2005-04-10 - We´ve made it to Chersky!
10 Apr, 05 - 23:27
GPS-pos: N68°47´ | E161°22´ | Alt: 23 M
10th of April today, 14°F with a strong sun and a cold northerly. We´ve just made it to Chersky, from where we will head out on our last stretch to reach our final goal at Ambarchik Bay. This very Russian-Sovietic settlement is located at N 68°47´02.0 and E 161°22´24.5 .
The welcome party started already 2 km:s before we reached the settlement. It consisted of 3 interesting and friendly ladies on skis belonging to the only organization of its kind in Yakutia - the prevention of domestic violence. They made us feel very welcome by serving us plenty of local delicacies -yes, since many readers have pointed this fact out, we can´t deny it anymore, we have gained additional weight since leaving Kolymskaya- and niceties, before we all together made our way into Chersky. They didn´t take no for an answer either, so they pulled our pulks and didn´t therefore arrive as relaxed as we did, but very sweaty and tired. Once there, a group of elderly gents in fur hats turned up, belonging to the organisation for the preservation of the nature and they made the ladies feel un-welcome. They were the official welcome party, and, to honor this specific occasion, they were all slightly intoxicated.
They brought us with smiles and true happiness to an apartment in the outskirts of the settlement, which they had prepared in our honor. Since then, we´ve been eating great local food and done a lot of offering to the Gods. To make our stay safe and give us success during the last leg to Ambarchik. The offerings are done with the help of vodka. The vodka, which is not used in the offering ceremonies, about 95% of the bottle, is thereby consumed.
There´s no doubt we look forward to reaching Ambarchik. Mainly to put an end to the physical hardship, but I know that I will suffer, once we have to leave this area and return home. It´ll be difficult to enjoy life fully, after this Expedition, knowing that these fanta tic and genuinly good people are so far away. Life will never be the same after this. |
