The Russian Boot Camp

"What are the living conditions like in Sakhalin?" I hear you ask...... well even if you didn't ask, I thought I'd tell you. To be honest, its a squillion times better than I thought. I was expecting a concrete bunker, complete with cold showers, frequent power outages and a 3 servings of slop in the mess each day. Well, frequent power outages yes, but the rest is really not too bad. Let me expand.

I live in a construction camp which in in a village called Sokol. Its about 30km north of Yuzhno, the capital of Sakhalin. Sokol is a non-descript village with absolutely nothing going for it. The camp is here because ii's approximately geographically in the middle of the 200km section of pipeline we are installing. Sokol is out in farm lands, so its nice and green and away from the hustle of Yuzhno, but still close enough if I crave that hustle and need a night out on the town or a descent meal.

The camp is pretty big, but split into two sections. There is a section with the client offices and accommodation and the contractors offices. This is a small section of about 50 people and is quite nice. The rest of the camp is for the sub contractor, and holds about 800 people. Its not so nice.



We have some pretty nice accommodation, well luxury for far east Siberia standards. It aint the Hilton, but I must say it's comfortable. I have my own bedroom, bathroom, satellite TV and a borrowed DVD player. Its warm, cleaned daily, and fairly bright. There is a recreation room, with pool table, wide screen TV, lounges and see's nightly games of pool, backgammon or a few drinks around the lounge. We also have a small gym, which I have managed to drag my lazy ass to a few times when I get a rush of energy in the evening, and a sauna which I've never used.

The next building over is the office, where I spend 90% of my time if I'm not on site. The main reason is that its the only way to burst through the iron curtain and make contact with the outside world. Its pleasant enough, but an office, so enough said I think.

Then there is the kitchen, we get 3 solid meals a day, but not all of them go down so easy. Whilst the caterer attempts to recreate "western-syle" food, on many occasions its very disappointing as they quality (and freshness) of food here is not so good. Most evenings I resort to the safe bet of ordering a steak (which is as thin as a sheet of paper) or fish. The fish actually is very good. There is plenty of it here, and its the only thing I've found that the Russian do really well. Most other foods are doused in oil and fat, not fresh, or simply just "ain't right?!". They do however cook at wicked fish, and so consequently I'm getting loads of omega-3 vitamins. Hooray for me.

So that's about it, this is my home away from home , away from home.

Comrade Steve

weatherman

Since most of you are confused what weather is like in far east siberia, i put a weather forecast for Yuzhno Sakhalin on the bottom of the page (updates daily) so you can see just how good/bad it is over here.

Comarade Steve

They call me "Straight Steve"

Hello again friends,

I thought i'd comment on what's been going on recently outside of work.

Very little....

I work 7 days a week, and i live in a camp outside of town. I am not allowed to drive due to company policy (and frankly i'd prefer not to even be on the roads - they are a death trap!), and Yuzhno ain't no Disneyland to visit. But, the times i have escaped from camp for an evening, its been to catch up with Fabian and Maryline.

Now funny enough, the every time i've seen them (with exceptio my birthday) recently, we've ended up playing poker. Now, i've never really played poker before, but since i've been playing a bit i do enjoy it. At least, without playing for money.

Last friday i joined Fabian and Maryline at the monthly "zima poker night" that is held at the pub within the Sakhalin Energy housing complex. It was a low-key affair, about 15 people played, and it was a friendly tournament of "texas hold-em" - i.e. no cash down. After a few hours of fierce bluffing, going all in, and near bankrupcy, i managed to somewhat unknowingly win the tournament. I say unknowingly, as two sequential hands in the final rounds i thought i had nothing and whilst bluffing my way through, i was called and in both cases I acutally had a straight...off which i made some large winnings.

So victory was mine, i was presented a bottle of champagne, and will be remember for centuries to come.

So thats it really, just a taste of my life outside of work. I tried to make it sound exciting, but not sure if you bought it?

Пака,

Comrade Steve

Happy birthday to me!!!

Its finally happened. I'm no longer 25.

I liked being 25. I still felt young. I was hanging onto my early-twenties category as tight as I could. Now I am slipping into late twenties, but wait hang-on, what about mid-twenties....yeah I like that better.

Yes, my birthday came and went on the 5th September, thanks to all those that remembered. Shame on you to those who forgot. But before you panic, I'm still accepting belated birthday wishes, so go right ahead.

This wasn't the most eventful I've had. I am even pretty sure I made a bigger scene on my first birthday. This year was spent in Sakhalin Island, Russia, a less than cheery place for one to celebrate a birthday. My day was very similar to any other really. I went to work and..... I worked. I got some nice emails, SMS texts and phone calls which gave me a nice lift. That evening I went into Yuzhno for dinner with Fabs and Maryline. We had a nice time, the restaurant was pretty swish, the waiters wore white gloves and we received sorbet between entree and mains (to cleanse the pallete). Fabs and Maryline gave me a not-so-traditional Russian matryoshka doll (the wooden dolls that fit inside one another). I say not-so-traditional as it was not painted in the tradition of a Russian bubushka (or doll), but rather of the Simpsons! A cool present I thought, even if it could possibly offend Russian culture. The evening was filled with good company, good food and it was great to be around friendly faces on my birthday.

And that was it....no party, no madness, near no alcohol ( I had two beers at the restaurant...wow). A different birthday from the many previous. However, perhaps its time I gave my body a rest from the abuse of my early-twenties.

No, I'm not ready for that yet....

Comrade Steve

Escape from the Island

Well, i got out. I escaped Sakhalin Island. Well, at least for 5 weeks, my rotational leave from Sakhalin.

I decided to head toward my new home, since i had just moved there from Australia before being quickly whisked off to Sakhalin no long after setting foot in the Netherlands. I didn't have a chance to get an apartment, recieve my freight, and unpack my suitcase!

But before settling in to The Hague, i had to entertain my friends in Amsterdam, and pick up my girlfriend (MJ) from Holland and drag her back to Holland cave-man style.

Breakdown of the my 5 weeks of freedom:

Day 1-2: Amsterdam

Dan & Fiona came to Amsterdam to visit and we stayed the weekend in a hostel on Vondelpark. It was peak period, and room was a sweat box, but we had a good time (and i think i sweated out 5kg each night). I always have a laugh with Dan and Fi. We hired bikes and rode around town, stoping nearly every half hour for some gastronomic delight or to sample the addictive dutch coffee. It was a very relaxing weekend actually, which was spent mainly enjoyed each others company. Went to the Heinekin Brewery but couldn't stomach 3 beers at 10 in the morning.

Week 1 -2: Switzerland

I arrived for Switzerland day, which is much lower key than Australia Day. There was a big family gathering at MJs parents house and we ate like kings and Mike (MJ's dad) bought lots of fireworks to let off. The next day we went down to Migeligia for 3 nights of relaxing. MJ's family own a holiday cottage here, on the southern border of Switzerland with Italy. We did some walking, bike riding and even some taboggoning on a nearby mountain. The rest of the time we just chilled around Lagano or the cottage. A great get away, its so beautiful being there. MJ's parents came down for a night too and we had a bbq, drank too much wine, and chatted.
After that we got back to the north and began to pack MJs tiny car. It only held half of what she had. But no worries as she was heading back in a week for her god-sons first birthday. It was a very emotional departure for her and Ruth (her mum), and i did my best to reassure them both.'On the drive up we stopped at Luxembourg, which was a supprisingly nice place. Its a very tiny country, but has some nice countryside and awesome castles. The capital is acutally a major fort from the old times, and looks really cool. Its a UNESCO world heritage site, and we stayed over for two nights to take it all in.

Week 3 - 4: Netherlands

Well we spent the next couple of weeks hanging out in the Hague. We moved MJs stuff in and took some time to get to know the area. MJ bought a dutch bike, and after that we went riding everywhere. Was reallý good fun. We didn't do much, generally just enjoying the cafes and restaurants. But was nice to totally relax in your own city. We also did an Ikea run to get a few housey items. The apartment is now setup and looks great i think. You'll have to come visit.

Week 5: Spain

We started in Barcelona for 3 nights with Dan and Fi. We did the sights on day 1 and a pub crawl that night which hurt a lot the next day. Day 2 we went to Stiges, a beachside town 30 mins south of Barcelona. Dan & Fi had some friends staying down there. They are gay, and as it turned out, i was surrounded by hundereds of them. It seems Stiges is a bit of a gay hangout, and we were on a beach crammed full of gay men. I should have know when it was all men on the beach. Was quite an amusing experience actually. I found it funny seeing big burley men playing with a beach ball together, or froliking in the water. And they were all buff too.... i think it was obvious i was hetrosexual. We spent day 3 doing some more sites in Barcelona and gerneral cafe-ing it around. The last day we went to get our ticket to Valencia to go to La Tomatina, and in true unprepared style, nearly missed out a train as it was so busy - people all racing to get down there. We luckily got a train, and spent the rest of the day before the afternoon train looking for an outfit that would never return from the tomatoes. We decided on buying some white bond shirts and made our own labels. We decided to write on it "Save the Tomato", and all 4 of us wore that. We also bought some sombreros to make sure we were an easy target. After we got to Valencia, we spent the first night out at a restaurant and a bar for some cocktails. We grew weary that night, and retired early for the crack of dawn start for La tomatina the next day. Well, the day did start early. MJ and I were at the train station at 6am, expecting to be mobbed by people getting the train to Bunol (where the festival is). However it was dead quite and we sat at the train station way before we needed to go. No problem at least we were prepared. We arrived at Bunol and it was like a massive party. Sangria, beer and people everywhere. This small industrial town that you wouldn't even stop at to refuel your car, was taken over by masses of party people. The festival was massive and all starts with a people trying to get a leg of ham off the top of a very high greased pole. That took about 2 hrs until success, and then bam....tomotoes. Lots of them. The town, and the people, were painted red. It hurt a bit. A tomatoe to the face packs a wallop. But it was so much fun. Our shirts were a hit,
and many people wanted a photo with us. Just a strange to be ankle deep in tomato pulp and cover top and bottom, in and out, in tomatoes. That goes for about an hour, then it was time to celebrate with some cervesas, sangria and a wash in the river. Then up again at the crack of dawn for my flight to Sakhalin....that was fun.

In transit...and Moscow (again)
After around 5 hrs flying i got to Moscow,and needed to get my connection at another Moscow airport across town to fly to Sakhalin. I had 4 hrs to do this. Not long enough. Massive traffic, 3 hrs in the car and we weren't moving fast. So i missed the flight, go put up in Moscow for the night and had the day to go touring. I visited the Kremlin and Red Square again, this time took a tour in of the Kremlin Catherdrals. Bought some more russian dolls. Then back to the airport for a long journey to Sakhalin.After 3 days travel i made it to the island, and here i am.

Back in camp, and missing the freedom of the west.

Comrade Steve