A day in our life

Seven o'clock, the alarm goes off, however nobody stirs for at least another five minutes, then we kick off our sleeping bags and start deflating our therm-a-rest. Ahead of us another day of paddling, but fist we tackle our morning duties. The hardest task of the day (especially for Ulysse) is to finish our morning bowl of oatmeal. Once breakfast is washed down with a cup of coffee, we then take down the tent and pack our gear. Usually around 9am we dip our paddles into the water, inching our way closer to Lake Baikal.

The temperature varies, from unbearable 35C heat, to lashing winds and frigid rains. However some things stays the same; we paddle in sections of an hour and a half, stopping in between to stretch our legs, empty our bladders, and fill our stomachs before continuing on. Although our schedules may seem monotonous, it is quite the contrary. We swim in the river to cool off and wash, other days we stop to socialize with the locals we meet along the shore, often sharing a cup of tea or a meal. When in need of supplies; namely food or gas for our stoves, we visit the small towns we occasionally cross. If the day is particularly picturesque I stop to take pictures or film so that later we will be able to share these moments with others. Other days we selfishly take for ourselves; to enjoy our surroundings, climb hills, or simply observe a good sun set.

As the sun slowly lowers in the sky, at around 5 to 6 pm we begin to keep an eye out for good camp sites. First the tent is erected and the solar panels unrolled. Next, wood is collected and cut, a fire is lit, and dinner is cooked. For those not cooking, we each have time to indulge in personal hobbies; Elsa writes in her journal, Eric heads off on another fishing mission, Ulysse’s attention is consumed by his book, as myself I can usually be found with a camera in my hand.

The night is finished around the fire, with a well deserved bowl of grub in one hand and a hot chocolate in the other.

By Sarah McNair-Landry

See where we are located!
Latitude:51.654

Longitude:107.39146
GPS location Date/Time:08/16/2010 18:28:27 ULAT

Click the link below to see where are located located.
http://fms.ws/3GmZX/51.654/