In the morning we wait for Constantine in bright sunshine and worry about the water level of the rivers. It looked barren from the plane and the weather doesn’t promise water either.

The Ural arrives three hours later than promised, packed with luggage and a family with a son and a daughter in the loading area, where we join them. This monstrous truck has wheels big enough to drive through any river and is heavy enough to just plow every tree in the way.

The long journey turns out to be very tiring. Two drivers take turns so that we drive continuously. The speed at which it passes over the river pebbles causes us and our luggage to fly into the air and bounce back onto the hard surface. For ten hours. It will be a stress test for bones and material. An iron bar pierces Uli’s backpack.

The Ural struggles through the moss of a mosquito-infested forest. Some fallen trees need to be removed. A chainsaw is already available just in case. The chain jumps, but can be repaired. In the distance we see beautiful lakes, masses of cranberries sprout beneath us and clouds of mosquitoes buzz around us.

Sibirian Food:

Reindeer, cranberries and Vodka

Our anti-mosquito remedy saves us from certain death by bleeding out. At 11 p.m. in the dim light, there is a pause and faster than we can watch a campfire is pounding and pots and bags are brought out for a sumptuous supper. Constantine spends a round of vodka. We reciprocate with whiskey and guitar playing.  

Then we continue through the night when it doesn’t get dark. From one o’clock it starts to get light again. In the storage area everyone tries to sleep while shaking violently.

We only get bruises and our world is only pain. Then we reach the Evenen yurts.