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It was quite the trip !....uneventual until right up to the very end when --
"My throat is sore....." Cindy
"Oh....So is mine"- Me
".....Maybe its the dry air in this plane's cabin ?"
Oh, such Wishful Thinking!
Then, a day later, now safely back in the US, we both fell into the grips of a raging flu -
And it was a classic flu too !-- the whole works-- the sneezings, coughing fits, fevers, muscle aching weakness-- and the fun still lingers on today as I slowly recover.
But I can't complain about this grud's timing-- it left us alone the entire trip-- and the trip was great.
First off, we saw more auroras than any reasonable girls could ever wish for. They lit up the Svalbard polar night in ways that rival any colossal fireworks displays- only these auroras were silent changing kaleidoscopes of colours streaking overhead from horizon to horizon, silently and continuous.
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Seeing the auroras, particularly the first time for Cindy, right there made the trip a success. However we had more on our agenda.
(ah !- the curse of Type A personalities !)
We were honour'd guests at the EISCAT faciities and big dish sites. It was a real pleasure speaking "aurora" with other physicists **- though I'm afraid it left my poor friend out in 'left field'- perplex'd by the technical jargon. That was all made up by the wonderful dinners with no shop talk.
But then it was Cindy's turn: Using her special talents she honed over years in Washington she made some mysterious (to me) arrangements with the Russian coal company, Arktikugol at Barentsburg to visit the mining village.
That was cool experience !
.... via a 15 minute flight in a Russian supply helicopter loaded with machine parts (Arktikugol does not generally fly any non-company people--- but then they rarely deal with the likes of someone like Cindy.)
We were unsure of what kind of reception we would receive- the events in Ukraine and all-- but all our fears were quickly allayed-- The Russians were warm and welcoming from the first moment. More on our visit to 'Баренцбург' (no, I don't , but Cindy does - speak Russian.)
and, but of course ! --- what about Ham Radio ?
Stay tuned !
JW6/Lauri
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***Just about everyone in Svalbard speaks English
**Photographing auroras, especially with a 'mobile phone -is a real challenge--- one which escapes me. This, alas, is not one of mine.
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