A Hearty Hello From The Hinterlands!

Often during my travels I am asked, why did I come to this particular place. The answer varies with each specific situation, but it almost always includes the fact that I had no long-range plan to be there. People are usually surprised that my travels have not been meticulously planned out in advance.

If, for whatever the reason, a brief simple answer seems most appropriate to this question, answering in this manner satisfies the questioner, but without providing any substance. At the other end of the spectrum, I sometimes am moved to give a much more in-depth reply to that seemingly simple question, one that might provide the questioner with a window into what really makes me tick. The basic answer boils down to, I felt like it. This type of answer oftentimes leads to many more questions, but no real logical, practical, reasonable answers. It also usually leads to my asking the questioner why they do anything, what is at the core of what they do, or why they are the way they are. Such conversations are always interesting and serve to remind me that I don’t really know why I do what I do! It all just sort of happens on its own, if I allow it, and I move forward to find out what is in store for me. It’s part of the process of personal discovery. Most often, this is how the process works at least day-by-day, if not moment-by-moment, whether I’m home or away.

All of the above is meant to answer the question of why I am where I am now, which is in a town called Usinsk, in the Komi Republic. Until very recently, I had never heard of the Komi Republic. And it wasn’t until just three days ago that I was aware of a town called Usinsk. At that time, I was in Arkhangelsk, which was a very pleasant surprise for me. After checking out that fine city, I wondered what might come next. As is common for me, I looked at a map for ideas, because maps are literally covered with ideas. Yet, my interest is not a bunch of random ideas, but the idea(s) tailored specifically to me, so I look for whatever stands out or for whatever draws me to it. Something always does.

That’s generally how my travels unfold. Possibly it’s by looking at a map, or maybe I’m attracted to a photo, or someone’s mention of a favorite place catches my interest, or an idea pops into my head, or maybe I just see or hear a name and it sticks. That’s how I had arrived in Archangelsk, because while in Murmansk I looked at a map to see what might come next and saw the name of that city, liked it and bought a ticket to go there the next day. Pretty much the same thing led to my coming to Usinsk, except it this case I followed the railway tracks and roads north on the map and saw they all ended in Usinsk. That was enough for me to want to come here. So-called ‘dead ends’ have always attracted me, mostly because I always wonder what is past the end.

Anyway, it was an easy process in Arkhangelsk to buy a train ticket online, to leave the following day and come to Usinsk. The journey itself took two full days, which meant I got to sleep two full nights on a train. Yesterday noon, I arrived in Usinsk. This is a really nice place! It’s another surprise in a long string of surprises, to find such a place where ‘no one goes to’ without reason, not even Russians, but where real people live and normal life takes place. And, last night, I had the best lamb shank dinner I’ve ever had, so of course I like the place. Now, today, once again I wonder what comes next.

For now, here’s another new photo gallery, from an earlier unfolding by the same process:

https://balloonbill.smugmug.com/Other/To-The-Altai

Happy unfoldings to you, wherever you are and whatever results!

Bill