Brittany Griffith and I headed for the train station Kiev, Ukraine. Most photos by Mikey Schaefer

Brittany Griffith and I headed for the train station Kiev, Ukraine. Most photos by Mikey Schaefer

on the train, first class :) over night :(

on the train, first class 🙂 over night 🙁

train stuff

train stuff

train stuff

train stuff

Brittany is worth her weight in gold cooking. Borch #1

Brittany is worth her weight in gold cooking. Borch #1

climbing day #1 yes it was drizzling

climbing day #1 yes it was drizzling

looking back at our town Simeze, which is on the Criemean peninsula on the Black sea

looking back at our town Simeze, which is on the Criemean peninsula on the Black sea

Brittany helped me collect stones for my jewelry. Order now for the balck sea collection at suspendedstonedesign.com

Brittany helped me collect stones for my jewelry. Order now for the balck sea collection at suspendedstonedesign.com

climbing

climbing

Brittany's slab dyno

Brittany’s slab dyno

Panorama of the Crimean coast line. Me and Brittany chillin' in the evening light.

Panorama of the Crimean coast line. Me and Brittany chillin’ in the evening light.

our first time trying to catch the bus home, turns out the bus stop was actually behind that boulder...oops

our first time trying to catch the bus home, turns out the bus stop was actually behind that boulder…oops

headed to Redstone to climb with our new Russian friends

headed to Redstone to climb with our new Russian friends

Mikey, Victor, Brittany, Pavel and Julia, our happy Redstone crew

Mikey, Victor, Brittany, Pavel and Julia, our happy Redstone crew

warming up at Nakita... just another super fun limestone crag...

warming up at Nakita… just another super fun limestone crag…

Brittany taking a whipper off one of the coolest routes at Nakita. I started learning to sound out words in Cyrillic, and something like american was painted at the base of this one...,

Brittany taking a whipper off one of the coolest routes at Nakita. I started learning to sound out words in Cyrillic, and something like american was painted at the base of this one…,

good thing Brittany and I's outfits match the bus stop. Taking public transport to all the crags, our whole trip really, was totally cool, and a huge mental challenge.

good thing Brittany and I’s outfits match the bus stop. Taking public transport to all the crags, our whole trip really, was totally cool, and a huge mental challenge.

Brittany on the crux pitch of what we called the roller skating rink, a really cool 4 pitch climb with some interesting bonsi carrot top vegetation.

Brittany on the crux pitch of what we called the roller skating rink, a really cool 4 pitch climb with some interesting bonsi carrot top vegetation.

Brittany bulking up on some STRONG sending food

Brittany bulking up on some STRONG sending food

headed home from our local crag

headed home from our local crag

street shots, yes that looks like a castel in the background

street shots, yes that looks like a castel in the background

historic and modern contrasts were quite a theme in what we saw of the Ukraine

historic and modern contrasts were quite a theme in what we saw of the Ukraine

our favorite vegetable vendor at our local market

our favorite vegetable vendor at our local market

food can be so pretty

food can be so pretty

sad but true, we had to head towards home

sad but true, we had to head towards home

but not before a quick stop over in Kiev. Check our the wings in the decorative Russian Orthodox chapel.

but not before a quick stop over in Kiev. Check our the wings in the decorative Russian Orthodox chapel.

Layover in amsterdam: breakfast and some local Heineken at 8:42am

Layover in amsterdam: breakfast and some local Heineken at 8:42am