Kamchatka... Wild Russia

[Magnusmarkussen]

Hey everyone! First of all, thank you for having me, it looks like a great board.

I, like the rest of you guys, have a great interest in nature, and here it is. I got a -crazy- idea. A new crazy idea.

Just to introduce myself... In 2009 I got the idea to ride across a continent on my bike, doing at least 150 km/day. A friend and I ended up crossing the northern tier of the United States in 2010, at the age of 18 I was the youngest Dane to cross, and also the fastest, with 29 days. My friend second-youngest (age 20) and similarly fastest.

Now it's 2012 and in summer I'll graduate high school. I know I'll have one gap year before beginning university-studies , so I'm thinking about what to do...

KAMCHATKA!

Wouldn't it be awesome to go to Kamchatka and live in the bush for a year? Wake up when the sun does, ride horseback to a designated area in the woods to build a tree hut? Scout for bears while fishing to cook dinner?

-- To live at the world's end? --

I think so... What do you think? Is it a ridiculous idea? Have you been to Kamchatka? (Esso?, other smaller towns?)

Tell me what you think, and thank you for welcoming me on board!
--- And for those of you that are so unfortunate not to know what, where, why... THIS is Kamchatka:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIGtpDbvSiI

Cheers, Magnus -- Denmark

 

[Jaan]

I live in Estonia and as you might know, we've been on-and-off under Russian rule since the the Great Northern War.

Russia has had a tremendous effect on our people, our culture, our architecture and so forth. We've been free now since 1991 and most young people despise Russia for what they did to us.

I find it a VERY interesting part of our history. For example - I speak fluent English, watch British comedy shows, American TV shows and know more about the culture of the West than I do about the culture of Estonia. I even went to the university in Denmark. But I don't know almost anything about Russia.
But, it is exactly the opposite for my parents. They speak fluent Russian, even though they grew up in a small town with almost 0 Russians. They watch Russian TV-shows and comedy in the evenings. They watch Russian news. They travel to St. Petersburg to see the culture, while I do the same in Stockholm, Helsinki or Copenhagen. In one generation people have gone from looking to the East to looking to the West.

I understand a bit of Russian but since I don't need it daily I've never learnt it properly. But now that I've been interested in bushcraft for the past two years it is something I absolutely NEED to learn. Let me give you something to think about - organizing transportation and a week's stay in Russia costs the same as a single train ticket in any of the European countries. Russia has a PRISTINE wilderness and it starts 100km behind the border, when traveling East from Estonia.
There are fewer laws and the forests are so big that nobody will ever know you've been there. Nobody cares. Russians are very friendly people, once you get to know them, especially if you can speak the language. And who wouldn't want to stay in the world's biggest wilderness?

People dream about visiting Finland, Sweden, Canada. I do too. They seem safer and more familliar. But Russia has it ALL and even more. Russia is an amazing country geographically and a true wonder for anyone interested in nature.

That said, I've never been there. I'm afraid a bit. I don't know the language and I am very sceptical. I'll have to learn the language and make a few short trips. But I think it will be worth it.


But in any case - visit one of the Eastern Bloc countries first to get a feel for it. Most of us are in the EU, but the life in the countryside has not changed much. It is easier to travel here, you will be in Europe, the laws are similar to Russia (nobody cares) and there are large portions of forests where nobody goes. You'll get to see wonderful Russian military sites, which have been abandoned. And I think most of the Eastern Bloc countries have similar wildlife too. Estonia has at least.

Sorry for the long post - needed to get this out. Hope my view of an ex-occupied country gets across.

 

[Magnusmarkussen]

Thank you for your contributions Jaan! I could figure almost all that, people interested in the east now starts to learn Chinese rather than Russian nowadays too, just to give an example. While I do not speak Russian, I hope to learn it if I go for a year. I don't really have time in-between now and when I am leaving -- It'll have to be all or nothing, go or not go. Another plan of mine is to live in Efratah just South of Israel for a year, so that's probably not any less 'scaring'

A Russian friend and I agreed that if dragons do exist, they live in Russia... Russia has everything, and more.

 

[nunzionuk]

There are dragons in wales

 

[sandbender]

"...And for those of you that are so unfortunate not to know what, where, why... THIS is Kamchatka:

[video=youtube;KIGtpDbvSiI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIGtpDbvSiI[/video]

This isn't Kamchatka, but it is 'next door'.

[video=youtube;CPep-KUMAYA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPep-KUMAYA[/video]

I think the paperwork will be the end of your proposed adventure, getting everything in order will be both time consuming and expensive. Good luck though, if you do actually make it out there you will need it.

For an easier time you might try Transylvania, closer to home, easier to get to and there are places where you could conceivably get away with riding a horse someplace and building a hut when you got there.

"...visit one of the Eastern Bloc countries first..."

Do you mean former Eastern Bloc countries? Or are you talking about Belarus or the Ukraine? Which are both equally hard to get into to do this sort of thing. Nice parts of the world though (albeit a little radioactive here and there).

The Hungarians also have a long history with Russia, going back to the mid nineteenth century when their revolution against Hapsburg domination was crushed by the Tsar and his troops and of course more recently the second world war and the 56 revolution. It is the case that some people really really hate the Russians, however they are in the minority, most people are indifferent. Like Estonia the young have a fascination for 'western culture' however I see more evidence that they also appreciate their own history, culture and customs, more so than I see with British kids.

There are dragons in wales

Hungary also has dragons but unlike Welsh dragons they have seven heads.

 

[Magnusmarkussen]

A friend of mine has a travel agency and speaks Russian fluently (MSc). He has been to Kamchatka a few times, and Russia more times than he can remember - he should be able to help me with all the paper work.

Luck are for those that don't believe in hard work and preparing..

 

[nuggets]

good luck to you then !!!!