Russia

In 1994 Larry Ritco was given the opportunity to travel to northern Russia just inside the Arctic Circle on an engineering assignment for a Gazprom gas pipeline project.

On the shores of Baydaratskaya Bay at a remote Siberian weather station, Larry shares with us his adventures, and sometimes misadventures, of living, eating and sleeping alongside the Russian drillers, the weather personnel, Alex the cook, and Gypsy the castaway dog.

Excerpts from his daily diary provide us with a day-to-day glimpse of some of the personal challenges and decisions he faced on his encounters with the unknown and unexpected.

From flying in luxury in modern commercial airlines, business class, to enduring the cramped conditions of a cargo plane, sitting amongst its cargo, then flying in noisy, large Sikorsky helicopters, the journey to the north, which should have taken only four days, took nine (it would have taken longer if dog sleds were needed)!

Not only was it the destination, but also the journey, that left Larry with a lifetime of memories.