Best laid plans.....

We are struggling with colds and infections at present and have had to put our next aid run on hold till Wednesday at the earliest. Both of us are impatient to get on, but the weather and road conditions are really challenging with lots of snow and ice, with most roads, even the main ones untreated. This means that you really need to be able to concentrate for long periods of time whilst driving. We recognise that we're not at that stage yet.

However, we were able to do a little today. We collected the large propane camping stoves that we are taking. It took 30 minutes to get the snow and ice off the van. 

What was interesting today was that I realised I no longer have to rely on Google maps to get around Lviv anymore... except for the wonderful one way systems you come across. Shows how much it's become home to us.

Fi also made an appointment at the dentist, as she requires some root canal treatment. Ordinary life goes on for us here. Optician appointments have to be arranged next.

Most of the shops no longer have electricity and are reliant on diesel generators or batteries. Many cash machines don't work. Traffic lights are mainly out, which gives driving in Lviv a very Italian feel to it. More so than normal.

Falling trees due to the weight of the snow and ice are a further hazard, bringing down electric cables etc. The pavements are like ice, with people walking along as they do on ice, somewhat penguin like. So we wait for better health to start our next journey. 

One thing that's notable is how flexible the planning is for these journeys...a lot of the fine details do not happen till we get much nearer the destination. Roads and bridges destroyed or impassable. Roads that are mined and haven't been cleared. Roads that aren't roads in any sense of the word. People required to help get us through checkpoints. And then just the hope that nothing goes wrong with the van. Fingers crossed.