to the fallen – which included friends of Oksana & Ivan. Very emotional but important we called by.

Then on to the catholic side of the village to view Ivan’s family home. A slow walk back for dinner, then an early night.