Journal Entry

Today is the one year anniversary of my first arrival in Russia. One year ago to the day, after over 36 hours of traveling, I landed in the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk airport and discovered that only one of my bags had made it to Russia with me. Was it a happy anniversary? Read on! We got up at 6 this morning at the Seoul Royal Hotel, met for breakfast at 6:30 and caught the bus back to the airport at 7. We took the same bus as yesterday, complete with frilly curtains on the windows.

Nick Shankle on the bus in Seoul, KoreaNick Shankle on the bus in Seoul, Korea

Nick Shankle, riding the shuttle bus to the Seoul Airport. Note the frilly purple curtains behind him.

** We got to the airport at about 8, checked in for our flight and then passed through security and immigration control. Our flight was supposed to leave at 10 am, but we took off about half an hour late. The flight to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk was 3 hours and the time difference is 2 hours later than Seoul. We landed in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk at 3:30 and by 4:30 we had passed through immigration control and customs. I am very happy to say that not only did all of my bags make it, but all of the group’s bags also made it!

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, when James went through customs, they searched the cooler that he had packed with group gear and some of his personal gear. While they were occupied with James and his "contraband” (actually packages of beef jerky), the rest of us were able to pass through customs without much incident. James did lose his jerky, but his sacrifice as he successfully distracted the customs officials did not go unappreciated by the rest of the group (we made it through with our beef jerky intact). We loaded all of the gear – 7 coolers and about 9 duffels, plus our carry-on bags – into a bus from the Institute of Marine Geology, which took us to our "dom” (home) for the next three-four days.

Our Group on the Bus in Yuzhno-SakhalinskMost of our team (Dani Plante, Shelby Anderson, Nick Shankle, Mike Etnier, James Taylor, Colby Phillips and Misty Nikula from left to right) on the bus to the Institute of Marine Geology

  Dani (behind bar), Shelby, Nick, Mike, James, Colby and I (left to right) ride the bus to the Institute.

** We are staying in an apartment about twenty minutes by car north of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, near the Institute. It is a two bedroom flat, on the second floor, with a small bathroom, a main living area and a kitchen (well, a room with a sink and some cooking supplies). The flat is owned by the Institute and they are generously letting us use it for the next few days.

Apartment Building in Yuzhno-SakhalinskThe apartment building with the 2-room apartment that we stayed in while we were in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

The apartment building near the Institute of Marine Geology, north of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Our flat is on the second floor right above the little girls, with the light on.

** Outside there is a small open park area where kids are playing with a soccer ball and kitty corner across the park is the "magazin” where we bought food for dinner, breakfast and lunch tomorrow. The magazin is a small sort of convenience store where Russians buy food. We bought two loaves of bread, some cured sausage, cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, nectarines, yogurt, cold cereal, juice, sugar, tea, instant coffee and noodle bowls. Of course, we’ll be back tomorrow for more food…..

Now we are just hanging out in the apartment, we’ve gotten settled in with our gear, arranged cots and mats for sleeping in the bedrooms, main living area and even the balcony (where Nick is sleeping). We’ve got at least three days and only a few major tasks to undertake before we head to Korsakov on Tuesday. Ben and I have to go to the computer store to set up the satellite phone, we have to buy a few pairs of hip wader boots, repack and inventory the gear and purchase personal supplies of dried fruit, nuts and other "essentials” at the Russian bazaar. With only these few small tasks, it might be a long three days…..