Repost…cant let Balloonman Posts get burried so fast…WOW

   

Toasty Warm Icy Greetings!

Springtime is underway in much of the northern hemisphere, but it will still be a while before it arrives in northern Siberia. The ice is still thick here but, if I squint real hard, I can see that change is in the air.

Speaking of thick ice, here’s a link to the latest gallery:

https://balloonbill.smugmug.com/Other/Lake-Baikal-1

This updated map of my travels shows there’s been some more movement eastward:

After traveling from Salekhard to Nadym and checking into a hotel, I went out exploring this new town. During a lifetime that has included travel to many obscure places, it has not been uncommon to be told by locals that I was the first American they had ever encountered. Decades ago, this didn’t surprise me, whereas now it does, including during these current travels. This is not something I expect in 2024.

All across Russia, it has been more common than not to be told by people that I am their first real live American. What adds to my surprise is that it’s common for such people to speak at least some English! Sometimes they speak only a few words, but many have a good command of the language, without ever before having met an English-first speaker. They are always thirsty to practice their English with this American traveler. The result is I have many conversations with locals everywhere, which benefits all of us. Afterall, as I explain to the people I meet, that although the adventure of exploring the physical world is highly interesting, the real reason I travel is to connect with individual people all over the world.

Being the first American encountered gives me a fun low level of celebrity. One curious thing is that all types of people regularly ask if they can take a selfie with me. In the frozen north of Russia, this has become even more common than earlier on this trip. People seem to be even more friendly and open up north, in a country where my experience is of amazingly hospitable, friendly people everywhere. That’s another way to say I feel very fortunate to be here and to interact with such people, to make even small connections.

On the afternoon of my arrival in Nadym, I went out with the idea of a short walk around town and, as is common, kept going until it was not exactly short. One thing always leads to another. The temperature was well below zero and, after a few hours of walking, I went into a grocery store to let my feet warm up. Noticing a coffee machine, I got a cup and a couple of pastries. As I was having these, a guy came up to me and asked in English if he could help me. Yes, it’s always obvious to locals that I’m “not from around here”.

Andrey and I ended up talking for more than two hours. I’ll usually talk as long as the other person wants to, as the conversations usually become more and more interesting as they go on, sometimes getting much deeper than I could ever imagine. This one was no exception. While we were talking, a group of five boys walked by. One of them said “hello” to me, so I asked if he spoke English. He was learning it in school, as were his buddies. They were so nice, so open, so healthy. They all asked to do individual selfies with me. I asked for a group shot before they left.

The next morning at the hotel, Anna the receptionist, who did not speak English, excitedly let me know through Google Translate that her son was very happy to meet me the night before, that he was one of the five boys in the store. I got my laptop to show her the group photo. Her son is second from the left. As it turned out, another of the boys was a friend of the other receptionist.

When checking out, Anna gave me the special gift of a container full of cranberries she had picked during the previous season. This was not the first such very personal gift I’ve received on this trip, but each one blows me away. The reaching out and connecting is very real. I am touched.

And now, real-time, it goes even deeper. While plunking out the thoughts in the above paragraph, the phone in my hotel room rang. In English, the receptionist apologized for disturbing me, then explained that because I am the only tourist and only American (in a city of 125,000 people), the local television station would like to interview me. So, this afternoon, I’ll do my second TV interview this month. How did the news people know I was here? Apparently, the grapevine communication network is alive and well all over the tundra.

Wishing you thick ice, a beautiful spring, good vibrations and great connections!

Bill