Circumnavigating the world through Human Power while connecting different societies, civilizations and landscapes.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Currently in Anadyr airport waiting to depart for Markova

well, in deed, it has been quite a busy week trying to get everthing lined up in Anadyr prior to my departure for Markova tomorrow morning.
I am only able to get a few minutes on the web right now and this is why I am going to make this post very short !
In typical Chukotkan fashion, I am not exactly sure if my flight will leave tomorrow and at what time...
In other words, if I do get a few more hours in the airport, I will try to make my way back to the post office from where I am posting this message right now.
Would love to share pictures with all of you but the connection is wayyyyyy to slow for me to do so right now...
Well, needless to say that I am a little bit concerned about the weeks to come: temperatures has been in Anadyr -25 Celsius and it is supposed to get a lot colder down South, near Kamenskoye and Manily where I am planning to make it through in the next few weeks.
The limited amount of daylight (8:45h til about 15h) is also going to make this a challenging trip.
Batteries are going to be at a premium especially since I am not completely sure I am going to be able to get my supplies shipped on time from Magadan to either Kamenskoye or Evensk.

As usual, I am trying to collect as much information as I can from travellers, hunters, etc...
I actually just found out that I was sharing my bedroom at the airport with a travelling vetenerian from Omsk who is also on his way to Markova.
He is coming to look after the reindeers in the different "reindeer brigades". I have already heard that some of them might be in the region that I am going to travel alone between Vayegi and Slautnoye and therefore I am eager to see what he is going to be able to tell me about their potential location.  For multiple reasons, as some of you can imagine, I would love to have a break from the tundra one day and come across a reindeer brigade / camp....
This is after all partly what I am here for !

On a last quick note, since I am being kicked out of the post office, I had the great pleasure yesterday to present at a college with 180 students, bursting with questions to ask me...
It lasted more than 2 hours and was quite entertaining. The event was also televised by the local TV but I did not get the chance to see it... And finally, last night I was given the priviledge to present at the local orphanage in Anadyr... A great enriching time for me to be able to share some of my stories via a great "travelling  translator" that I met in Anadyr: Konstantin Savva.
The chuckhi and white kids were great and touching ! I was even asked if I wanted to adopt a little chukchi named Pietr to which I responded that I did not think he would enjoy the ride on my sled....

Thank you all again for your support, mynumerous friends in Anadyr as well as Chukotka Discovery and especially 'Ilima for having saved my ---- by promptly shipping some of the technical pieces I was crucially missing ! I was able to retrieve them from customs today after having paid a 30% tax and completed countless forms.... Nothing new here !

Paka !
Dima on his way to the tundra... 

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