As I explained before, when Misha and I headed north toward Pevek several weeks ago, an unusual sequence of weather patterns stripped nearly all the snow off the tundra. It was desperately
hard work pulling sleds through bushes and across dry hummocky tundra and we were afraid that we could stall out and die if we continued across the vast uninhabited landscape toward the Arctic Ocean. So we turned east and headed into the mountains.

The old Babushka told us to keep walking in straight lines. But Alexei, her brother, the only reindeer herder in the region who kept his tribe together against the ravages of perestroika, vodka, and predatory business men, disagreed. He told us to keep moving in circles: the circle of the deer, the circle of the seasons, the circle of adventure and return.

After my last communication, Misha and I were held down for a day by our first Arctic blizzard. Then we crossed two mountain passes, pulling the sleds through recently formed drifts. We dropped down off the second pass, camped in a grove of cottonwoods, boiled up some reindeer meat and kasha, and spent the night.

The following day, as we headed toward the third pass, an armored, tracked personnel carrier roared up. This was a visdichot, the standard cargo vehicle and SUV of the tundra. When the driver asked where we were headed, he shook his head.

The snow is melted, the river ice is walking, the current is flowing. It's an early spring. Jump aboard. Twenty-four hours later we were in an airport.

I'm home now, in the bosom of my family as they say. I've told the barest skeleton of my story. I have two books coming out over the next few years about my travels in Northeast Siberia.

If you're interested in reading more, send me an email: jonturk@montana.com. I'll put you on my mailing list and alert you when my books are available.

Thanks for listening.

Jon Turk

Follow the Complete Series:

Follow a Shamans Dream across Siberia
Part VIII-XIV
Part VII
Part VI
Part V
Part IV
Part III
Part II
Part I and Interview with Jon