When Kateryna Gorodnycha and her 13-year-old son set off on their mammoth 10-day journey from their house in war-torn Ukraine to the UK, they did not have any visas.
The day that she and son Timur mentioned goodbye to their small city and packed their complete life into the automotive - together with their two cats - was the day Russian missiles began falling on their house.
Travelling 1,800 miles from Kyiv, they handed by Poland into Germany earlier than heading to Calais, unsure at each juncture in the event that they had been going to make it.
Now, the household are settled of their new home in Pendoylan, Vale of Glamorgan in Wales - and do not remorse taking the chance to flee within the slightest, Wales On-line experiences.
However Kateryna is aware of that she and her son are a number of the "fortunate" ones.
She selected the UK purely primarily based on the language - she speaks Ukrainian, Russian and English - and needed to effective someplace she might converse and perceive the language.
"I realised that if I went to every other nation in Europe, I might be helpless," she mentioned.
"The UK was my solely likelihood to do one thing and perceive what is going on on round me and be a part of life."
She arrived within the UK on April 1 and in Wales two days later. Her cats needed to be quarantined.
To date, that new life has seen the locals welcome her and Timur with open arms, sending them each presents and playing cards to assist them really feel relaxed.
Timur even bought a signed soccer shirt from Gareth Bale and the pair loved celebrating Timur's thirteenth birthday with pizza in Cardiff metropolis centre.
Kateryna was overwhelmed by the do-it-yourself cookies and truffles that arrived on her new doorstep.
Her phrases exhibit simply how a lot that has meant to them each: "All of Glynis and Martin's associates and neighbours have executed extra for us previously two weeks than we might count on," she mentioned.
"They got here and picked us up, took us wherever we would have liked to...A soccer star gave a shirt for Timur and a brand-new Wales tracksuit too.
"A household pal drove us round cities and cities for 2 days in a row after which drove the identical routes with me so I might drive. To babysit us. Me. Actually.
"Nobody has ever babysat me since childhood. A brand new feeling. Fantastic."
It took Kateryna two days to fill within the kinds and get the method began on March 18, she mentioned.
"I used to be in the course of Ukraine, it was fairly secure however a later missiles got here there. I stuffed within the kinds once I realised the warfare wasn't going to cease shortly."
Earlier than even sending the kinds off, Kateryna began her journey west: "Possibly I used to be to not intelligent to do that as a result of I wasn't positive I might get my visas," she mentioned.
She waited in Lviv, a metropolis on the western Ukrainian border, and simply hours earlier than they crossed into Poland, the Russian missiles began falling there too. "I suppose there is no such thing as a completely secure place in Ukraine," Katya mentioned.
Her journey - which lasted practically two weeks - took her to Poland after which Germany after which Lille in France all of the whereas staying with associates and associates of associates. Whereas in Lille, her visas arrived.
"I used to be very fortunate," she mentioned. "As a result of I've many associates who're nonetheless ready for his or her visas."
Hers took simply 10 days to reach. From Lille she headed to Calais and boarded the ferry to Dover. She discovered Glynis Lloyd on Fb after her pal, an editor in chief for the BBC in Ukraine, instructed her a couple of group arrange matching refugees with UK hosts.
After posting an outline of herself and her son Glynis supplied her house. It was an ideal match Kateryna mentioned, as a result of Glynis mentioned it is perhaps attainable for her to get some work as a producer and her son, an avid soccer fan, can be close to to the Welsh nationwide soccer staff.
"I assumed it seemed like a paradise," mentioned Kateryna. "It was actually precisely the suitable determination, as a result of we're actually, actually pleased to be right here." Her son's father has stayed in Ukraine.
"My life is ranging from the start once more," mentioned Kateryna.
"I am 43 and it is fairly bizarre to do one thing for the primary time like this."
Her son is having fun with the expertise of a brand new nation, new faculty and new associates, she added, saying they used to journey to completely different international locations in Europe earlier than the Russian invasion. He's most enthusiastic about studying Welsh.
Her Fb profile reveals her having fun with a traditional cosmopolitan life in Ukraine that many people would recognise - journeys out, stress-free of their house metropolis, meals with associates - one thing that's now a distant reminiscence.
She would return to her house nation however it will depend upon "the results of how the warfare ended," she mentioned.
"If indirectly Russia will dominate our territory, I do not wish to dwell in tyranny," she mentioned. "So I settle for the ideas about staying right here however I can not settle for the thought that Ukraine will fall."
A historical past graduate and profitable producer earlier than the warfare began, Kateryna nonetheless cannot consider the best way her nation has fallen.
"I am a historian by training so I knew that we had been undoubtedly not brothers with Russia, I knew we undoubtedly had an enormous historical past of struggling and the specter of the Russian empire, however I could not even think about that in twenty first Century, we might have such a barbaric warfare.
"I assumed it might be political stress making an attempt to govern, however not missiles over my home."
"Who might think about what we're seeing? It is one thing from historical past. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a warfare of civilizations.
"Barbarians versus progress, tyranny versus democracy.
"Within the trendy world, within the twenty first century, it's unthinkable to think about that a European nation may be bombed with Russian rockets, Ukrainian youngsters might be killed, our girls - and youngsters, sadly, too - may be raped by enemy troopers, and Russian TV spreads propaganda.
"In Russia they've created a rustic with a inhabitants that desires to kill neighbours as a way to exhibit their dominance to the world. Nothing extra."
She has a pal from Bucha who selected to drive by Russian roadblocks in a determined try to flee the bloodbath there.
They wore kitchen pots on their heads to guard themselves from Russian bullets, she mentioned. She used steel cooking trays to guard her youngsters contained in the automotive.
"She's from that place the place terrible issues occurred," mentioned Kateryna.
"She was beneath occupation for per week however she was fortunate to go away earlier than these terrible issues. Now she is in Ukraine however within the west." The look ahead to her UK visa is taking so lengthy, she's debating whether or not to use for a Canadian one as a substitute, in case that speeds issues up.
"She instructed me she can't go house as a result of she's unsure if her house exists," mentioned Kateryna.
Tales like this are sadly not unusual as greater than 10m Ukrainian refugees have fled their house nation, based on the UN. Vladimir Putin appears decided to proceed his barbaric warfare regardless of stress from Nato and the world.
For Kateryna, her visa software took simply 10 days. for others who utilized on March 18, the day UK visa functions opened, they're nonetheless ready.
The shortage of certainty means many merely cannot plan something. Katya's pal has been ready 17 days up to now. "She would not know what to do," she added. "Persons are ready for visas, typically too lengthy, and so they get actually annoyed about it."
Folks have been annoyed by the UK Authorities's "embarrassing" strategy of homing Ukrainian refugees.
It is a frustration shared by Glynis too, who is extremely essential of the council's pre-arrival evaluation of her house to find out if it is appropriate.
She mentioned: "They should examine the peak of home windows and the dimensions of rooms. However I do not suppose the folks coming listed below are going to fret about issues like that. The paperwork is getting in the best way - if individuals are prepared to assist then allow them to assist."
She accepted Kateryna and Timur forward of the Vale's council checks, including: "I can have whoever I like in my house. If I can provide sanctuary to somebody who wants it then I'll."
The impression Glynis has had on her two Ukrainian visitors is palpable, even when life on a Welsh farm is a distinct life from life within the capital of Ukraine, Kateryna mentioned.
"There was a number of motion round us however there's silence round us now," she laughed.
"It isn't a distinction between Ukraine and Wales, it is the distinction between a megapolis and a farm."
She added: "At the moment we're pressured to make use of the assistance and assist of the entire world. And Ukrainians are very grateful for the chance to take their youngsters away from bombs and missiles.
"When Ukraine defeats this invasion of evil, we'll return house, rebuild our nation and invite all our new associates to go to us."
Vale of Glamorgan Council has been contacted for remark.
Do not miss the newest information from round Scotland and past - Signal as much as our each day publication right here.