Alright, I am going to start with the most recent activities and work my way backwards.

So the most recent exciting thing I have done…. spelunking in Ukraine! How cool is that?! Yep, a group of us went to explore a nearby cave last Saturday. I have seen some pretty cool caves in my day, Lewis & Clark Caverns, Mammoth Cave…, so I was just expecting some little lighted path with a guide give a speech now and then. I had no idea what I had agreed to.

All ready to go!

We arrived at a run-down building with a small sign marking it as the caving location. We piled out and our guide began to find us caving gear. This included a suit to protect us from dirt, mud and anything else in the cave, as well as a head lamp and gloves if desired. Right away, I knew this was not going to be just a little walking tour.

What?! There might be bats! Nobody told me that!

Once everyone had donned their caving gear, we headed out to the entrance of the cave. It seemed pretty unexciting at first, dark cave, big rocks, nothing new. Then we came to a little hole, our guide proceeded to get down on her hands and knees, then her belly. She just wiggled her way through this little hole in the solid rock. Yee haw! I like adventure, crawling around in a dark cave in Ukraine with nothing but a headlamp, yes please!!

Scaling the walls like Spiderman

I love adventure!!

The whole three-hour tour involved, crawling, wiggling, shimmying, inching, shuffling, and contorting. There were a few moments where I was not quite sure how I was going to get through this rock and I am a small girl! We were diving in and out of crevices, over and under boulders, through mud and clay, exploring every inch of one of the largest gypsum caves in Europe.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can

Allison is about to disappear down a hole... and we're happy about it!

We managed to make it back to the same entrance that we had entered through just three hours prior. It was certainly an adventure! My body is still reminding me about that adventure…

The Caving Team

The adventure just continued that day. On our way back from spelunking, we stopped at an old castle that had originally been built in 1097! It was mostly just the outer wall, but the city has recently begun to make some small restorations. Apparently, Genghis Khan, Turks, and Poles had attacked the castle and had to turn away in defeat. It is quaintly situated on a hill over looking a green valley. I have heard that the region in which I live, has the most castles in all of Ukraine. I think we will definitely be visiting more castles in the future.

The Tower

Joanne inside the castle

Me in a window... I think it was a window.

Looking inside one of the towers

Finally getting to relax on the castle wall

The Girls outside the wall