|
|
|
Bird Safaris: Timbavati's Most Desired Plumage
Normally when you think Safari you think Big 5. The spotlight or limelight is traditionally on lions, cheetah or elephants. But when do the birds get some of the attention? With outlandish names like the Chestnut-Vented Tit-Babbler and the...
Cayman Islands – Pristine Sea Sides With Modern Amenities
Are you looking for a vacation by idyllic seashores? The Cayman Islands of the Caribbean should be the perfect choice. The combined magic of the Grand Cayman, the Little Cayman and the Cayman Brac are sure to work. Best of all, these havens of...
Palmetto Dunes Plantation – Hilton Head Island
An Award Winning Vacation, Golf, Tennis and Beach Resort If you are planning a vacation for your family this summer and still are not sure where to go, I recommend going to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. This luxury getaway is just forty five...
Playa del Carmen, Mexico: Beyond the All-inclusive Resorts
Mexico's Caribbean Coast has become a top vacation destination over the past few years. What attracts most visitors to the area is the many mega-resort properties that line Highway 307 from Cancun to Tulum, also referred to as the Riviera Maya....
Student Travel – Backpacking In Europe
For the fortunate few, life isn’t complete without a backpacking trip through Europe. This right of passage is believed to further the maturation process of college students, according to sociologists. Of course, others have opined that copious...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Siberia , Russia Part 1 - Here I Come!
“You must really hate this job.” That’s what my boss said when I told him I was moving from San Diego to Siberia for a year. In reality, I was bored and looking for something that would be completely and utterly new. Whether it was sunstroke or a developing tolerance to margaritas, San Diego just wasn’t cutting it anymore. Heck, I hadn’t even gone to the beach in nine months and it was only a few blocks away. Time to rediscover a zest for life.
As you are doing now, I trolled the Internet looking for that rare opportunity that would renew my vigor and let me brag to my domesticated friends. Pick coffee in the South Pacific? No, I already drink too much of it. Sail around the world on a container ship? No, I wasn’t ready for involuntary self-reflection. Before I knew it, I had agreed to move to a city in Siberia known as Chita. Yes, I was going to be a professor at Chita State Technical University through a program put together by Siberian Intercultural Bridges. Donate - they need the money: http://www.siberian-bridges.org.
So, what does one take for a one-year stay in Siberia? Why, I’ll just go buy a guidebook on Siberia and read the “what to take” section. My search of the local mega bookstore was disappointing. Shockingly, there were no guidebooks for Siberia. I was tempted to write a nasty letter to Lonely Planet and others until the bookstore clerk said, “You’re going WHERE?” When she started giving me the “you must be a criminal on the run” look, it was time to go.
Fortunately, I was able to find experienced
travelers that could provide me with the details and items that were absolutely necessary. My girlfriend gave me the all-important electric blanket, a power converter and intimate details about what would happen to me if I should dare share it with another women. Grandpa gave me a World War II down coat that was about three sizes to big and made me look like a walking gopher. Family, friends and random strangers contributed further items and advice that would be critical to my survival.
Apparently rating my chances of survival at 50-50, friends and family put together a going away/never see him again party the day before I left. Of course, everyone brought Vodka as a humorous going away gift. The tide quickly turned, however, as all were asked/forced to try a “taste of Russia.” Many of the events of that night will remain forever sealed in antiquity, but it should suffice to say that the wife of one friend went into labor which made it a very fun night and subsequent day for him at the hospital. Few got off so easily.
Gigantic backpack, electric blanket, hangover and I headed to the airport the next morning. But that’s a story for part 2 of this nomad adventure travel series…
About the Author
Rick Chapo is with Nomad Travel Journals - Preserve the experience with writing journals for traveling, hiking, rock climbing, fly fishing, bird watching and more. This story series is being created from journals entries in a Nomad Travel Journal.
|
|
|
|
|
|