I am starting this entry from the air somewhere over Northern Siberia...Today was a busy day. We got up early 6:45am (11:45 pm the previous night on home time) to eat a quick breakfast before heading in to down-town Moscow. Marianna, Volker and the US team went to a briefing at the US embassy in Moscow. We gathered at the Embassy gate and several embassy personnel from the Science and Environment office met us. After passing security, they ushered us into the embassy compound and to a large briefing room. At the briefing, Julie Brigham-Grette gave a presentation about the Lake E project to an international audience of diplomats and embassy support personel from many different countries.
Julie Brigham-Grette with US Ambassador Beryle (photo courtesy US embassy)
We were pleased that Ambassador Beryle attended part of the briefing. In his remarks to the other diplomats, he commended the US-Russian-German-Austrian cooperation that has made the Lake E expedition possible and he welcomed more international cooperation for future scientific research.
After a stop back by the Hotel to collect our luggage, we were off to the BHYKOBO (Vonukovo) Airport. Now we are traveling as a group of seven with a LARGE pile of luggage!
The team of 7 with 20 bags of luggage.
We boarded our flight to Pevek, in typical style of Russian domestic flights... open seating. We were told to expect considerable pushing and shoving on the stairs prior to boarding the flight, as everyone wants good seats. Fortunately, some of our team managed to secure seats for all of us together.
Because of the excess cargo on the flight, the plane needed to stop and refuel in the village of SURGUT. We had about an hour layover before re-boarding the flight for the final six hour journey to the Arctic.
THE NEXT DAY 03/24/2009
On the flight, after having breakfast just a few short hours after dinner, (8 time zones in a 9 hour flight) I got my first glimpse of the Arctic Ocean.
My first view of the Arctic Ocean.
Shortly afterwards I spotted our destination, the village of Pevek .
Pevek from the Air.
After a fairly smooth landing on a snowy runway, we climbed down the stairs on to the frozen airport tarmac.
Deplaning at Pevek airport.
Upon entering the airport, we waited quite a while for passport control to approve our entry into Chukotka. When our translator and driver arrived, this process finished quickly and we boarded the Bus??? for the several mile drive to Pevek.
Heavy duty transport in Pevek.
Upon arrival, we received some disappointing news that there have been some difficulties with the drilling at the lake. As the team at the lake tries to remedy the problems, our team will temporarily wait in Pevek and be available to coordinate logistical support as requested.
So, for now, we wait. We are staying in the Pevek, Roshydromet station.(Russian National Weather Service) It sounds like we may have some time to see the sights around Pevek over the next several days... more on this later. After settling in, some of us went shopping for some breakfast food and then we went out to eat for a delicious dinner at Pevek's only Restaurant.
Borscht- a wonderful soup.
Reindeer with mashed potatoes...very tasty!
T-Mart ...staying warm in Pevek.