Yaroslavskaya Oblast’

Avanchinsky! 2741m high and beautiful with a lake of lava stuck in the crater, very unusual and with fumeroles and a view on the pacific and the avacha bay, just marvelous. And it was, just not until the very top for me. But from the beginning. We, that means the ones not going to Kuril lake today as in Marcel&Laura, Rebecca&Martin, Daniel, Timon, mum and me would get up at around 5:30, breakfast at 6 and then off we were at 7. Under a bit of fog but otherwise a freshly powered Volcano in sight with another one next to it we started our walk. It was wonderful. Just not my knees. They already didn’t like at all the going down I did and today they even hurt on the way up. It got worse and I know one shouldn’t think about the way down on the way up but knowing I had in total 1800m of going down I was a bit worried. Even more that I had already taken some pain killers and they didn’t work. We had a break at about 2000m and I actually decided to try it to the top but when we got into the snow field it was just painful. So I said I would turn around. I was so disappointed. Even more that Anya had to come with me since Vitaly didn’t want my mum (she decided to turn around, too) and me going down on our own because of fog. Although it was quite busy with lots of people going up and down so we were sure to be fine but Vitaly is so worried about our security that Anya had to come with us. Then the group left was one with different speeds and they now had to get all up - or all turn around in case. I felt bad. The walk down was pleasant when also quite painful but as we got the news over the walkietalkie that they all reached the summit I was relieved. We took our time going down, enjoying the gorgeous view, me still twisted if it was the right decision. Giving up not being an option normally. Being down we had a coffee and mum and me played some Yazzy waiting for the others to arrive. They did, quite later then expected because of heavy fog and a even more difficult descent. They were so tired but so happy to have been up there. The pictures looked like from another world. Just wow! We got back to our last hotel next to the airport and on the way I saw the old simple high buildings people live in and I thought that my ‘struggle’ with going up or not that volcano was just banal and I made peace with my decision. I also realized I don’t deal that well when I don’t achieve something I set the goal to, and luckily it isn’t something that happens to me often. Anyway at the hotel we met the others which had a gorgeous day as well with a lot of bears and salmons. There was big confusion about when and how we go to the sledge dog thing and in the end we got there. And actually it was amazing. There was a dance and some singing from indigenous people and it was in a wonderful place on a beautiful evening and we were so sorry that we were late. We had diner at ones family’s sledge dog shelter. They have 60 of it and they lived all up north until 2-3 years ago. They are always taking part of the big sledge race in March, 1500km with 14 dogs. It takes them approximately 21 days. They have frozen fish for the dogs to eat. Last year one guy from Moscow won and it is something they don’t want to be repeated next year. The daughter told as a lot of stories and it was just a fabulous evening to end that adventure. Vitaly somehow disappeared but I think saying goodbye is not his. We were so lucky to have him as a guide. We also said goodbye to some of the groups that either leave Kamtchatka later or go to somewhere else at another time. It is amazing how you get to like the people you are with for two weeks. As said, I’ll miss them.Read more