You have met your beautiful Ukrainian woman and fallen in love online and now you are ready to visit and meet. Some useful information
You will most probably fly into Borispol International airport Kiev, a surprisingly small airport. During the flight you will be given a 
small form to fill in asking some personal details, your city and hotel/residence and the purpose of your trip (put-vacation). Do not lose this document as you will asked to show it at your departure!
As you will probably arrive late afternoon or evening you may wish to stay overnight in Kiev, how will you travel? There are lots of taxis hustling the airport, if you choose a taxi be sure to know the exact fare beforehand, you can haggle if you wish. Alternatively there is rent-a-car, we recommend Europcar, but it is better to pre-arrange your rental online, or by fax in advance.Tel/fax+380-44-2817737, English is spoken.
Ukraine is a country of paradox and Kiev stands alone in its cosmopolitan and European style and nature. It is a beautiful, lively and interesting city well worth visiting, though be warned that the prices are much higher than the rest of the country. There is a countrywide rail network, but be aware that there is only a choice between slow and very slow trains.
Is the Ukraine safe for foreigners, how is the road system and driving conditions, how are the hotels and what are the people like? Y Foreigners do not need to be to nervous, though it is better if you are travelling with a local person. As the world over there are areas of most cities best avoided, in general the center of the cities is a safe bet.
The road network is extensive, though not in the best state or repair, particularly in rural areas. When driving be very attentive for road speed signs, sometimes on a fast straight strech of road, they will probably be policed and speeding fines are a regular form of income either for the state, or the police. The bribe is approx 50 hvs, put this in your package of car/driving documents (which you must carry at all times). Check with the agency when you rent your car on the current rate for the bribe. You may well notice that some, usually big and expensive cars, often big black jeeps seem to disregard speeding laws, let them pass.
The choice of hotels are varied, some are good, some are very good and for the really adventurous there are the hotels that have barely changed since the withdraw of the Russians!
One of the many paradoxical aspects of Ukraine is the east/west devide. There is a huge and magnificient river the "Dnipro" that runs north to south exiting into the Black sea. To the west of this river Ukrainian is the common language and the people tend to be pro Europe and anti Russian. To the east of the river the people are more likely to be Russia friendly and speak Russian!
In general you will find the people friendly particularly in the bigger cities and men will actually be quite astonished at just how many beautiful women there are all over this country, but English is not that widely spoken and picking up a simple Russian-English phrase book is a good idea.
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Where to go and what to see? For sure your girlfriend will have some good ideas, but here are some suggestions. To the east Kharkov is an interesting city, lively, with a large university that used to be at the heart of the FSU missile development programme. The center is very attractive and Kharkov boasts the biggest square in Europe. Both Pushkinska and Sumska, roads running through the center will be interesting, hosting a variety of bars cafés and restaurants, including an Irish Pub! The central and huge park is great in the summer months, very popular with the locals and packed with cafés and restaurants, some of which are very good (and try some Ukraine dishes). To the West Llive is a very beautiful small city of great architetectural merit and the birthplace of Pushkin, one of Russias most reverred poets. The center plaza is very attractive, quite cosmopolitan and "The Grand Hotel", within the plaza is a good quality and well priced hotel.
To the south the Crimea is very worth visiting, Simferopol is both the regional capital and centrally situated for visiting the Crimea, try the Hotel Ukraine for your stay, elegant, romantic and well priced. There is much to see and do in Crimea an area that has been fought over for millenia and still very popular, especially during the hot summer months with people from Russia. There is a lot to do and see, to much to list in this article, but try the ancient Greek city, on the coast of Sevastopol, it remains remarkably well preserved given its 2000 plus years. You can also see many decaying French and Italian castles/Chateaux scattered around the crimea (Krim in Russian), a testament to this regions multi cultural history. The Crimea is quite a distinct part of the Ukraine enjoying a micro climate and an almost mediterranean feel.
The Ukraine is a country is a country of extreme weather conditions. It can reach minus 40ºC in the winter and plus 40ºC in the summer, so plan your trip dependent on which weather condition suits you best!
