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When someone decides to start planning a trip to Russia and Ukraine, there are  so many different sites, Agencies, Boards, and Messages to search through to find contacts for Apartments, Translations, Transportation, and etc.
Many people would rather just go through and agency and save the time, and hassles,  and there is something to be said for this, but there are also many others who prefer to do it on there own. And there is something to be said for this also.
So if you are one who wants to put together your trip on your own, There will  be new website soon,( a co-operative )
where you can go and search for this Apartments and such.  It will only contain the information of Non - Agency  involved contact information, where you can contact the owners of the apartments, and or the relatives of the owners on your own, with out having to go through a middle man.  I already have a few contacts for apartments in Kiev, Kherson, Chernvotsy, and Kharkov,  but would like to have multiple choices, through out all of the cities.
I will also be placing the information on independent Translators ,  and being an agency owner for sometime, I know what the true going prices are paid to local people  In addition, I will be placing the direct contact information for local people in the different Cities, that handle legal documents and translations for the visa's and such. I already have this for Chernovtsy, Kherson, and Kharkov, but would like to have it for all of the big to medium sized Cities.
This will be for the Guy's who like to save a little money, and still be able to find all that they need.
It will only have the phone numbers and email addresses to the Owners, or relatives of the Owners of Apartments,
and independent Translators, and etc.  And again, I have been in this business for some time, so I know what the prices really are.  
So I have decided to try and ease this for many, who dont want to have to deal with an agency,
I am presently gathering information of a Webiste, that will offer contacts in Russia, Ukraine and other FSU's.
This webite again will be a non Agency ( non agency Profit )  and I will be open to any and all who would like to copy and paste the information, or just the link to there own sites as well,
People will ask if I run an Agency, why would I want to do this, I originally got involved in this Business, as I fell in love with the People of one Cities in Ukraine, and at the time, there was not many Agencies in this City.  But I will still be offering my services to the Person who wants to use an Agency, and not mess with doing it on his own, as mentioned earlier, there is many people with different needs, and plans. But I know that there are many who only want to go and meet with maybe just one or two lades.
So if you know of an Apartment, or your Wifes Parents want to rent out there Apartments for extra income, or you know of a good independent Translator, please forward the information to me/ and once again, I will not place any contact information to Agencies (middle men)  And I do know what most Agencies actually pay for these Apartments.
I will be gathering this information  for the next few weeks, and you can contact me , or send the information to my email address at drew@academicplanet.com    or steve2344@excite.com

... in response to In need of Information, posted by Paul S on Feb 1, 2002

I agree...  we should be able to discuss and inform each other the going rate/costs of services.  There is no dount about it if you are searching but choose not to use the inflated costs of an agency that alternative information is not readily available.  I have noticed that a number of agency's try to charge inflated costs for a taxi ride from Airport to City.., (The offical cost from Kiev Airport to city center is 70UAH (15USD) and good clean modren apartments can be rented for 25/254USD per night or 500USD/Month...  The Agents charge commissions that are on top of the going rate in some cases up to 40%.  (And they proberly do not pay taxes in Ukraine or in the USA either)

Sure if you are happy with the services of an agency and happy to pay the costs associated then great...  but at the same time with the wealth in knowledge here we could exchange contact information and help go direct to the service provider and avoid the agency fees.

This is a free market and the internet is a great way of exchanging information.  In the end any money saved can be put to better use...  Happy to contribute.

... in response to Re:  In need of Information, posted by jj on Feb 2, 2002

Great news about time!I have no problem with so called middle men making a buck, it the blatant price fixing on this board and the other boards  that bother me,with sole purpose of extracting as much US dollars out of the unsupecting tourist, I thought the currency of the Ukraine was Hyrnvia.

... in response to Re:  In need of Information, posted by jj on Feb 2, 2002

Find apartments in the central district of Kyiv for $25 per night???

- Dan

... in response to So Be Forthcoming jj - Where, *Exactly* ..., posted by Dan on Feb 2, 2002

I could tell you but I would have ot kill you... ;)  This is the going rate..  I would not stay in the dead center b8ut I think the area near the Britsh Embasy and Podil is best...

... in response to Re: So Be Forthcoming jj - Where, *Exact..., posted by jj on Feb 3, 2002

Yes, I know your feelings about Podil - and we've had that endless debate.

What I do not understand, is why you come on the board to make these claims - but then inevitably fail to offer any substantiation.

*If* it is true - then simply tell us who your contacts are.

As for your killing me - well, dream on.

- Dan

... in response to Endless Chatter . . ., posted by Dan on Feb 3, 2002

For almost two years Max/jj has said this same thing and not one time has he ever been able to tell us who to contact to get such a great price for a flat in the center.  If it were true you would seem he could tell us who to contact, if not, why would Max/jj keep saying it is possiable?

... in response to Re: So Be Forthcoming jj - Where, *Exact..., posted by jj on Feb 3, 2002

Yes, I know your feelings about Podil - and we've had that endless debate.

What I do not understand, is why you come on the board to make these claims - but then inevitably fail to offer any substantiation.

*If* it is true - then simply tell us who your contacts are.

As for your killing me - well, dream on.

- Dan

... in response to In need of Information, posted by Paul S on Feb 1, 2002

I sent him the link that is on my profile, which is a non-profit agency. I hope this is successful!
Mike

... in response to I sent him my apartment info., posted by Mike on Feb 2, 2002

Heck I'm not any kind of agency!( profit or non-profit ) Just trying to rent my wifes flat to keep my mother-in-law with a good income. OK I need to inject some coffee into my blood and wake up.
Mike

... in response to In need of Information, posted by Paul S on Feb 1, 2002

The idea sounds good - when I see it I definitely would consider it.

... in response to In need of Information, posted by Paul S on Feb 1, 2002

and that's the truth!! Dan I know and DE.. and I repeat!!! I make nothing from this!!! I lose my week-ends doing this...and Barry M copies of pimsluer going the UK and OZ
monday and they will copy and share it goes everywhere!!!
Imformation= freedom, and I belive in freedom whatever the price.. The world changes this year!!! it will be 1 hell of a ride... I share what I have no questions asked.. some here already know this!! it is about the fact that they dont want us to be able to share imformation, but they are too late!! I am glad I got to see this in my life..And Barry
U still a idiot!!

... in response to Re: I will share..so long as I not helpi..., posted by spyke on Feb 1, 2002

to the destruction of Western civilization and free market capitalism. spyke's idea of freedom is starvation, looting, violence, and anarchy. I guess countries like Afganistan, Somolia, Liberia, Zimbabwe, and Lebanon are what spyke wants the world to be like.
Freedom to spyke: the ability to loot your neighbor's house, rape his family, and murder them.
It all starts with what spyke is doing now... pure evil theft.

-blm

... in response to spyke's contribution..., posted by BarryM on Feb 2, 2002

n/t

... in response to a little dramatic, don't you think?  n/t, posted by KenC on Feb 3, 2002

nt

... in response to In need of Information, posted by Paul S on Feb 1, 2002

I see no reason to e-mail it to anyone when it is readily available through an open forum such as this website.

How about it? Let's put it all  out there for anyone to pick up.

- Dan

... in response to Why Not Post That Info Right Here?!?, posted by Dan on Feb 1, 2002

Paul S I hope you prove me wrong.  I agree with our resident hockey fanatic (Bobby Orr / Hockeybrain) that it sounds like a good idea and I will consider it when I see it.  I also agree with Dan that the information should be posted here.  If you want to control the website the information is on, then submitt it to Patrick for inclusion with the other sites here.

... in response to Um, uh, Dan, he said "non agency Pr..., posted by Richard on Feb 2, 2002

jumping the gun, but time will tell.  He posted that he would be placing this info on a website.  Now, unless he plans to charge admission to the website, then it should be freely available to all who goes to it.  It really doesn't matter whether he is the web master of his site, or Patrick is or anyone else as long as it is freely available.  In addition, I don't really care if he charges Newbies or not for the information as long as Irina (my translator friend) gets some business from it to help her have a better life in Ukraine.

... in response to I think you guys may be..., posted by DE on Feb 2, 2002

I hope I am jumping the gun, but given his attacks on other members of the board, I have my doubts.  I would like to be wrong on this one.  As I said, I hope he posts a link to his board and submits it to Patrick.  It's now up to Paul to follow through on what he started.

... in response to Re: Maybe we are jumping the gun., posted by Richard on Feb 2, 2002

I think his idea may be more suited for the more experienced as I believe it is easier for newbies to use a reputable agency for their first trip till they get a feel for the land (sort of speak).  It would be pretty risky to plan your first trip using a variety of resources without established contacts to fall back on if something fell apart.  I think there are needs for agency's and independents in this pursuit.

A link to his site on this board would be an excellent idea as well as a link on wsbill's site would be beneficial.  I always thought wsbill should have established a like service on his site.

... in response to Actually...., posted by DE on Feb 2, 2002

I think that this idea may be better suited to people who have been before.  I used an agency and am glad I did as my first trip went from dream to reality in 6 weeks.  I could not have done that on my own.

... in response to Um, uh, Dan, he said "non agency Pr..., posted by Richard on Feb 2, 2002

This nutcase John Drew has been trashing the Brama board for the last couple of weeks now. He has also been sending out false and threatening emails in his campaign to attack Jack.

You have seen the damage and vitriol he has caused over the last few days here.

Jack tried to get him to stop reasonably on Jan 8. Here is the link:

www(dot*)netwo(remove)rk54)dot*)com/Hide/Forum/thread?forumid=48258&messageid=1010500723&lp=1010512743

I didn't see him apologize to Jack, us, the good folks on Brama, RWG, and the Chernovtsy board for his numerous viscious insane attacks.

As far as I'm concerned, this nutball doesn't deserve any sort of consideration until he makes amends for his crummy behavior.

-blm

... in response to Why are you giving this vandal any consi..., posted by BarryM on Feb 2, 2002

.  Jacl is the main cause of nearly all the flames..  I am surprised he does not thinj he is me or I him???   Or Are you Jack or are yot just his lover....????

... in response to Another love letter to Jack from Barry ?, posted by jj on Feb 3, 2002

Maybe you are the lover to jj, or is it Max?

... in response to Why are you giving this vandal any consi..., posted by BarryM on Feb 2, 2002

Who says that I am giving him any serious consideration? This is a challenge to him to "put up or shut up".  When Paul does not make the information he is collecting available to us without having to go through an agency, he will have proven his true intentions to all of us.  In my mind, having to contact Paul S to get this information is the same as having to work with his agency, providing him with an "agency profit".

While you prefer to make strongly worded attacks, I prefer to make my challenges in a less confrontational matter. This is a difference of style, not substance. As I said above, Paul's actions will speak louder than words.

... in response to Re: Why are you giving this vandal any c..., posted by Richard on Feb 2, 2002

he has to make amends for his crummy behavior. If he wants to have credibility, he's going to have to fix the wrongs he has done and earn it.

That's not too much to ask, not is it?

-blm

... in response to Look, I'm willing to give this bozo a ch..., posted by BarryM on Feb 2, 2002

I agree with you: I said that our differences are more about style than substance.

... in response to In need of Information, posted by Paul S on Feb 1, 2002

What city the ukraine??

... in response to Re: Gee some 1 else not looking a $$$$, posted by spyke on Feb 1, 2002

I already have a few in Kiev, Chernvotsy, Kherson, and Kharkov, but need many more for each and every City.

All I ask, is just take a moment, and remember back when you were first looking into goinfg there, and the diffuculites in finding contacts.

lets make it easier, plus offer a way for many of the in-laws that might want to earn some extra money. with out having to go though an agency.

... in response to In need of Information, posted by Paul S on Feb 1, 2002

Good idea, I sent you Irina's contact info for translations in Kharkov

... in response to Re:  In need of Information, posted by DE on Feb 1, 2002

n/t