A completely worthless update

So, much of time in the last 3 weeks has been spent moving about. Waiting for the next flight, the next layover, the next shuttle, the next day, the next time I'll be on the net. Luckily I have had some lovely pieces of media to keep me more than occupied and stimulated. Thought I would share.

I realize the Radiolab is likely old news to everyone else. But it is a podcast that has become part of my daily life lately. Yesterday, I listened to the one entitled "Choice". If you have an hour...you could "choose" to indulge in some of this. I HIGHLY recommend it. It is a great conversation starter and good way to pass the time on an airplane without totally feeling like a sloth. I also suggest the good old favorite This American Life brought to you by none other than Chicago Public Radio.

When those ear buds started to make my out ear bones ache (you know what I am talking about)...I have been pulling out a few good reads. I have always been a sucker for short stories and this little collection (bought on complete impulse at LAX) did not disappoint.

I am also currently up to my elbows in

(Thank you, Chelsea for the recommendation. Loving it thus far)

It has been a while since I have been able to read as much as I have been lately and I must say it feels good. It is a wonderful way to pass the time til I make some friends in this town. All of the sudden, MY accent is the funny one.

In the mean time, I am going through a slight obsession with Radiohead's

Not my first obsession with this album. And likely not my last.

(I realize this blog post was entirely a media diary for me and likely of no interest to anyone else)

Cheers!

New Zealand

Totally sucks. I never get to do anything cool like fly in helicopters or eat lunch in ice caves.

Psych.

One hot little Utah minute

4 airplanes, 3 countries and 2 Ambien later...I have arrived back in SLC. I know it is entirely normal...but it still seems unnatural to me that I can wake up in Russia and go to sleep in Utah.
Russia is amazing. But not like Costa Rica amazing. And not really like Alaska amazing either. Like...Russia amazing. Does that makes sense? On some level, Russia is entirely unsurprising. It is exactly what one might expect. It is cold and sort of dirty. There are no sidewalks to speak of really, and being that it constantly rains...cold, muddy and wet walks to the metro are the norm. (Which also, despite it's depth and geographic uniqueness...the metro is rather dank and unimpressive itself) The people on the street are, on average, a little bit less than friendly. The language really is difficult and the food really is not that good. But when you get over/embrace all of this...and read some history on this city you realize that you are in a different kind of amazing place. There are certainly no beaches to lay on, no sweet little hostels that only cost $2 bucks. In fact, I'm pretty sure that despite popular belief...St Petersburg is just as, if not more expensive than any city here at home. What makes it amazing is the history and it's people.

St. Petersburg, was almost completely destroyed during World War II. It was taken hostage by Nazi Germany for nearly 900 days. The Siege of Leningrad was one of the longest and most destructive sieges of a major city in modern history. 1,000,000 St. Petersburg residents died during these 3 years, mostly of starvation. During my 2 week stay in Russia I was able to stay with 2 survivors of not only the war, but of the blockade itself.

(For your heroism, Leningrad)

There is no place in America where I can walk and still see physical remnants of any war. In St. Petersburg, this is not the case. Buildings that were destroyed are continually being rebuilt and renovated. Just a short ride on the metro and you are in the Piskariovskoye Memorial Cemetery. Nearly half of those lost were buried in this cemetary which is a series of 186 mass graves. Quite the sobering site.

Conversation at the Morosov residence was constant and rich. Somehow I don't really remember having these conversations the last time I visited the country. In addition to the blockade, discussions surrounding the Cold War, the race to space, the Middle East, Socialism, Obama, Putin and Captalism were all topics over dinner. I was wildly impressed with Ksusha and her young friends' knowledge of American and global politics, as well as their abilities to discuss them in a foreign language.

If someone would have asked me about the Cold War when I was seventeen...it likely would have been an embarassing experience.

Sharing dinner with 2 people who still think equivalate Stalin with God, two more people who grew up in the USSR and have watched the country change since the fall of communism, and one young idealistic girl who is both embarassed and wildy proud of Russia at the same time. . .is pretty priceless. And what do I learn from all of this???

That the Russians think Neil Armstrong was full of shit.
Among other things. :)

Here are a few pics from my last few days in the former USSR

So, I am back at my parent's house now. Just enough time to do my laundry, dye my roots :), repack and hit up the airport again tomorrow for a whole different kind of adventure. In a few hours I am heading to my mother's 51'st birthday party. Bucca di Beppo. This is the last time I will be with my family for the next several months. I am a little nervous about being alone and away from them and everyone else I know for a while. Not too sure how I got here and I have no idea what to expect of this next adventure, but I think I am ready for it.

A Dead Dan and the Former USSR

"Dan and Gordon crashed near the polychromes. Fatalities. Please call me"

This is the first email I read upon my arrival in Russia.
It was followed by about 20 other emails from people I know and love. Some saying Dan was dead. Some saying he was alive. There was one thing for sure. Dan's 185 crashed and was completely destroyed in Denali.

WHOA.

It was one of those moments when the world sort of stops for a second. And you realize that Dan is (or isn't dead) and you are in Russia and you don't have a phone and you are completely detached from the world you were just in. The one where you can call Tim and people speak English. The world where Dan is a good friend, a flight instructor, a neighbor...and someone that I have eaten 3 meals a day with for several years now. The person who gave me flight controls for the first time in my life. Tim says I got my pilot's license because of this man. I wouldn't necessarily argue that point.


If you haven't read this story, then you need to.

Alaskan Pilot with Severe Burns Able to Walk Out.

This is the Dan we all know and love.
The Dan that escapes from his burning 185, eludes death, hikes out of Denali for 2 days with some pretty crazy injuries, and HAPPENS upon the only 2 campers in Denali. Brought back to the airstrip at mile 229. What I would pay to have been there.
Seriously Dan. So amazing. You continue to be wonderfully bad ass.

Sadly we lost our friend and neighbor, Gordon Haber in the crash. He will be greatly missed in the Denali community. Gordon dedicated his life studying and observing the wolves of Alaska. He was quite the character! Check out his website.

Moving on...
I have now been in Russia for about a week. Quite the adventure it has been. Ksusha is suddenly not 10 years old anymore and she has been an amazing tour guide. Having her around really decreases the confusion caused by the large language barrier here. It is amazing how familiar this place is to me. Despite the obvious challenges of traveling in the Former USSR, we are having a great time. I have had some major problems getting my Visa to work over here. Took me a few days to get some rubles in my hands. But alas...I am in the money now.
Here are a few shots from the last week or so. I'll do a proper post when I get settled back in America...ummm...I mean New Zealand. Crazy times so far from home.

TV

I did something that I don't normally do tonight. I turned on the television having no idea what would be on. I guess I trusted the Universe to feed me what I needed through the powerful cable! Well, despite my ever growing disdain for this glowing rectangle, I got sucked in to a story of adventure that I won't soon forget. This is just a sampling of what quality entertainment there is on a Monday evening. I was almost embarassed by how entertained I was.

MEN VS WILD with Will Ferrell.

Wildly entertaining.

Loved every minute.

Thanks Discovery Channel.

In order to counteract my evening of complete physical inactivity, I ate a lot of broccoli and tried to engage in some obligatory floor exercises which I will likely regret upon waking up tomorrow.

I wish I could be as badass as these guys, dangling from helicopters and climbing up artic trees. But for the moment, watching them in my pj's will simply have to do. I'm bored. What else can I say?

Watch it. You know you want to.

Use em or lose em

Last week was pretty great in that I had a few visitors from Alaska. I always get really homesick for that place and it I am always beyond thrilled to have Alaska folks in my home town. Talk about worlds colliding. My mother made Giles meatloaf. So, yeah...that was pretty bizarre.

I met Giles several years ago on the George Parks Highway in Alaska. I think it is safe to say that while Giles is a great friend, we aren't exactly peas in a pod and we have been known to casually disagree over the years. But hot damn, he was in town and we were going on an adventure. I had been wanting to get down to the desert before leaving anyway so it seemed like a good excuse. AND I had a few sick days racked up.
So South we went. After a night bundled up in the Subie, we started the day off right with a desert dance party.

Giles tends to think I am slightly retarded most of the time. Clearly I'm over it. Although his dance moves were sub-par, I did talk him in to some desert yoga. A favorite past time of mine. Although his form needs a little work, I was still pretty impressed with his impromptu handstand.

It was then time for some sweet canyon hiking. We went up through Little Wild Horse Canyon in the Swell...and then back down through Bell Canyon. It was awesome.

What can I say? This place warms my little heart. Giles and I managed to maintain our friendship...although you still owe me gas money, dude. Maybe we can disagree about that next time I visit Cold Bay, AK.

ZAY

It sure just warms my little heart when I get to host some AK peeps right in my home town. They just don't grow them like this in Utah.