GOODBYE MURMANSK

Friday 18^th June 2010

Today was to be an early start, but not as early as it started off to be. No sir, not that early.

I had set the alarm for 5:35am which was planned to give me just enough time to get ready and down to the foyer to order a taxi around 6:15am.

I was sound asleep when the phone went. Ah the alarm – so I jumped up, switched it off and got my PJ's off and folded into the case. I shaved and was getting ready to have a quick shower when I decided to check how much time I had for that. That's when something seemed wrong. Neither my watch or the phone gave me the same time and whatever they told me it was not 5:35am. More like 00:30 am. So what was going on? Then I noticed that there was a message on the phone from Robyn which I read, but wondered why I hadn't heard it arriving. Well reality was I had heard it. It was not the alarm as I had thought but the message arriving. So I spent a bit of time sorting out time zones and once again ensuring that the alarm would go off when I wanted it too. There was no way I could afford to miss the bus as my visa expired today.

Well back to back to bed, but not to the lovely deep sleep I had been in. I spent the next hour or so with a very active brain doing of all things, composing the newsletter for next Christmas. When I finally did get to sleep, it was to keep waking and checking the time. And it turned out that I was awake about 15 minutes before the alarm time.

Although there had been the sounds of people coming and or going during the night, now it was quiet. Out side it was light as it had been since the text arrived. So that was no indication of time.

Well, I got down to the foyer about 6:15am and the receptionist phoned for a cab. She also told them where I was going. At last the taxi arrived and the driver could speak no English. He stopped to put his glasses on and check my map and off we rushed, right past the street I knew was the right one. He didn't turn at the next either so I informed him that he was going too far. He did in fact take my to a street with a similar name, so had to go back a few blocks. At 6:30am there were already 6 or 7 people waiting for the bus. It came whizzing along about 6:45am and everyone pilled in to get the seat they wanted. A woman beat me to the one I had planed to use. The bus filled so that there were about 12-13 on board when we set off.

The morning rush hour was just beginning and people were lining up at bus stops. Through the dark windows the view of the city still seemed dull and depressing, but through the untinted driver's window, the view was brighter.

It was a fairly unremarkable trip. We ducked and dived between slower traffic and left the 3 and sometimes 4 lane roads to be on a single lane each way main highway. It was a bit like NZ but without a painted centre line.

We bounced around a bit on the uneven surface. Later I was to be told that by Russian standards, this was an excellent road and that the rough bouncy section near the boarder was 'good'. I would hate to think what the average and poor roads are like.

We came to the first military checkpoint and passport inspection. That was ok, although the soldiers always take an interest in the strange NZ passport when all the rest were Russian. A few moments later we were at the half way tea room – well actually a hut. One of the young Russians introduced himself and said that he had spotted my NZ passport. It was somewhere he wanted to go to but it cost too much. He was a lawyer. When he discovered I was travelling on my own he said that I was a hero to have come so far. He did go on a bit about the 'hero' thing. But we did have a good chat on and off during the rest of the journey. This turned out to be helpful as he could tell me why we were standing around waiting at the Russian customs check point.

So I found out the correct price for the toilet and I paid less for my coffee this time with a different assistant. I had coffee and a little fish stuffed roll ( which looked like a Cornish pasty on a small scale) and still got change for 50 rubbles.

In discussion between him and Russian speakers I found out that the check was because we were in a security area in which you were not allowed to stop in. Sure enough we started passing soldiers and camps and parked military vehicles, guard towers and so on. I wondered why I had failed to see this going in and decided perhaps I had dozed off.

We also passed more snow patches and I was told it was unusual to see snow in Russia during summer. Once again the lakes looked still and mysterious. The vegetation varied between sapling and birch of varying heights and empty tundra and mountain mosses and lichens. Surprisingly in the tree area we passed an allotment area complete with garden patches set out and each with a little garden shed. It was totally out of place and I had no idea where the allotment owners lived.

We again went past the two towns with their industry and smoke stacks. They did not seem any more inviting than they did coming in.

Another check point and then in a few moments we arrived at the Russian customs check. First we stop outside the gate for our drivers papers to be checked and passengers counted yet again. The after the guard conversed on a walkie talkie we were allowed to drive in the opening gate to the customs building. Here we found that the electricity had failed and their computers were not working and they were having to do manual checking. There were crowds ahead of us and more vans and cars arriving behind us. A normal sized bus load were in front.

After about 40 minutes a officer decided to collect all our groups passports and take them inside.

After a long period he reemerged and began to call out names like a prize giving and return the passports. Mine was the last and he gave it to me with an apologetic look and a polite bow. Then our mini bus load were allowed to advance to the next gate where a further security check and walkie talkie conversations went on. The gate was opened by the female soldier guard and we then drove about 100 metres to the empty Norwegian customs check point. By now we had passed the large bus load who were still being checked.

In the Norwegian check I lined up with the rest but made sure that my non- red coloured passport could be seen. The first Russian was spending a long time at the check. But a second officer called me up and commented about a New Zealander being here. He seemed somewhat surprised but friendly and smiling. He turned around to check the country entry details and I said its OK, New Zealand has no problems, we are friends. He stopped looking laughed and stamped the passport and I was the first of the group out.

The Russians wanted to know latter why I had had it so easy. They had to answer questions about what insurance cover they had, their financial situation, where they were going to stay and so on. I pointed out that I had had the same questions to answer before I got my Russian visa at the start of the trip. It did take a long time for them to get through. Then we drove as fast as the road permitted to Kirkenes, just 15 minutes away. We were an hour or more behind schedule. I felt sorry for the driver as he had to repeat the journey back at 3pm. He would have more than a 12 hour day.

The young Russian who saw me as a hero was a lawyer so we chatted about that a bit. He has also travelled a bit around Europe and eastern or European Russian but not past the Urals. I asked him the basis of the Russian legal system. Was it innocent until proven guilty or guilty until proven innocent​? He said it was 'you should all be in prison and if you are not it is because the police have not done their job well enough'. He did seem quite genuine about that. He commented that in his opinion the KGB replacement was actually harder and more ruthless than the KGB had been. They and the police act as if they are outside the law. He gave a few examples to back that up.

We pulled into the Kirkenes car park and some disembarked. I knew that my hotel was only a 100 to 200 metres away and headed off to it. My room was ready although once again the free wifi does not work in it but it does in the almost adjoining lounge and small kitchen area. Here we can heat water and food but there are no cutlery or crockery provided.

The toilet and the show rooms are just across the hallway from my room and the room has a wash hand basin in it and a working TV with about 20 or 25 channels including the BBC. I have noticed several English language programmes with local subtitles. BONES was one that was on like that.

Barents Frosthotel is just across the road from the end of the main shopping street. The hotel has a dusty car park in front, the taxi company adjoining and at the other end a van selling fast food with a couple picnic tables out in front.

I headed off to find a supermarket and in the end I found two. This was not a difficult task and there are not all that many shops really. First I had a filled roll and a lovely light Danish and coffee at a cafe. A very welcome intake as all I had had before leaving Murmansk was a Oat food bar and a small sip of water. Then there was the tiny coffee and little savory on the way.

In the supermarket I got mineral water, a yoghurt, a chicken leg and a small container of choose your own salad. That plus a couple of small rolls would be my evening meal. Which it was.

I had a sleep of I do not know how long back in my room and then out again to have another look around the small town. There are a few fishing trawlers moored around the place. The town is located at the head of a fjord with fairly low surround hills. Not the towering cliff sides you usually think of as being Norwegian Fjords. No exciting beaches to be seen. Because this is the northern terminal of the coastal ferry every day, there are several flash hotels around the town. Mostly they are not large, but one on the harbour side does look larger and much more recent.

And now to relax.