A month in Russia with Kuba... and a stranger.

I am to spend the next month with Kuba driving around the Ukraine and Russia. He has been a few times and speaks Russian (which I do not), so is the perfect person to go with. He has bought and serviced an old Lada Jeep especially for our trip.

A few weeks ago he asked me about an Irish friend of his, whom I shall call Paddy, who wanted to tag along... I agreed seeing that Kuba was keen, even though I have never met this person. We were due to set off today from Lodz to Lvov over the border in the Ukraine, Paddy having joined us in Lodz. We hadn't heard anything from him for the last few days - despite several calls etc - and had got used to the idea that we were going without him, but today he called and asked us to pick him up from Krakow, five hours in the other direction. Kuba readily agreed but this annoyed me. We arrived into Krakow late and arranged to meet Paddy at Kuba's cellar bar in the Jewish Quarter. He swaggered towards us, beer held to his chest, and started to bore us with stories of his day. I took an instant dislike to him and cut in...
"Are you even remotely aware that we have just driven five hours here to pick you up? And that tomorrow we will have to drive five hours back to where we were today?"
Apparently the train was 'too complicated' for him. Kuba confessed that he is lazy. Lazy? Probably. Inconsiderate? Definately. And I will be stuck with this arsehole for the next month. Not necessarily. If my dislike for him matures into hatred then I will branch out on my own. Kuba and Kristina insist that he is alright, that I will have a good time. It's early days, but I have very good instincts when it comes to people.

It's late now and we have an early start tomorrow. I'll read in the back seat and let them do the talking. Paddy doesn't speak Polish so I can converse with Kuba if need be, I'll be honest and if I'm not enjoying it I'll flee. I packed a heavy suitcase though as I didn't figure I'd be lugging it around. Oh well.