Overview
Travel is…
… exploring a whole new area of the Arctic, from Alaska to Russia. (so close yet so far).
… managing a difficult zodiac landing to Cape Deshnev (the most easterly point of Russia).
… sitting on a log thinking of the relocated Inuit people who used to live on such a remote and beautiful piece of land (Cape Deshnev) overlooking the Bering strait (only 80kms from Alaska).
… about our amazing expedition leader getting permission for us to zodiac around the Russian Diomede island to see colonies of birds (located only 4kms from the American one); both islands are separated by the international date line.
… spotting 169 polar bears on Wrangel Island on my first visit and 102 on my second one.
… zodiac cruising thru a mystical looking fog rolling off Herald Island.
… traveling on my first icebreaker, Kapitan Khlebnikov (second voyage).
… having an intimate eye to eye contact with a nearby polar bear on ice next to our ship.
… meeting fun loving, charismatic (ex New York broadway dancer) mayor Richard Benneville in Nome Alaska on both visits (before his passing in 2020)