The weather this week has continued to be almost unbearable. We borrow the office fan at night as sleep is impossible without it. It mostly blows hot air around the room but also has the added function of propelling mosquitoes at us all night!
We have been in the office a lot this week, lots of last minute preparations for our inspection – just making sure that everything is in order and that there is plenty of wood-chip for the enclosures.
The Scientific and Technical Council of Kyiv Zoo had a meeting on Monday night. Steve and I were unanimously voted onto the council for the duration that we are at Kyiv Zoo. There was an added motion that we could remain on the council after we leave the zoo if they can all come and have the council meetings with us in the UK!
We managed a brief escape from the office to do some enrichment with the coatis. Last week Steve made a hanging basket feeder for them so we took it to their enclosure. The coatis seemed quite happy with it.
All week (when the internet has been working) we’ve been following the progress of our friend Pete Wearden and his Mongol Rally teams – The Baatar Boys (Pete and Edd) and Genghis Express (Ian and Tom).
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jspglId=06R5XAyZoNr2IzNuE6iQCzxovl1FI0Pxo
They were due to arrive with us on Wednesday. However, as we could see from their website, they spent several hours driving in circles in the Czech Republic. They got to us on Thursday evening and we went straight out for a meal to find out about their adventure so far. It sounds like such an amazing experience. Driving unsuitable vehicles across all terrains from London to Mongolia in less than six weeks!
This is their website address and there are links to donate to their charities if you feel so inclined.
http://mongolrally09.theadventurists.com/index.phpmode=teamwebsites&name=thegenghisexpress
http://mongolrally09.theadventurists.com/thebaatarboys
We drank many beers, listened to a band and all relaxed. Sometimes Steve and I find being in Ukraine a bit surreal (it was never part of our long-term plan, just a great and interesting opportunity), but having the boys here with us was even more surreal than ever before. We arranged for them to be able to stay overnight in the zoo, so we all walked back through the zoo and stopped by the elephant and hippo enclosures for some talking. It was lovely to see the elephant having a sleep in the sand of the outdoor enclosure and snoring loudly.
The next day we took them all around the zoo and behind the scenes to meet some of the animals. Edd and Tom were particularly taken with our tiger cubs and Pete and Ian enjoyed meeting our baby skunks. We had a brief meeting with the zoo Director and took some photos with the rally cars. The zoo mechanics gave the cars a check over to make sure everything was ok and fixed some minor problems. Steve and the boys went to the Great Patriotic War Museum (that we visited a few weeks ago) to look at tanks and aeroplanes. We then packed up the cars, examined the route maps and sent the boys on their way to Russia. We made little travel bags for each car with some useful bits and pieces to keep them going; mosquito repellent coils (an essential at the moment), vodka, sunflower seeds, lots of sweets, dried fish, beer, strawberry scented toilet roll and various other bits and pieces.
Over the weekend we’ve had no internet access which has been a pain and the weather has been just too hot to do anything.
A new initiative at the zoo most weekends is to have displays of house plants for sale in the shop. A few weeks ago it was African Violets and this weekend was cactuses, so I have bought a little cactus garden to sit on my desk.
We have been in the office a lot this week, lots of last minute preparations for our inspection – just making sure that everything is in order and that there is plenty of wood-chip for the enclosures.
The Scientific and Technical Council of Kyiv Zoo had a meeting on Monday night. Steve and I were unanimously voted onto the council for the duration that we are at Kyiv Zoo. There was an added motion that we could remain on the council after we leave the zoo if they can all come and have the council meetings with us in the UK!
We managed a brief escape from the office to do some enrichment with the coatis. Last week Steve made a hanging basket feeder for them so we took it to their enclosure. The coatis seemed quite happy with it.
All week (when the internet has been working) we’ve been following the progress of our friend Pete Wearden and his Mongol Rally teams – The Baatar Boys (Pete and Edd) and Genghis Express (Ian and Tom).
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jspglId=06R5XAyZoNr2IzNuE6iQCzxovl1FI0Pxo
They were due to arrive with us on Wednesday. However, as we could see from their website, they spent several hours driving in circles in the Czech Republic. They got to us on Thursday evening and we went straight out for a meal to find out about their adventure so far. It sounds like such an amazing experience. Driving unsuitable vehicles across all terrains from London to Mongolia in less than six weeks!
This is their website address and there are links to donate to their charities if you feel so inclined.
http://mongolrally09.theadventurists.com/index.phpmode=teamwebsites&name=thegenghisexpress
http://mongolrally09.theadventurists.com/thebaatarboys
We drank many beers, listened to a band and all relaxed. Sometimes Steve and I find being in Ukraine a bit surreal (it was never part of our long-term plan, just a great and interesting opportunity), but having the boys here with us was even more surreal than ever before. We arranged for them to be able to stay overnight in the zoo, so we all walked back through the zoo and stopped by the elephant and hippo enclosures for some talking. It was lovely to see the elephant having a sleep in the sand of the outdoor enclosure and snoring loudly.
The next day we took them all around the zoo and behind the scenes to meet some of the animals. Edd and Tom were particularly taken with our tiger cubs and Pete and Ian enjoyed meeting our baby skunks. We had a brief meeting with the zoo Director and took some photos with the rally cars. The zoo mechanics gave the cars a check over to make sure everything was ok and fixed some minor problems. Steve and the boys went to the Great Patriotic War Museum (that we visited a few weeks ago) to look at tanks and aeroplanes. We then packed up the cars, examined the route maps and sent the boys on their way to Russia. We made little travel bags for each car with some useful bits and pieces to keep them going; mosquito repellent coils (an essential at the moment), vodka, sunflower seeds, lots of sweets, dried fish, beer, strawberry scented toilet roll and various other bits and pieces.
Over the weekend we’ve had no internet access which has been a pain and the weather has been just too hot to do anything.
A new initiative at the zoo most weekends is to have displays of house plants for sale in the shop. A few weeks ago it was African Violets and this weekend was cactuses, so I have bought a little cactus garden to sit on my desk.
Steve hanging the Coati feeding basket
Masha putting food out for the Coatis
Beers with the Mongol Rallyers
Car Maintenance
Pete meeting a Skunk
Ian, Tom, Pete and Edd with Skunks
Meeting a Tiger
Relaxed Bear
Carpathian Lynx
Cars, Zoo Director, Maintenance Staff and All of Us
The Boys and the Cars
At the War Museum
Checking the maps, heading to Russia
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