Russia

Across the Mongolian/Russian Border

Wednesday, June 11, 2014 We set off from Ölgii around 9:30 and headed towards the Mongolian/Russian border. Most of the road was sealed but we did have our last stretch of unsealed Mongolian road as well. In a strange way…

Murmansk

Saturday, June 15, 2013 Murmansk is the home of the Russian Navy’s Northern fleet as well as nine nuclear powered ice breakers.  In the morning we went for a city highlights bus tours stopping to see Alyosha the defender of…

Franz Josef Land

Wednesday, June 12, 2013 After a day at sea we arrived at Franz Josef Land. Look it up. We were far north on the map, very far north actually. Never even thought about getting here. But then again… this was…

Novaya Zemlya

Monday, June 10, 2013 Monday, June 10th Morning Activities Today we truly ventured north.  We woke very early to discover the ship had discovered ice.  Ice conditions prevented a landing at the abandoned Soviet research base.  Instead the captain took…

Cape Kanin

Saturday, June 8, 2013 Cape Kanin is the last outpost of the White Sea and mainland Russia before we head north into the Barents Sea. We did a little Tundra hiking before our 2 day sea voyage to the next destination.

Chapoma and Pyalitsa Rivers

Chapoma River If you believe the guides, apparently we were the first westerners to visit this Chapoma River village.  We saw first hand how hard life is in these remote lands.  There is no wharf for large boats to land…

Zayatsky and Anzer Islands

Thursday, June 6, 2013 Zayatsky Island This was our first ‘real’ expedition outing as we got into the zodiacs for the first time this trip to join the Expedition team and local guides for a walk to view a chapel…

Solovetsky Island and Monastery

Wednesday, June 5, 2013 We visited Solovetsky Island and Monastery on a cold summer’s day.  This spiritual home to the Russian Orthodox Church was the greatest citadel of the church in the far north until it was turned into a…

Heading to the White Sea

Sunday to Tuesday, June 2-4, 2013 We left Kirkenes, Norway, at 6:30pm on June 2nd and arrived in Arkhangelsk, some 38 hours later on June 4th. Since this was The World’s first port-of-call in Russia on this trip, it took…

The photos.

Wow! What a trip! What a rush! I left home in San Francisco on July 30th, visited 8 countries in just under 6 weeks (I must be turning into a good American!) and arrived back home on August 6th. Naturally…

Success on Mt. Elbrus

Sorry for the delay in posting, but Internet is not that reliable here in Russia. The good news is that I successfully summited the highest peak in Europe, being Mt. Elbrus at 5,642 meters. Today I spent the day touring…