Day 129: Ho-kay.

So I've been trying to figure out a plan for Russia. (Current results: there are none.) While I was looking around the internet and hitting upon various touring companies, I started to think: Hey. Why don't I go to the north pole? Might as well while I'm up here, why not.

I'll tell you why not. I found about $20,000 worth of why not. That's right, the cheapest way I could find to get to the north pole ran about $20,000. I'm sure that would go over really well with the Watson folks. "Oh hey, I just spent 80% of my year's budget on a 10-day cruise to the north pole."

Admittedly, there are slightly (only slightly) cheaper ways to get up there on skiing expeditions. But considering I've only skied once before in my life - a cross-country event that resulted in what everyone assured me was impossible (I actually broke my skies) - that really doesn't seem wise at this time.

You can also fly up there, which is once again only marginally cheaper.



After a number of days of snow, we suddenly have clear skies and sweet jesus did it get cold. Only yesterday it was about -3 C (13 F) and today its -20 C (-5 F). I came downstairs this morning and there was ice on the INSIDE of the windows. Normally I'm pretty comfortable and just sort of generically think its cold outside, but let me tell you, you can really feel the difference. The booger-freezing difference.

I'm kind of looking forward to hitting the -40's in Norway. It'll be simply ridiculous.

Ah yes, the two first photos are of a very strange fog coming in - very unusual for this area for this time of year. In other random weather, the winds are changing here as well. From what the locals tell me, the snow drifts are in entirely new places this year, where they've never been before. The wind is coming from slightly north-west when it used to (in previous years) come straight from the north.

You've got a long ways to go, son:



Konrad playing on the snow piles made by the road-clearing (which is done via bulldozer):



Konrad again:



Whoa!:



The talented tumbler:



It's snowmobile season:





Try not to freak out too hard:





Very odd mirage:



Another photo:



Janu jumping off a roof:



Some houses: