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Kyiv, here we are back again

Andy on Sat, 04/29/2017 - 11:29

Well, as Mike has already informed in a photo way, a large part of ESCKAZ team has came back to Kyiv for this wonderful event of the year.

Almaty - Kyiv is quite long trip on it's own, 6.5 hours, but happily no need to change flights this year as usual. The only extremely disappointing thing in this is that this year I do not have an opportunity to visit wonderful Copenhagen as I did every year since 2013. Fingers crossed we're coming back to Greater Copenhagen Area next time.

The airport meets you with a special board passport check windows for "Evrovision guests" (sic), which for me followed by roughly two hours "formal check" as a Russian passport holder. It was kind of boring, if they plan to do this for every press member with Russian passport perhaps we need to get some entertainment zone in the airport for people queuing. Anyway, that wait helped to unite 2 ESCKAZ team members and 2 other friends in one place and share a direct taxi to the IEC. Please don't take taxis which will cost more than 250 UAH. It's a robbery, there are plenty of cheaper options - if you have smartphone, try Uber or Uklon or Yandex Taxi.

Mike has already explained accreditation process, when we were leaving, the press accreditation eventually moved to the main hall, so you can easily spot it on the first table to right from the entrance. Still, it is only one person doing it and a huge queue of technical workers and security also standing in other queues to get their passes. You can not pick up anything but badge today.

We also met Lily Yamborak and Svetlana Melnychenko from ESC Press team, who informed us that official Euroclub opening will be on Monday at 21:00. They are trying to get Ola Melzig and Christer Bjorkman to sing for that. Apparently all fans need to ask them very politely to make this huge project happening. First time and only at the Eurovision.