Elbrus Expedition Dispatch
June 23, 2010 – From Moscow to the Mountains
The difference between 21st century Moscow and the Caucasus Mountains is unimaginable. Flying from Moscow to the Caucasus is a bit like flying through a time warp. On Wednesday we flew out of the city via Aeroflot and we were met by Karina and Vladimir at the airport soon after. The transfer to our lodge in the mountains took a few hours. The air was cool due to rainy weather. Along the way we stopped to buy snacks and get a feel for the people of this region. We are far from the city now!
At a roadside kiosk the team got their first group photo.
Women of the Caucasus meet women of Canada! Karina, local shopkeeper, Paule and Linda.
Old friends Tom and Bill have shared many adventures together. In their room at the lodge they show their excitement to be in the mountains in Russia.
Left: Mo loves it here. He was also asking if we could get reception to watch World Cup Soccer from our lodge!; Right: We arrived around 3:30 in the afternoon.
Our dining room is set in a beautiful location in the forest.
We’ve got World Cup! Vladimir and Mo approve of the screen size but quickly see we must change the channel.
Our first dinner together. The team enjoyed planning with Karina and Vladimir over an excellent meal.