Not a day without rain

Almost a month has passed since I returned from Crimea, where I went on a 6-day hike called “Water and Stones”. Looking at the photographs for the 10th time and remembering the trip, I thought, why not write about it.

So, I’ll dwell a little on how I got into this hike. Once, on an unremarkable working day in June, during lunch we got into a conversation with a colleague about the topic of vacation, from which I learned that the colleague was going on a 6-day hike in the mountainous Crimea in August, that he had found a suitable site and was choosing which hike to go on.

My reaction was immediate: “AND I WANT!” I immediately asked for a link to the site and literally fell in love with this site. I read everything, what hikes are offered, what happens, reviews. I was most interested in the “Water and Stones” hike and seeing that the next one would be in 2 weeks, the thought immediately arose whether I should go in 2 weeks and not go on vacation. The thought that it wouldn’t be dangerous via the Internet, without knowing the people or who leads these hikes, did not even arise, firstly, I read that registration is carried out with the rescue service, secondly, no prepayments were required at the end of the hike, and thirdly, well, scammers don’t go to the mountains:-) this is not their business.

In the evening, talking to a friend, I told her that I was wondering whether I should go on a 6-day hike in the Crimean mountains. To which I was told, it’s not a bad idea, go, you won’t regret it. From that moment I finally decided to GO, despite the fact that none of my friends, for various reasons, wanted to go on a hike. I decided to go on my own, I seem to be a sociable person, so I’ll find new friends. I sent an application from the website about my desire to participate in the hike, asked if it would take place, and if a group was being recruited. The next day I received a response letter, where Svetlana told me that the group was being recruited, and asked what equipment. I had a tent, a backpack, a sleeping bag, because in my student years we traveled with friends across the Donetsk steppes.

And in the Crimea, in the mountains, I was three times before this trip, but in one-day trips, twice we conquered Ai-Petri from the Alupka side and once, from the Foros side, along the damn stairs to the Baydar Gate. But all this was 8-10 years ago, and I wanted new sensations.

Preparing for the hike.

I went to get tickets, but it turned out that there was no reserved seat or compartment for the date I needed on the Donetsk-Sevastopol train, there was only one on the Lugansk-Simferopol (going through Donetsk), but it arrived in Simferopol at 12:35, and on the website I read that the group usually meets at 10-11. I decided to take a reserved seat on the Lugansk train and SV (with the hope of later returning it) on the Sevastopol train.

Subsequently, I had to return my Luhansk ticket (since the meeting at the station in Simferopol was scheduled for 10, and it was not in my nature to make me wait alone), I went to SV (for the first time in my life). I’ll say right away that SV is different in that there are no upper shelves, they give you 2 pillows, 2 towels, a duvet cover, and the price is more than 3 times more;-). So, the tickets were purchased, having confirmed my final participation, I began to prepare for the hike. A week before the hike, I did squats and ran in the morning in a park near my house. So my legs hurt at home.:-)

The most necessary purchase I made before the hike was the poncho (for those who don’t know, this is a cape that covers both you and the backpack). As it turned out, later, our hike could still be called “Not a day without rain!” But more on that a little later. So, the cherished date has come, things have been collected, a backpack containing a sleeping bag, a tent, things, a poncho, a bowl, a mug, a spoon, a knife, along with a 2 liter bottle of water, my mother, who was very worried that her daughter would overstrain herself, weighed - 10 kg!

And now the train is carrying me to Crimea, on vacation. I’ll dwell a little on what I took with me and what I would correct in the list that Kirill has on his website:-) be sure to take soap and a sponge, as it turned out, out of the whole group, only I had soap, for example Camey;-). (in addition to the method described on the website, washing dishes using grass and toilet paper is excellent with ordinary soap and a sponge, plus you can wash things in the parking lots while camping). Be sure to take both a bowl and a mug, because during breakfasts and dinners, “whoever gets up first gets the porridge,” so as not to run with a mug (which fits less than a bowl) for porridge twice, but the supplement may not be enough.:-)

Take spare pants from your belongings. I took shorts, bicycle shorts and sweatpants, because if it’s raining, then in the evening in the parking lot, in order not to catch pneumonia, you need to change into dry clothes. I took 3 T-shirts, I had 2 spare ones, take a sweater, take windbreaker jackets, because the rain and wind in the mountains sometimes knocks you off your feet, not to mention the fact that it blows through everything.

Be sure to take 2 pairs of shoes (preferably sandals and boots), again so that you don’t have to walk in wet ones, and you can dry one pair of shoes over the fire in the evening and be in the other, plus, if there are open spaces, where you don’t have to sweat in your shoes. Take warm socks, despite the fact that it is summer, the weather is unpredictable and there were nights when you had to sleep in a sleeping bag in 2 socks.

Be sure to take capes or ponchos. And also take the “boot pads” - an awesome thing, our group was different from the others in that we all had them (we bought them before the hike in Simferopol for 15 UAH). And also take trekking poles. I am incredibly grateful to instructor Andrey for giving me his. Without them it’s just a pipe, especially on the descents.

The first day or the beginning of the hike.

The train arrived in Simferopol without delay - at 5:29 and until 10 I still had a lot of time before the meeting, having handed over my backpack to the storage room, I went to wander around Simferopol and have breakfast. By the indicated time, I was near the storage room, where people began to approach. As it turned out, 3 groups were walking along the same route, each with their own instructor. At the last moment everything was changed, including the instructors. A couple of days before the hike, Kirill wrote that Anya would be the guide, and sent her photo; later Andrey was the guide, and Anya led a group of Odessa residents.

The groups were 7-10 people. Ours turned out to be the youngest (16-28 years old). It consisted of 7 people plus an instructor, as it turned out, 4 people from Ukraine and 4 from Russia. I will say right away that I was lucky with the group, we became very friendly, and during the entire trip there was not a single conflict in the group. After fumbling around at the station until half past eleven, distributing food among backpacks, which the instructors brought in 3 backpacks, we went to buy tickets for a trolleybus to go on it to the village of Perevalnoye, or rather a little further, since our instructor decided that walking like everyone else along the Ishacha trail to the lower plateau of Chatyr-Dag was boring and long, and chose a different path - along the red path, fast but “steep”. This is the beginning of the climb. Trekking poles were kindly given to me and, sharing one pole with a friend, we set off.

I’ll say right away that it was hard for me, I even had to give part of my tent, food and sleeping bag to the instructor and comrades. But I’m a stubborn person, so I stopped, took a breath and moved on, admiring the views around me and breathing the purest mountain air (whoever lives in the Donbass will understand me, after our dust, what mountain air is). On the way, we met a group that was walking towards the top, but without backpacks, it was a pity to look at a man whose shoes simply slid down these red stones, in the end he just fell and burst into tears. But that’s the way it is, you need to choose suitable shoes so that they don’t slip.

And now the first peak has been conquered. The lower plateau of Mount Chatyr-Dag. Along the way we collected thyme and lemongrass to make excellent tea in the evening. Then a strong wind began, but fortunately there was no rain. Having made a stop for lunch near a spring and snacked on bread, sausage, cheese, bananas, dates, a can of pate and a can of bulls (we had such lunches every day), no one died of hunger:-), we set off along the plateau to the Emine-Bair-Khosar cave.

It's cold in this cave, so jackets came in handy. I will say that I really liked the cave; I had never been to a cave before. There was an interesting story with jokes and jokes from the guide (speleologist), after talking with him at the end of the excursion, he told us that there were 5 of them left, and the salary was 850 UAH, it somehow became sad. Such work, always in dirt, dampness, is paid for. He also told me that speleologists often drink themselves to death, they need to somehow warm up after such work, so they “warm up”:-(.

After the cave we went to our first stop under the arches of a huge grotto. Here is the first fire, getting to know each other. Two guys were sent to a nearby cave to fetch water. I will say that they gained a lot of impressions, the whole trip they remembered this outing, but, alas, they returned without water (they said it was slush, dirt), but there was no clean water. On this day, the conversation didn’t really go well, the people seemed shy, so, after wishing everyone good night, we went to our tents to sleep.

Second day, conquering Eklizi-Burun or swimming in the rain and hail.

In the morning, our instructor had to run to the spring for water, where we had lunch on the first day, while we finished cooking breakfast, ate, washed the dishes and assembled the tents. I will say, hinting at one girl from a neighboring group, that the instructor cannot and is not obliged to wash the dishes for everyone, carry brushwood for the fire, assemble and dismantle tents, etc. His job is to instruct:-). And the mood, atmosphere in the group, mutual assistance depends on each member of the group. And here we are again on the trail and, having met and overtaken the third group with guide Taras, we set off to conquer the Upper Chatyr-Dag plateau and the peak of Eklizi-Burun. If in the morning nothing foreshadowed bad weather, in the evening there was a starry sky, not a cloud in the morning, then literally within 15 minutes everything changed.

It began to rain, at some point it came with hail and a piercing wind. I quickly took out capes and ponchos, and for the guys who didn’t have capes, I got the top part of my tent (less dragging:-)), we moved on. Poor guys who had to walk like a horse under this cape:-) but getting wet to the skin under hail and piercing wind is even worse. In general, I will say that the rain did not stop until the very top; it is not without reason that they say that Chatyr-Dag attracts rain, and Demerdzhi attracts sun. Looking ahead, it rained both here and there:-). As a result, we didn’t notice the most dangerous sections of the path (walking next to a cliff), because in such weather you only look ahead of yourself and see only the sneakers of the comrade in front:-).

We literally flew into Eklizi-Burun, without stopping anywhere, since we somehow didn’t want to stop in an open area during the rain. Once the peak was conquered and the rain stopped, we, throwing our backpacks and leaving instructor Andrei to guard them, climbed to the very top to take a photo. The guys unfurled the Russian flag:-)

Then we walked along the plateau, seeing strange objects around us and glancing cautiously at the passing clouds. Stop, lunch and hit the road again. Just starting the descent into the beech forest, the rain poured down with renewed vigor. And descending at 30-45 degrees on wet grass is still a thrill:-). I fell 3 times during this descent, driving part of the way on my side:-). This is where trekking poles came in handy. Our poor instructor, who ran first without poles, at the end of his run turned into a somersault over himself and a skinned knee.

Here we are in a beech forest, resting under a huge beech tree that protected us from the rain, healing our wounds (I’ll say that everything came in handy during the hike:-) iodine, brilliant green, plaster, calendula, bandages, cotton wool, and coldrex) and hit the road again. Having gone down a little more, we found ourselves in a stunning clearing, where there was a spring, and where we were to spend the night that night. The route that we had to cover from 10 am to 6 pm, we ran from 10 am to 2 pm. In the clearing we were met by cows, which the instructor was chasing with trekking poles:-). Cows are good, if only I didn’t have to throw stones at them later (those who know German will understand me, and those who don’t will guess what I mean:-)).

It didn’t rain, we happily pitched our tents and let’s dry out, because we were wet from head to toe. There was already plenty of water, the spring was 20 steps away. The guys even got razors:-). From one bottle, hanging it from a tree, they made something like a washbasin - a bottle plus a special stopper in the form of a pacifier. Until the end of the day we washed ourselves and did laundry (that’s where my Camey soap came in handy, even the instructor said: “Olya, but socks SMELL after Camey (!):-).”

We dried ourselves, cooked food, and enjoyed the surrounding landscape. Having made a couple of calls to family and friends so that they wouldn’t worry about where I had gone (before that, mobile phones were only taken near the Emine-Bair-Khosar cave), leaving the guys to play cards, Yana and I went to wander through the forest, found mushrooms - porcini, boletus. Having brought them to the camp, taking photographs, we, since there were no experts in mushrooms among us, ended up giving them to Odessa residents from another group who had a frying pan (we only made do with a pot). But they didn’t even treat us:-(, only saying that the mushrooms were amazing. That day we burned a fire for a long time, talked. The people had already become more talkative, became friends. It was great. At that moment I finally realized that I was on vacation and, work, problems were all forgotten. We went to bed after 12, despite the fact that the most difficult day lay ahead of us, but more on that in the next chapter.

Third day of the hike. Valley of Ghosts, conquering Demerdzhi or testing a person's endurance.

On the third day, I woke up the camp, as I was asked to set the alarm on my mobile phone for 7 am, as a result, only I heard the song of Leopold the cat:-). Having woken up the instructor and comrades, cooked food, collected things and tents, at half past ten we were ready to set off on our journey. Then our path passed through a beech forest, Lake Kutuzov (I’ll tell you right away this is just the name, there is no water there in the summer, everything is dry - just grass:-)) we listened to Andrey’s stories. I can say right away that our instructor was a good, cheerful person with a good sense of humor, a director by training and extensive experience leading groups in the mountainous Crimea, who knows a lot of songs, stories, and fairy tales:-). Before leaving the beech forest, we saw an interesting oak tree:-). Subsequently, Andrey told us a bedtime story about it.

And then, finally, we saw the SEA - it was so far and so close at the same time, the mood was wonderful. We moved to the foot of Demerdzhi, here in front of us are lavender fields, and here is a field of tea roses. Having collected a whole bag of rose petals, we then drank tea with tea rose until the end of the hike. Good stuff:-). Making our way through bushes and trees, we scratched all of our legs (I’ll say right away that by the end of the hike I had no living space on my right leg - everything was scratched) a couple of hours later we arrived at the foot of Demerdzhi.

It seemed so huge and it seemed like we would soon be at the very top. Further the path lay past the Funa fortress (one name is fair). We didn’t go to the fortress, since there wasn’t much to see there other than the fence. After stopping for lunch and collecting water from the spring, we approached the entrance to the Valley of Ghosts. Entrance to the valley is paid - 6 UAH. But somehow we didn’t see any tourists there. Either the people were afraid of the clouds or it was not the season yet.

Here in front of us is the stone behind which Nina was hiding from "Prisoner of the Caucasus", and here is the nut from which Nikulin jumped from the same film, the nut is in disrepair (when we bought tickets, we were warned not to touch the nut), in iron shackles, so I photographed only the branch. To be honest, the climb is difficult, and we are the only one of the 3 groups that conquered Demerdzhi from the side of the Valley of Ghosts, the other 2 groups were led from Chatyr-Dag to Demerdzhi, through Mount Bald Ivan along the plateau, the views there are beautiful and the walk is easier. But we are not looking for easy ways, so on the first night we decided that we would go through the Valley of Ghosts.

The views are indescribable. The main thing is to use your imagination and each rock will appear before you in different forms. Cat, Catherine's head, etc. In 2 places Andrey took off my backpack and carried it himself. For which I was very grateful to him. We had to climb not only along the embankment, but also over rocks. Here I really regretted that I was naturally short with short legs:-).

At the next stop, my companions thought the load was not enough, they decided to conquer an additional stone, and they all climbed there:-). All I had to do was film everything that was happening.

And now the peak has been conquered! The guys climbed up earlier, I was a little behind, but I got there. After waiting for me, Igor asked: “Well, let’s go to the top to hang a flag.” At that moment I felt a new surge of strength and said “Yes, let's go!” While we reached the very top, and the guys climbed with the flag, strong wind and rain began. Therefore, alas, it was impossible to hang the flag (it was held in the hands of spruce trees). After taking pictures, we went to the Angarsk Pass - the Dzhurlu parking lot.

Then it started to rain heavily with a piercing wind, there was nowhere to hide, thanking fate that the rain started after we climbed onto the plateau and again dressed up in whatever we could, we continued on our way. Having gone down to the Dzhurlu parking lot, and it was already 7 pm, here we met Ani’s group, which was going to the same pass, but from the opposite side. We looked for a parking lot for a long time, because of which everyone’s mood deteriorated. There are a lot of people in this parking lot, Andrei’s favorite place was occupied, he went with some guy to look for another one. We, all frozen, sat on our backpacks and waited. As a result, we stopped near a lake and a spring in an open area. In the piercing wind. We quickly pitched our tents and changed into dry clothes and began preparing dinner. This turned out to be a non-trivial task (try lighting and maintaining a fire in a strong wind). Andrey came up with a simple method. 2 rugs were pulled around the fire and steel around the edges. In this simple way we cooked pasta and stew, which seemed like the height of bliss after such a brutal day.

While Andrei ran to call (and to call, he had to climb the plateau again). Sergei remembered that he grabbed 2 cans of condensed milk from home and we, without waiting for the instructor, kept the fire going with one spoon, passing it around, and devoured a can of condensed milk. It seemed so blissful at the time. The soles hurt so much that standing was painful, let alone walking, the wind was blowing so hard that it was impossible to stay warm in 2 pants, a T-shirt, a sweater and a jacket, and then there was condensed milk! I forgot everything that something hurt, ached, that it was very cold.:-) Andrey later remembered this condensed milk for a long time, that they didn’t wait for him:-). In the future, we did not do this, and he also participated in eating 2 more cans in the following days:-) Having cooked dinner and drank a pot of tea, despite the fatigue from the day, we did not go to our tents for a long time. We talked for a long time and at that moment we realized how lucky we are to have such a friendly company.

The fourth day or how we descended through the Khapkhal gorge to the Jur-Jur waterfall.

That night I slept like a rock (unlike the previous ones) and was woken up, like the others, at 8 am by Andrei’s cry “give me some rice!” It turned out that our instructor had not been sleeping for a long time, but had brought firewood, boiled water, mixed powdered milk and now we needed rice:-). Since the girls and I had the largest tent, it could accommodate not only us and our backpacks, but also the backpacks of two other guys:-). In general, we had all the food. In the morning, before breakfast, the girls and I, having changed into swimsuits, decided to go for a swim in the lake. Despite the fact that it was cool, I really wanted to take a dip and wash off the dirt and sweat. After swimming in the lake twice, we returned to camp clean and happy. The guys also followed us for a swim, however, alas, Victor, when leaving the lake, severely injured his leg on a sharp stone. Subsequently, throughout the hike, Yana and Andrey carefully monitored his wound, thanks to their care, he was able to continue the hike and his leg did not particularly bother him and, thank God, there were no abscesses. After breakfast it started to rain again, and there was nothing left to do but climb into the tents again and sleep until the rain stopped. On this day we were able to continue our hike only at one o’clock in the afternoon.

If 2 groups to Jur-Jur decided to walk through the forest along the river, “up-down-up-down,” then our instructor said that we would go the other way, along the Demerdzhi plateau, and then go down 600 meters. It was pleasant to walk on board, my legs were rested, I could walk in sandals. The sun was hot, despite the fact that we had put sunscreen on everything, the guys got sunburnt.

Having reached the beginning of the descent into the Khaphal Gorge, changed into sneakers and distributed 3 pairs of trekking poles among the 6 members of the group (Andrey and Igor had to go without poles) We began the descent. I’ll say right away that in my opinion it’s still easier to go down than to go up, but without the poles there would be a pipe. Clinging to the roots, falling and rising, we descended the gorge. Then I damaged a ligament in my right leg, but I didn’t feel it that day, only the next. Andrey, taking a camera from his namesake, filmed our entire descent:-). In some places, we rolled over fallen trees and, to the roar of falling water, we moved on. They tested our strength by forcing us to cross a log from one side of a mountain river to the other. Thanks to Andrey, who insured everyone.

And at the very end of the path, another test was prepared, on the way there was a huge stone that could not be bypassed, it was necessary, like rock climbers, clinging to everything possible, to climb this stone, when I climbed and after that I looked down and saw a roaring stream of water, honestly, I became scared. Subsequently, I recalled this moment to Andrey more than once, asking if he was not afraid for people’s lives, because it is very dangerous to crawl over a rock with a 10-15 kg backpack on your back. But he assured me that since there were places where you could put your feet, it wasn’t so scary. But somehow he didn’t really convince me of this. And here in front of us is the bath of youth, from where the water is drawn. We didn’t go to the waterfall that day, but went to look for a parking lot. On the way we met security who demanded 12 UAH from us. for parking, giving us tickets with 6 UAH written on them. (such a mysterious country is Ukraine, and business is Ukrainian) but I didn’t want to argue with them. Therefore, we left it to chance and gave them as much as they wanted.

Arriving at Andrei’s favorite clearing (previously having collected branches for a fire) and seeing in this clearing a huge number of children setting up a children’s camp in that place, we scurried out of there along with the brushwood, only our heels and sparkled, especially at Yana (she works as a pediatrician). I really wanted silence:-). We stopped over a waterfall in the forest, set up the tent with the girls on an incline, which made our legs go numb by morning. Having sent Andrei (not the instructor) and Victor to the store, which was located 2 km from the parking lot, for beer - this was the only alcohol we drank during the entire hike, we cooked dinner and did laundry. The water on Jur-Jura is 8 degrees, your legs were cramping, but nevertheless, when you put your feet in the water, you feel such bliss. That evening we played a game suggested by Andrey. One of the group is given either an action or a question, you choose, and then you carry it out. I will focus on 4 actions. We wished for an action for Yana - to jump 10 times and shout to the whole forest, “I’m happy!” “Choo, chug, chug, I’m a locomotive” Victor completed the task with honor! He went to the neighbors’ camp, we naturally ran after him and with the words “Sorry, but that’s how it’s supposed to be”, he began to pretend to be a locomotive. The 2 camps laughed:-). We opened this jar and, passing it around, devoured this condensed milk from one spoon:-). Satisfied with the evening we spent, we went to bed.

Day five, swimming in Jur-Jura, 18 km trek along the Karabi plateau.

This morning I woke up at 6 am because my legs were numb. Emerging from the tent, I decided to go to the Jur-Jur waterfall. That's when you have to go admire the waterfall at 6 in the morning, there is no one there. There are no annoying guards with signs, no tourists. You can calmly admire the waterfall. And believe me, there is something to admire:-). Having had enough of admiring the waterfall and complaining that I didn’t take my camera with me, I returned to the camp, hauled firewood, lit a fire, boiled water, and then woke up everyone, first of all the instructor, with a scream. “What are we going to cook, instruct (!), the water has boiled.” Shouting “DAY(!),” our instructor crawled out of the tent and we started cooking breakfast.

After breakfast, the girls and I decided that we were going to the djur-djur to swim and wash our hair, the second Andrey (this is to film) and Sergey went with us. We reached the waterfall and, going right inside the waterfall, took a photo, and then Sergey and Yana took soap and began to lather their hair. When Sergei soaped his hair, out of nowhere, security appeared with a sign that swimming is prohibited, water is being taken away, they jumped up to Sergei screaming, what are you doing, are you washing your hair? Fine 1000 UAH. To which Sergei calmly replied, “No, I’m not doing anything.” They said, “Why are you covered in soap,” to which he replied, “I don’t wash my hair, just in soap.” We darted from this waterfall, and they reached their heads above the dzhur-dzhur:-). We knew for sure that water intake occurs higher up (in the youth bath).

After having breakfast, drinking tea with crackers, packing all our things, we went further - to the Ai-Alexi spring. I will say that it was the most tedious and boring transition, my right leg ached, which I sprained the day before, and because of which I was forced to lag behind. The climbs were small, but they seemed difficult to me, since they stretched for many kilometers. There were clouds above us and poor Yana was forced to walk in her jacket, despite the heat, so as soon as she took off her jacket, it began to rain, and as soon as she put it on, the rain stopped. For lunch we ate the last jar of pate and bullocks; there was no more cheese and sausage. This lunch was the most meager, and the mood was not particularly joyful. Tired. We walked 18 km that day (as the Odessa residents who measured it on the map later told us) to the lake. We didn’t get to the Karabi plateau itself (probably because on the fourth day we lost half a day due to rain and spent the night not on Ai-Alexi but on Jur-Jura)

As soon as we reached the lake, it began to rain, and everyone urgently had to hide in a cape from my tent. And then we remembered that we still have a can of condensed milk (!) The fatigue disappeared. Can you imagine the picture - 8 people, under one cape, open a can of condensed milk and pass it around in a circle, begin to burst it, and the rain pours around. However, here are the photos where everything is documented:-)

When the rain stopped, we pitched our tents and, leaving the instructor to cook dinner from rice and 2 cans of sardines, we ran to the lake for a swim. It was such bliss, water +20(!). Having bathed and finally washed our hair (that’s where the soap came in handy again), we returned to camp happy. But then a new attack began. TICKS, which were found in huge quantities in the grass. Sasha simply became hysterical about this, and it didn’t improve the mood of the others. But there is an iron rule: “If you cannot solve a problem, change your attitude towards it.” Therefore, one must treat ticks calmly. Well, they are there, what can you do, fortunately they are not encephalitic. After eating dinner and drinking tea, we realized that we couldn’t really sit on the grass (especially after the second Andrey was bitten by a tick). Having set up a fireworks display from empty lighters and an empty bottle (mosquito repellent), we went to the tents to sleep. Sasha spent a long time using a flashlight to inspect Ian and I’s tent, looking for ticks. The wind that day folded the tent almost in half, but the accumulated fatigue neither the ticks nor the wind prevented me from falling straight into sleep, despite the fact that the Odessa residents, who had set up camp nearby, vigorously celebrated the birthday of the youngest 10-year-old member of their group at half the night.

Sixth day. End of the hike.

Oh, it’s a pity, it was only the beginning of July, not September, then we could have enjoyed the grapes. After 2 hours we were already in Rybachye. Having found a dining room near the sea, we ordered lunch from the first, second and third, and enjoyed civilized food. The dining room overlooked the sea, but you know, we didn’t want to drop everything and run to swim in the sea, maybe because we saw a huge number of people (there was nowhere for an apple to fall) and during this time we had become unaccustomed to such crowds of people. It was both sad and funny at the same time. It's sad that parting is near. And during this time we truly became friends. And it’s fun to be proud of yourself that you could, you did it. Believe me, these feelings are special. And only those who go through this can understand them. It's worth it.

While we were writing our coordinates on a piece of paper so as not to get lost in the future, Andrei called the rescue service and reported that such and such a group had completed the hike, that everything went well. And now the hour of parting has come. Everyone went in their own direction, two guys stayed in Rybachye, going to the beach at sea, I went to Sudak, where a friend was waiting for me, two guys went to Simferopol to the storage room to get their suitcases. And two girls are going to Yalta.

This is how the trip turned out. We must say Goodbye to the Crimean Mountains! Until our next meeting, God willing, we will meet again! Of course, I didn’t describe everything in my story, I just wanted to convey my feelings from this hike as fully as possible. And if you also manage to go on similar trips, I think you will understand me, and I will only be HAPPY for you! I hope my description will not seem too drawn out to you; all this was written in one go in 5 hours. This is how fresh the memories are in my memory, despite the fact that a month has already passed. Now I can say that I want more! Thank you all for your attention.

Kirienko Olga, Donetsk.