Yes, we did it. We were in Yakutia’s valley of Oymyakon. Our first morning in the coldest place in Siberia. It was -52C. Pretty good, indeed 
and felt really good. Watch the video and see what cold air we were breating.
Pole of Cold: Oymyakon
1 km from Oymyakon, Sakha (Yakutiya) russia
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Oymyakon: Coldest town on earth
Meteorological station Tomtor - google map: Tomtor
Oymyakon: – google map: Oimjakon
Is it dangerous to travel to Oymyakon, the Pole of Cold in winter?
Read more: AskYakutia.com
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January 5, 2010
Every country, disposing territories on the north like Finland, Sweden and Norway cannot help but offers reindeer safari among its winter tourist services. Russia is not exception. In Russia you can choose between Karelia, Murmansk Region, Yamal peninsula and so on along the north of the country down to Chukotka which is separated from North America by the Bering Strat.
There are also such tourist services in America, but we are talking about Russia. And all the small peoples of the North living on this huge space use reindeer teams as traditional mean of transport. Each region has its own national color, and it I’ve chosen Sakha Republic and Evenki people. I have selected them in hazard because all these people with their reindeer teams are equally worth to be described.
First of all, a little ethnography, because such tours are not only adventure ones, but ethnographical as well. Evenki are a Tungusic people of Northern Asia. In Russia, the Evenki are recognized as one of the Indigenous peoples of the Russian North.
They live in many Russian regions, including Sakha Republic. There is a settlement in Sakha Republic, called Iengra. It is situated not far (according to the Siberian standards) from the city of Neryungri. Most people, living there, are Evenki. The tour operators offer to begin the nomadic reindeer safari tour from this settlement. It is a unique settlement, because only here the Evenki survive their culture and language. There is also an ethnographical museum in this settlement, introducing the visitor such aspects of Evenki culture as reindeer breeding, traditional hunting and shamanistic ritual.
A model nomadic camp is also represented in the museum. The folk music ensemble Yukte (spring brook) will fill up the canvas with their music and national costumes. On the second day time for a field trip comes. The reindeer-team driver (in the traditional culture of Evemnki reindeer-team driver is a woman) will train you reindeer-team driving.
The reindeer figures in Evenki traditional culture constantly: reindeers were gifted to guests, they were used as bride-money and every family member had her/his own reindeers. The first gift to the baby was a reindeer. The first mean of transport for a baby who can not yet walk was also a reindeer. The babies were pinioned to the pack on the reindeer’s back. By the way, Evenki ride the reindeers as well, not only team them. On the third day you will ride the reindeer too.
During the next 3 days you will drive reindeer-team and ride them (if your weight lets, I suppose. The reindeers are not horses). By the way, the interest to the encampment and cooking from the tourists is welcome. The nights you will pass in weather resistant tents. Finally you will return to Iengra. You say goodbye to your reindeer team driver and then follows the transfer to the city of Neryungri with accommodation in the hotel and reunion with the civilization. All you need to take part in such a journey is wish, money to buy a tour and Russian visa, getting of which is easy with our Russian visa service .
Yulia Buzykina
via Russia-InfoCentre Source: planetyakutia.com
On 12.26.09, In Adventures, Humours, By Silandi
About a Boy Special
Ms Merkel’s Christmas Adventure (1 / 3)
BY SEBASTIAN DALKOWSKI – last update: 24.12.2009 – 18:18
Duesseldorf (RPO). Our columnist gets bored at Christmas and therefore think of a three-part adventure with the Chancellor. In the first episode Ms. Merkel arrives at the end of the world.
“Friends, the ice has cost another 10 pfennig the ball.” Photo: AP
Mrs Merkel was sweating like the underside of a lid, which lay on a pot of boiling water. She liked to draw early in the morning to ski their lonely orbits through the snow, but Mr. Sauer and they had long ceased to be in Switzerland, and she was a little out of practice. Now, at Christmas, they had finally found the time. With joy she thought of the evening, Christmas Eve. You, Mr. Sauer, the food, the tree, the gifts, the gifts, the gifts.
The sound that launched the failure of these plans was initially low. Mrs Merkel is hardly heard as loudly as she panted. Then she stopped in amazement and turned around. In the distance, a black van drove up. The track would destroy the whole beautiful, thought Mrs. Merkel. Driving here was not allowed at all.
Then she sat down again on the move. The noise grew louder. Mrs. Merkel stopped again, turned around and looked angrily at the van, which was slower and slower and finally stopped a few feet away from her.
“What are you thinking?” She cried, pointing a bird, still got out before anyone. The driver did not move. It was only then she noticed that he wore a black balaclava.
“Oh,” thought Mrs. Merkel, “I better be leaving.”
But no sooner had she turned, jumped two men, who also wore ski masks, from the hold into the snow. Three seconds later, Mrs. Merkel was black before his eyes.
C.T. Madigan, between 1911-1914 /photograph by Frank Hurley
Without fur clothing: The ice is not outside, it is inside !!!!
:)
Six Dog Night. That is an Alaskan expression for those deep, frigid days that the Alaskan Interior is famous for. Temperatures bordering -60 degrees Fahrenheit (-51 Celsius) are not unheard of in January and February.
But where did this expression come from? Why six dog night?
What a feeling – high above the clouds with a view of four countries, lies our Zugspitze Igloo Village in the heart of Germany’s most popular ski resort. Enjoy the magnificent scenery on the Zugspitze Glacier and treat yourself to a very special night in Germany’s highest igloos. (more…)
Yesterday, on Nov. 1, I wanted to participate in the local GPS orienting, but failed. At the last moment, I couldn’t find my fur boots. They were left in a wardrobe at work the last spring. “Damn,” I said. Without extra warm boots I couldn’t bring myself to stay outdoor the whole day, when the temperature was frozen at minus 20 degrees centigrade.
Well, I missed the event. My wish to take pictures of frozen competitors was great. I do regret, but not so much. My colleague Ekaterina, who managed to compete as a trekker, promised me to bring photographs tomorrow and share them with the rest of the world. So, rejoice.
Meanwhile, check out how trekkers can look like, when it is extremely cold. Here we go!
That's Katerina. She was trekking along the hills around Yakutsk at -30C. Nov 16, 2008.
