The North is not just a destination or part of the world, that’s an unique live and beautiful world. Most of people think it’s severe, inaccessible and dark. And this is the world that I’m proud to call my home! You can say that the story I will tell you is quite fanatic and self-confident, but this is my personal subjective point of view. I would like to share it with you and show things I managed to see.
My journey to the world of «snow, ice and fairy Aurora» wasn’t accidental or brought to me by films and tales. I knew from the start, where I’m going to because the North was walking with me until I was 13. Once I left the Homeland, I made myself a promise to go back one day and it became a dream. My dream started to come true in January of 2017.
My journey wasn’t easy and straight, I made a long chain of transfers among Russian towns to fill my journey with amazing events and emotions. So, my plan looked like this:
January, the 6th – first flight from Yekaterinburg to Saint-Petersburg and, later that day, bus trip to Pskov and Pechory, where I was staying at the house of my relatives until the 10th of January. In the morning I took a bus to Saint-Petersburg, spent some time with the friend of my childhood. The next day I took a flight from Pulkovo airport to Murmansk, then bus trip to Teriberka. 14th of January – trip from Teriberka to Kirovsk (passing Murmansk). 16th – I arrived to Murmansk and, at last, on the 17th of January I took a Murmansk – Yekaterinburg flight.
My route looked perfectly planned, interesting and very active. Reality appeared to be a little more difficult and not as perfect as I thought. Almost daily trips from one place to another, battle marches through cities, heavy backpack behind my back, strong wish to fill myself with great amount of impressions couldn’t leave no traces. So, waiting for my friend at the Kupchino subway station in Saint-Petersburg, I felt an enormous fatigue. My wish to go further was still strong but I understood that there will be no hope for the rest and hot dinner after this night. And this is where the main part of my trip started.
Closed borders.
The North doesn’t let everybody in, and I’m not talking about closed cities, military bases where you need a special card to get in. I’m talking about the ability of these places to see you through with its sharp and ice-cold winds, to get into your soul and to change all of your plans or, in the end, not to let you in at all. The bald hills and salty air can turn your soul inside out, grasping the very deep and uncovered parts of your personality. This land won’t obey you, you will obey it and, if you are ready to open yourself to it, the North will let you into the Hyperborea.
I hadn’t chances to feel such a magical influence of the lands until that day but on the 11th of January, in the day when the Polar night is over, the North broke my plans and made everything to put me in the right place at the right time.
«…Due to weather conditions the Murmansk airport is closed… the flight departure is planned…». These words became a real surprise; I hadn’t planned my trip to come this way. My plane to Murmansk takes off around 9 in the morning, which allows me to get to the bus to Teriberka easily. This bus works only once in two days. I felt myself really bad, but the hope for a fast departure was still alive, so my plan could still work. I remained myself: the lonely traveler, who sticks to her plan. Getting rid of bad thoughts, I’ve had a breakfast, drank a cup of coffee and stayed there with a book in my hands.
An unpleasant knock distracted me from my book – the package with my camera fell on the ground. Of course, the lens on my camera was broken into very little pieces. That wasn’t funny at all! Thanks to the broken safety filter, my camera was still alive. Nevertheless I couldn’t take photos without this filter. The weather will trash my camera and that means that I have to change the broken detail.
Cleaning out my camera I had a strong feeling that the North doesn’t want me to get in! Of course, that feeling was stupid and absolutely unreasonable. The new flight departure takes place on 13.00, so I should be ready to find a camera shop as soon as I get to the town, I should be in time.
«…due to weather conditions the airport is still closed… flight departure will take place at…». The departure moved two hours more, my perfect plan was ruining, I had no solutions. After half of an hour, declining my parents requests to go back home, I understood that I shouldn’t be so strict with my plan. I found a shop I need on the map, booked a hotel room and replaced my destinations. So, my new route started to look like this: 11th-12th of January I stay in Murmansk, then go to Kirovsk, sleep there. On the morning of the 13th of January I take a bus to Murmansk ant then a bus to Teriberka.
The new plan was ready, the vanity had gone and the flight started at last – the ideal coincidence!
Murmansk – The heroic city!
When your plane if flying to the polar night, take a look at the sky! The left side of the plane was lighted up by the daylight at the same time when the right side slowly walked into the night. This scene bewitched and scared at the same time, especially with periodical shake-ups of the plane. My composure started to ruin because of the thrilling stories about planes, thoughts about the end and unknown future. Outside the plane was really dark – the darkness of the sky and huge amount of clouds meant that the main point of my plan is getting closer! I have understood that I will be in my Homeland soon, on the cold grounds of the far North.
«…Our plane is getting ready for landing…». I wanted to jump out of the seat, run in the front of the plane and see if I’m really at the destination. The borders inside me were erasing – my dream is coming true right now! The plane arrives on the airport and through the window I see the letters: «Murmansk – The heroic city», and I started to cry…
The borders are erased, the plan isn’t necessary, the emotions are real. The main rule is to be here and now, not to forget anything. From this moment I started to get out of my cage, smiling to other people, looking through the windows of my bus with greed. Since the moment I came to Murmansk and saw the lights I understood that I’m me and all I do is right.
All my next moves were easy and simple – I bought myself a ticket to Kirovsk, got into the hotel, bought the filter I needed and some food. Going to sleep, I was listening to the silence – though the world around me was friendly at the moment, I was afraid of sleeping in unfamiliar places, I was afraid of strangers around my bed. But very soon I was sleeping and the morning had come.
Kirovsk.
That is a must not to count time in everyday trips; you should sleep or read as much as you can. The journey from Muromsk to Kirovsk took about 5 hours, so I was sleeping, reading, writing e-mails all the way and discovering new towns: Olenegorsk, Monchegorsk and Apatity. I’ve seen the snowy desert, northern forest, hills, mountains, far sunlight and lonely wooden houses in the valleys.
The main scene I was travelling to this city for was near the White sea and it was almost unseen. Hibiny – the mountains which are famous for its ski resorts, avalanche areas and unbelievable scenery, was unseen under the clouds. I had a day to find something important in this town. I headed to the hostel and started to look for my mountain happiness.
Big Wudyawr met me with its opened top, which was opened to the winds and sun. That’s not the highest point of the Hibiny, but, with no doubt, It is one of the most beautiful, because it was staying over the town asking to come closer. Another heights were seen under the clouds a little further – it was enough to imagine the scenery of this town. I had no time for longer trips and I was so tired so I got up to the top of the mountain, got cold and figured myself out that I have to go here in the August of 2018, for example. The clouds got lower, the weather got worse so I found the bus station, bought myself some food, few souvenirs and got back to the hostel.
The ways of the North.
Another early get up. A long way from Kirovsk to Murmansk brought me some sleep and some thoughts. I was thinking about what I want to find there, at the end of the Earth, how melancholically I will enjoy my loneliness and silence at the shores of the Northern Ocean. The beautiful North was in my future and I thought that it will be absolutely lonely future as always. But The North had its own plans.
The life in bus feels like the race for something important. I arrived to Murmansk. My backpack was so heavy so I didn’t want to walk around the city sights. I wanted to eat and to sleep – It felt like some good food and good sleep could solve any of my problems. I went to the café, have eaten some, slept some time, and drank some coffee. I had 4 hours more before the bus to Teriberka had arrived.
The 13th of January. My last bus until two days of rest had arrived. I knew that those people from the station will be there with me, I wasn’t alone on my way to the darkness of the winter. The new book I’ve started to read was «The cat’s cradle» by Kurt Vonnegut. All I was doing were reading and staring at the lands outside the bus. The scenery was all the same – no horizon, constant snowy darkness and black crosses all the way – posts of electricity.
The bus arrived at the finish point around 21.00. I was staring at the house witch appeared to be my hostel with astonishment, thanks god it was a house at least. As soon as I opened the door I’ve heard the creepy sound – there was no closer to the door but there was some kind of auto detail instead of it. There was strong smell of the sewerage. All I knew before was that there will be no 5 star hotel, so this is where it became interesting. Flat number 30 – some Chinese girl opened the door saying: «Hello». I didn’t understand anything so I just walked in. Several guys behind me did it the same way.
«Hello-Hello». The strangest situation I’ve ever been to was the main theme to talk about. There were Cai – girl from China who knew some words in English, Nikolai from Saint-Petersburg, Alexander from Voronezh and another Chinese girl who didn’t know any of the languages known to us. Instead of the hostel there was usual «hruschewka» with a lot of beds, no conditions to live in. So we were just sitting in the kitchen, sharing stories about our previous trips and plans on the trip to Teriberka. Absolute strangers, we were sitting there until the late night and making this house comfortable.
- We should go for a walk together!
- Absolutely!
Untypical setting, behavior that was untypical to me. I and these people have arrived to Teriberka at the same time, but that was not the last coincidence between us. I barely knew them but I had a feeling that they will be with me until the end.
The way to The North – The way inside.
Every man has his own way to unknown. Everyone is looking for a treasure at the end of the way, so every one of us had his own reasons to go to Teriberka. Most of people are moving here looking for the Polar Lights. Personally I don’t think that the lights is the main reason, everybody bring their own feelings, fears, emotions and wishes. Everybody can taste the influence of the North. Aurora is just a far blink of the Sun, its present. That is just an attraction to the people who are trapped.
My way was all about my feelings, something like «the wish of the North». The land itself, the wind, the ocean, the darkness, and the birds – this was my main goal. The silence. Have you ever been in the unstoppable search of something in every day, place or man? These researches have brought me to those days, those people and those shores. I thought that I was looking for a romantic and beautiful loneliness but now I think that I was looking for those days, people and the North.
Do you know who the real friend is? The real friend is the person who has the same goals as you. We were running through the desert lands of the snow and ice by the days and looking for the sky flashes by the nights. The sleep wasn’t a need – we hadn’t much time for the most important, for the realest. There was no place for masks and rules – the North has bared the every part of us. Here we had the warmest home, the closest people. I was listening to everyone – everything was important and interesting. There was unbelievable level of tenderness, kindness and love.
I was dreaming about homecoming where there was very little sunlight, opened space and fresh salty air, beautiful people. I’ve made it. I’ve executed my dream!
The polar expedition of 2017.
The North has brought me to the right people, right weather and the right time. We’ve been walking the beaches of Teriberka, I’ve found the ship with my name on it – I guess that was my mooring. We’ve been enjoying houses that have no parallel lines in it – no rules! We were laying on the sandy beaches listening to the sounds of the sea. We’ve tasted the sea water – very salty! We were waving our hands to the seagulls that were swimming in the sea. We were dreaming about the faith of ships that were trapped here forever. On that day, the 14th of January, we became close friends, who had no problems with cold wind, who were amazed by the world.
That day should have had no end. In the darkness of the evening we’ve went to the waterfall and have welcomed the Arctic Ocean. Around 00:00 we took a trip to the hill near the meteorological station. Then we went to the hill to take a photo of the Aurora. We were at home around 5 in the morning with beautiful pictures of the Polar lights. That morning one of my teammates had to go home. Kolya – if you are reading this – Hello there! On the 15th of January me and Sasha left Cai at home and went to the ocean.
The kids of the North.
The salty air, cold and wet stones that looked like the eggs of the dragons, thousands of shades in the sky. Two people from different worlds, families and cities became companions near the ocean. We had no rest, we were walking further and further – two satellite in the way of infinity. I’ve tasted the water – it was salty. Look at that boulder! Stay there, I’ll take a photo! Taste this berry – it’s so delicious in the autumn.
I’ve heard it all, the whole shore, the whole Kolsky. I’ve found the most beautiful and lovely place in the world. I know it for sure – nothing but that shore is so beautiful to me. The Ocean leaves you with different feelings: ease and infinity. No problem is important around these waves. We – the satellites of the ocean, we see every detail of the world: the color, the light, the shade, the taste, the smell.
Two men are living their dreams out remembering everything. We were the heroes of an unbelievable dream. The main sense of living was to be a whole with the world. Those 6 hours were filled with the love to the world. Some people call this place the end of the world but I think that this place Is the beginning of it, the zero point. The main dream was born here – the wish to live!
The ocean was whispering and playing with us. We, the kids of the North, who were carrying the salty voice of the ocean to the whole planet. Every teardrop was it’s part. But it was time to go now. And so we’ve gone with the new feelings, with the new love.
In the world with the sky low, frequent clouds, snow and ice we’ve found the colorful world. Few of people will believe us now but we’ve seen the best of the worlds in witch even the most distant heart are attracted to each other. I had no closer touch with the world.
The farewell gift.
My last night in Teriberka wasn’t a reason for reflection, we were trying to catch the most beautiful lights in the world. People who barely knew each other names, together, were running into the night to find the most important thing in each other lives.
Lying on the floor we were planning, we were waiting for the right moment to put the warmest clothes on, go to the icy lake and to wait for the present of the Sun and the North. And so we met it, all together, united by the thoughts, feelings, events and the Northern wind – the green light flashed through the sky. It touched every one of us and stayed with us forever.
Murmansk – the Hometown!
There is nothing to say about my last resort in Murmansk – it wasn’t creepy den on the shores of the Arctic Ocean and there were no satellite-men, people with the shiny eyes. No museums, statues or book could replace those flashes in the sky, salty water, and warm souls. This is where I understood my loneliness, fast departure and unwanted way back to the world of consumerism, statuses and cold hearts.
On the 17th of January the man with shiny eyes came to say goodbye. The homeland has shown us that polar sun for the last time, the wind has wiped my tears. It was time to say goodbye.
The airport of Murmansk. The silence. The kids of the North have to go in different ways. They say goodbye to each other. My ocean couldn’t stay in the fragile body. The kids of the North go away.
The love for the people and for the Earth is unusual to me. The love that flashes will respond with grief. Yes, I can be back. No, nothing will be the same. And yes, maybe North will call me again and bring me to the right place and time, where people with shiny eyes will be with me on my way to it. That was a beautiful dream, in which the new life and new hope were born.
