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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Apr 28, 2010 02:00 PM Gold, gold... but where are the roads?
Nome, Alaska... Hard to believe, but they do not have any single road to to other Alascan or Canadian communities. In the winter all supply comes by air. In the short June-September summer ships are coming, bringing the fuel and construction material...
I visited local museum - the best little-town museum I saw in my life. It is free and you can see there the stuff from the gold rush era (including golden nuggets), the life of natives, Amudsen polar expeditions (they terminated in Nome).
Nome is also famous for Iditarod - March' 1700 kms long sled dogs race coming here from Anchorage... I saw many dog kennels in the outskirts on the town. Dogs were so bored...
In the seepy town I found nine different saloons and bars - most of them remembering gold rush time.
There are 3 local roads going out of the town. One of them go to Solomon where the graveyard of old narrow-gauge locomotion is located. But sorry, this road is still blocked by snow. I will take a walk to the nearest gold-dredge. There is many of them left around Nome...
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Apr 27, 2010 02:00 PM Crossing the Bering Sea...
There is only one charter flight per month performed by Bering Air from Nome! Russia and Alaska are so close but it is very difficult for the traveler to cross the Bering Sea. It was foggy in the morning in Anadyr, Chukotka and I was very much arfaid that they will not arrive... You can imagine how happy was I to see little, 14-seater bechcraft aircraft taxing on the snowy Anadyr airport runway!!!
Russian border formalities took me a long time, but finally I jumped on the plane. Captain Kevin Ohl flying already many years in the harsh climate contitions of Alaska gave me a warm welcome - I was the only passenger in the cabin! The flight over the ice took us about two hours, unfortunately there were quite a lot of clouds. But I was still abe to take some pictures of the pack ice... We landed safely in Nome airport... The time is 4 hours ahead and one day back! I started on Wednesday, but landed on Tuesday!
Welcome to the end of America!
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Apr 27, 2010 02:00 PM Nome - Alaska. My second Wednesday Apr 28th. How to survive...
Can you see Nome on your map? It is most- western township in America... 3500 souls... The place was unknown until the 1898 when three guys found here a gold. An invasion of gold prospectors started two years later and at the peak time around 30000 people tried a luck here. They still pan a gold in Nome area, but to be rich you have to work hard and also to be lucky.
From the airport to the "downtown" Nome is only about 2 miles - walking distance, and I wanted to walk to save the money but Goldie gave me a free lift, well even more: he was driving few loops around the town looking for the accommodation for the backpacker. -Thanks a lot, Goldie! Nome off the summer season is not a place for the backpackers. I feel here like a rare bird. The only little guesthouse is full (Mai's Guesthouse ph.907 443 4113) Second choice: Polaris Hotel offered me a room for 70 USD - sorry, too expensive!. Rasmussens "Sweet dreams" Bed and Breakfast wanted from me even 130 USD for the sweet night! I survived thanks to Father Ross from Catholic Church, who invited the world pilgrim to stay under his roof. God bless you Father!
I am only some 100 miles from the polar circle. It is snowing in Nome now. I pray for the better weather for tomorrow to take a pictures of Nome for you...
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Apr 26, 2010 02:00 PM Expensive, commercialized Chukotka...
Today I was invited to the Children's Palace in Anadyr to see the traditional Chukot dances and listen to the songs performed by the teenagers... And I had a wonderful time with them. The leader of the team - Galina Ivanovna is a charming, hospitable person. I had a chance to make some video recordings and to see their archive pictures. Great young people and great evening!
Norteco Agency came with a paper "dogovor" (agreement) who was an unpeasant surprise - I found out that their one-hour tour of the town will cost me 1100 roubles (like 22 taxi rides within the town, 50 roubles each) then a visit to geology room is 500 roubles (yesterday they said it is free because it is not a museum) and I must pay also 600 rou of undefined extra company costs... and so on...
After lovely reception on Sakhalin I did not expect that I have to check in advance in Chukotka how much money they expect. Mistake! I do not want a conflict, but let you know what you can expect. At the end of your stay You can find your date of birth or the distance Anadyr-Moscow (6400 kms) added to you Norteco bill... You can easily visit Anadyr on your own by foot...
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Apr 25, 2010 02:00 PM Chukotka dances and songs...
I am still in Anadyr - the capital of Chukotka region meeting people and taking pictures... Chukots have famous folk ansamble "Ergeron" ("The East"). I had a chance to see them on the stage and I must say that they impressed me. The songs acommpanied by drums in the local language were hard to understand but dances were dynamic and colorful...
We have sunny weather and minus 12 deg today. I hope that the little plane will come from Alaska to pick me up on Wednesday...
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Apr 24, 2010 02:00 PM 26000 for the day tour...
Chukotka. The Anadyr port is completly frozen. They say that they expect first cargo boat to come in June. Such a boat, coming usualy from Vladivostok could be another way to go to/from Anadyr...
I wanted to go outside Anadyr to see the Chukot village life. The nearest one - Konchyelam is 67 kms away and since there is heavy snow around all terrain vehicle is necessary to reach this village. Today they say that the round-trip day tour by trikol (ATV) will cost 26000 roubles - like 900 USD. Since I am again the only tourist in Anadyr there is a little chance that I will find other persons to split the cost...
Today I have a chance to meet local sled dogs place on the outskirts of Anadyr. I was riding such a sledge before but it was pleasure to see the friendly animals again. They were running on the deep snow in the bright sun. I hope that the pictures will be nice... I had reindeer meat for the lunch - quite tasty!
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Apr 23, 2010 02:00 PM In the snows of Anadyr - Chukotka
You will need a special permit from the Russian authorities to enter Chukotka. They check the permit before you will go out from the plane in Anadyr. I got my permit after waiting more then 3 months. An agency from Moscow (the middlemen) helped me to arrange it. An they took some extra money. Now I know that you can address directly to the NORTOCO agency in Anadyr - Chukotka to arrange the permit. Contact person is Natalia Belyokonyeva ph +7 924 6677014 e-mail nortoco(at)mail.ru on such a way you will avoid the additional cost I paid.
There are two airlines who fly to Anadyr from Moscow: Transaero and Yakutia and once per two week there is the flight of Vladivistok Avia from Khabarovsk. But Vladivostok Avia is not reliable airline.
I put on me all my warm stuff from the backpack and took a long walk around Anadyr. There are two orthodox churches (the upper one is very nice) giant monument of St Nicolas watching the Bering sea and Lenin monument...
One of the two main streets is also called Lenin St. At Lenin Square I found an interesting Chukotka museum. Entry is free. And the lonely city bus going up and down is also free - can you imagine?
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Apr 22, 2010 02:00 PM Landed in Chukotka...
It was long flight over snowy Siberia... I celebrated my nameday (the day of St Wojciech - 23rd April) on the plane before we landed the remote airport in Anadyr.
Anadyr is the capital city of the Autonoumus Okrug of Chukotka - the Russian territory just opposite Alaska.
A lot of snow here, strong sun and minus 10 deg. Celsius (only minus 10 - thanks God!).
The airport lies some 8 kms north of the town - to get to the town you have to cross 3 kms-wide bay called Liman. Thanks God it is still completly frozen so the cars go freely on the ice.
Anadyr city surprises me. I expected to see half-ruined post-Soviet outpost like Tiksi. But what I see is a nicely painted town with some modern houses, cinema, supermarket...
Only 49000 people live on whole Chukotka and around 15000 in Anadyr.
I found the accommodation in the private homestay - I pay 900 rouble for the warm room on the 5th floor. Lets have a rest and adjust to the ne time zone...
Thanks, dear Friends to all of you who sent me a wishef for my Imieniny=the Nameday celebrated by Poles!
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Apr 20, 2010 02:00 PM My friends from Sakhalin...
I travel alone. But every day of such a round-the-world voyage brings me a new adventures and meetings with a new people. In remote Yuzno-Sakhalinsk I found many nice and helpful people: Natasha - talented painter, Olga - the photographer, Kurils lover, Anna - charming director of Tchekhov museum, Igor - knowledgeable writer and photographer... Thanks a lot for your help and the wonderful time we spent toogether...
Natasha and Olga took me to the countryside - in the great lanscape we drove to the still frozen Lake Tunaycha. Then onward to the coast to meet swans (they are coming here from the south announcing the springtime) and to enjoy the great sunset...
I am waiting for the air connection to Chukotka. Sorry to say goodbye to my new friends in Sakhalin...
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Apr 19, 2010 02:00 PM How to get to Kuril Islands?
This chain of volcanic islands is famous for its beauty and unspoiled nature... It is very hard to get the information how to get there. I came without complete knowledge. Now let you know more: Yuzho-Sakhalinsk and little port of Korsakov are the gateways. You need a special permit to go to the Kurils. Friendly "Intur-Sakhalin" (former Intourist) will help you to obtain the paper. Contact Ludmila Ivanova intourist-sakhalin(at)isle.ru ph.420278 -Russian only or Marina (same phone) who speaks basic English. They need 5-6 days to complete the procedure. The cost of the permit is eqiuiv. of 20 USD in Roubles.
Transport: there are erratic flights only to Kunashir Island, often cancelled due to the foggy wheather. The only passenger boat "Igor Forkhudinov" sails weekly visiting 3 island one by one (Iturup, Sikhotan,Kunashir) before returning to Korsakov and make same route in the opposite direction. One way fare is 3500 roubles, due to the big demand book well in advance!.
The ship start sailings in April/early May - it depends of ice situation. I come this year too early - they to not operate yet -the first sailing will be at the end of April...
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