6th-sauna-delivered

Warm sauna and clean clothes are not just a luxury. They are invaluable for alleviating exhaustion and keeping the spirit alert. Even a brief moment in the steam room can provide new strength to face a challenging day. This is exactly what we, NGO Saunas to Ukraine, want to offer by bringing sauna complexes capable of serving an entire unit to the front lines.

Day 1 | We set off!

The first day was mostly spent on wheels. We started our journey at 10 AM with a group of ten and reached our overnight location just after 1 AM. The day's keywords could be getting to know each other (many of us met face-to-face for the first time), quick gas station stops, humorous conversations, and serious discussions.

Despite small challenges (how to park a sauna complex weighing over 20 tons in a "3.5 ton area"?), optimism and humor didn't fade – the journey was just beginning!

Day 2 | No, we're not tired of sitting yet!

Despite only a few hours of sleep, we woke up at 5:30 AM to be back in line and behind the wheel by 6 AM. We drove in a convoy, which allowed for planning stops on the go and maintaining constant communication via radio transmitters. In fact, the radio transmitters proved to be not only practical but also excellent entertainment devices – they were used to share plenty of exciting anecdotes that helped keep spirits high.

Upon reaching the Ukrainian border, we held a quick but filling strategy meeting at a local gas station to discuss how to cross the border as smoothly as possible. This was important to go over all the details and prepare for what lay ahead as much as possible. The stacks of documents prepared and packaged by Siim (Siim Nellis, HUUM - our main project manager) proved fatal to quite a few trees...

We had to fill out a bunch of papers, report on the shipment to important officials, and explain how one of our escort cars had gained 200 extra kilos during the journey. Fortunately, we avoided a fine. The time was filled with black rye bread brought from home and energy drinks provided by A. le Coq, which Indrek (Indrek Rebane, Hedgehog) was diligently consuming in the accompanying picture.

Around 4 PM, we finally reached our destination country. Ukraine! However, due to the late afternoon, we had to admit that we wouldn't reach Kyiv before curfew. Therefore, we spent the night near Rivne at the Geography hotel, where the spaciousness of the rooms exceeded everyone's expectations.

Day 3 | Three Estonian flags at the memorial site for fallen soldiers

In the morning, we were greeted by beautiful sunshine – unfortunately for the last time during these days. Speaking of weather phenomena, it was a first-time experience for me to see a warning in the weather app that air quality was unhealthy.

We continued our journey towards Kyiv. Along the way, we noticed several defensive structures and checkpoints, and military vehicles were moving in traffic. Even police entering a cafe with automatic weapons wasn't unusual – all this constantly reminded us of the conditions in which people here live their daily lives.

In the afternoon, we reached Kyiv and immediately began searching for a suitable parking spot for our sauna truck and escort vehicles. You can imagine how easy it is to move around the city with a nearly 17-meter long sauna complex – it was a challenge in itself. When we finally found a spot, we gathered the necessary things from the cars and left the vehicles there.

In the evening, we were taken on a small excursion. Of course, we also visited Maidan. A particularly thought-provoking moment was at the place where memorial items and flags are placed for fallen soldiers. We found three Estonian flags there as well. While the journey had been chatty and cheerful until then, there was complete silence for a long time after leaving there – everyone was lost in their own thoughts.

Home by midnight

It was surprising to see how well the locals follow the curfew. Most eateries close at 10 PM, a few at 11 PM. When we were walking back to the hotel around 11 PM, we saw only a few people and a handful of cars on the streets. By midnight, even the last wanderers must be within four walls. This quiet and peace in the city compared to the daytime hustle was like another world.

Just before reaching the hotel, we heard air raid sirens for the first time. Fortunately, we were close enough to the hotel and could quickly get inside. The security guard said we didn't need to move to the shelter this time, but he showed us where it was located.

Day 4 | Бригада - "Чорний ліс"

At 11 AM, we gathered at the site where we had left the cars the previous day. By that time, the brave Ukrainian fighters from the "Чорний ліс" or "Black Forest" unit had arrived, greeting us with warm handshakes and heartfelt hugs. Several of them had tears in their eyes as they expressed their gratitude – it was a very emotionally charged moment.

I remembered how it was once questioned on social media whether the front line really needs such a "luxury" as a sauna. That we should spend money on something more practical. After hearing the fighters' stories, any doubt in me disappeared. They talked about sometimes only being able to wash once a month. Imagine – wet, damp, cold clothes and poor hygiene for a month straight? What would that do to your health and emotional well-being? In such moments, you understand how important it is to give something that helps them recover and move forward.

After official photos and filming, which made it to TV3's Seven O'Clock News, our men explained the principles of how the sauna truck works. When all the keys, papers, and necessary knowledge had been handed over, it was time to leave. This moment was bittersweet for me – we were heading back to a warm hotel, while they were going to the cold front. At the same time, the warm smile and gratitude with which they sent us off still fills my heart.

In the second half of the day, we planned to visit the catacombs, but they were closed due to disagreements with the Russian church. However, we did get to explore Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and its history.

We ended the day at a well-known local restaurant. A nearby children's playground that had been hit by a bomb painfully reminded us of the reality of war. We were joined by Ilmar Raag and two Estonian men who have been fighting on the front lines for some time. Their stories were sometimes shocking, but one thing was clear – these men are not on the front lines for money or fame, but for freedom. Both for Ukraine and Estonia!

Day 5 | Is there an Estonian waiting in every port?

Early in the morning, six out of ten sauna deliverers began their journey back home. However, I, Tanel, Siim, and Anna stayed in Kyiv for a couple more days to get more familiar with local life and have work meetings.

On the first day, we visited a factory that, among other things, produces components for the domestic sauna manufacturer HUUM. The factory visit left a deep impression – classic "Russian" technology was skillfully combined with modern top-of-the-line equipment. We also saw the world's fastest laser cutter, capable of cutting hundreds and hundreds of meters per minute.

At the same time, it was shocking to hear the factory owner Roman's stories about daily uncertainty regarding employees. He talked about how you never know if, when arriving at work in the morning, you'll discover that some male employee has been taken to the front lines without notice. This sharply reminded us of the reality of war, which affects not only professions directly related to war but also deeply impacts everyday business and work life. Not to mention family life.

Day 6 | Last day in Kyiv

You know that feeling when a vacation is about to end, and even though you could make the most of it, your thoughts are already on leaving? We weren't on a classic vacation trip, but the last day at the destination is always a bit different.

In the morning, Tanel (Tanel Kuningas) and I explored local commerce. We also wanted to visit the Kyiv Olympic Stadium, but after the start of the full-scale war, tourists are no longer allowed there. Let it be said here that although most people talk about the war in Ukraine starting in 2022, it actually began in 2014. Let's not forget that!

Speaking of commerce, it was interesting to see how many businesses have literally moved underground – there's simply less space above ground than there are sellers. Our goal was to find something nice to bring back for family members, but we found that the vast majority of both food and toys are indistinguishably similar to what's sold in Estonia. That Milka chocolate effect, which seemed so special about a decade ago, is now gone.

What does it feel like to kill?

Before heading to the night train, we tested green borscht once more and listened to the stories of brave Estonian soldiers. I asked them what they lack most on the front lines, and the answers were surprisingly mundane – proper shovels and pickaxes. Since they focused on destroying drones, a high-performance laptop was also important to them.

I couldn't resist and asked directly: "What does it feel like to kill?" The answers were deeply personal, so I won't write them down here, but quite different from what I would have expected. They offered a completely different perspective and left a lot to think about.

Night train – final stop home

Finally, it was time to head to the train that would take us to Chełm, Poland. However, my idea of a peaceful night on a comfortable train was quite quickly shattered.

After a couple of hours, we reached the Ukraine-Poland border, where constant checks began. "Do you have drugs? What about prohibited goods? Why did you visit? Please show your documents!" The first questions were answered, but then the process started all over again – just in Polish. When the long-awaited silence finally arrived, it turned out we could only sleep for less than an hour because the train was about to reach its final stop and everyone would be sent out.

Day 7 | Every end is the beginning of something new.

Morning in Chełm, then by train to Warsaw and from there to the airport – welcome home!

A poem says:

"Every end is a beginning of something,
carrying good and worse times,
on one side - darkness,
on the other side - light,
on one side - the past,
on the other side - the present."

The same goes for our project – delivering the sixth sauna was the beginning of planning the seventh.