Permits procedure to start all over again
More developments we could have done without I’m afraid. It would appear that the agent we employed to handle obtaining permits etc has caused us a bit of a problem. Even though Karl and Dimitri gave pretty specific instructions as to how long this next leg would take, the agent (with a choice of two months or six months permits) chose the lesser. This means that K and D will have to leave Russia by the end of this month. Dimitri was in fact leaving anyway, to continue his ‘Nexus Expedition’ later in the year, but Karl will now have to return to Alaska and begin the permits procedure over again. Luckily friends in the administration will try to ‘fast track’ the procedure, however this could still take 45 days. Karl hopes to be back in Chukotka in late July. This obviously means yet another change of route which will probably be to the north of the one he was going to use. Given the availability of aircraft, Karl will probably return to Alaska on 21st May.
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The Russians are not on the same planet as civilisation
You think that travelling from Argentina to Alaska and crossing the Strait was a major challange? Nope! Coping with the Russian bureucracy is!
At least he will go the northen way - in this case he has more chances to reach Yakutsk and stay out of trouble.
Dimitri, well done and hope to see you soon. Let me know if you need any help from me. Let’s discuss about Great Wall expedition.
karl ur an inspiration to mankind. i wish you the best with the rest of the journey.
How goes things Keith?? Still a case of slowly slowly catchy monkey!
Dave…
I’m afraid so. We have a new agent, quite a well-recognised one, and the paperwork for the new permit was submitted 10 days ago. Other than that there’s not a lot we can do now other than wait for the permit to be issued. Karl is filling in the time by giving a few talks/ lectures at various sports emporiums in the US and Canada paid for by his footwear sponsor, Zamberlan. We won’t make any money out of it but at least the expedition will raise its profile in some quarters.