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Siberia Russia Part 4 Airport Follies And A Stern Lecture
n this continuing series, had never actually taught a class
we cover my decision to before, but I would deal with
move from San Diego to that later.
Chita, Siberia to be a professor
at Chita State Technical We descended out of the clouds
University. We pick up the story into a rainstorm. The view was
aboard the flight from Anchorage still incredible. We were flying
to Khabarovsk, Russia. into a flat valley surrounded by
snow-capped mountains. Everything
Day 3 [Still] was a deep green. A few cabins
could be seen on the ground.
As I lounged in my huge Aeroflot
seat, the stewardess announced There was a very clear view of
that we would be arriving in the airport as we banked through
Khabarovsk in the next 30 the valley to approach from the
minutes. Khabarovsk is located in West. Umm, aren't airports
the deep south of the far east of usually lit up? This one looked
Russia on the border with China. like a ghost town. The runways
It is the home of the Far East looked fine, but there were no
Military of Russia and is the lights in the buildings. There
largest city east of Lake Baikal. appeared to be a dearth of
I was primarily interested in how activity on the ground. I had
hard it would be to find a hot never backpacked from a plane to
shower. the airport, but maybe this was
the way it was done. When in
Well, this was it, the first day Rome...
of my year in Siberia. I had my
phrase book, electric blanket, Finishing off an incredible
traveler's checks and a solid flight, our Russian pilot set us
rush of adrenaline. Of course, I down with a light touch. As we
taxied up to the airport, I could industrial. That is to say, no
only think that if the rest of effort was made to sell you fast
Russia was as good as the flight, food, booze, ice cream,
it was going to be a great year. "Khabarovsk Hard Rock Café"
shirts or duty-free crap you
Blink, blink, blink...lights really didn't need. Frankly, it
started coming on in the was a relief.
terminal! Despite being no more
than 50 feet from it, we were Russian customs worked pretty
herded onto a transport. We much the same way as customs at
started, did a wide u-turn and any airport. You grabbed your
stopped at the gate. All I could bags, bummed pens off of
think of was "The Gods Must Be strangers to fill out forms and
Crazy." stood in long line with other
tired travelers. Eventually, you
"The Gods Must Be Crazy" was a got to the front of the line and
hilarious movie released in the tried to see how the person
eighties [no jokes about my age]. standing eight feet in front of
The first scenes of the movie are you did it.
biting satires of our modern way
of life versus the indigenous Unfortunately, my turn was also
tribes of Africa. In one scene, a my first chance to experience the
woman gets into her car, backs Russian language. I passed my
down to the end of her driveway passport, custom forms and visa
and puts a letter in the mailbox. through the little window. I also
Ah, progress! The journey from tried an innocent smile, which
the plane to the airport couldn't worked about as well as smiling
have been much longer. at an IRS agent. Everything went
smoothly until the customs agent
The airport terminal was pretty started speaking rapidly and
pointing at my customs form. universal customs agent
Something was wrong, but I hadn't expression known as "stupid
a clue as to what. I turned to foreigner...why did I take this
Grae with a quizzical look and he job...I really wanted to be a
came forward to interpret. painter..."
All international travelers Eventually, the issue with the
quickly learn a fundamental rule. form was resolved. I would like
The "wait here" line at customs to tell you that I took an active
is sacred. To prematurely cross role in this, but I basically
the line is to commit an act of stood there while the agent
war. Russian customs was no grumbled and aggressively stamped
different. Grae was loudly the documents. I did actively
instructed to get behind the line pray that the stamp wouldn't
and wait his turn. The customs explode, but that was about it.
agent then gave me a stern Grae moved through customs
lecture. To this day, I can't without incident and we walked
tell you if he was discussing my out into the cool, wet air of
forms or the weather, but the Khabarovsk, Russia.
tone was definitely stern. The
lecture was capped by the To be continued...
About the Author:
Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com - Preserve the experience with writing journals for traveling, hiking, rock climbing, fly fishing, bird watching and more. Check out http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com to read more travelogues and articles.
Source: www.isnare.com
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