Camping near Khoboi

Wednesday August 20th - the village near Khoboi

The little village at which we eventually arrived was even smaller than we expected, and in retrospect didn't offer much that we wouldn't have had if we had stayed at Khoboi. In particular, it did not appear to have any shops, phones, public transport - or any transport at all for that matter, other than the odd fishing boat. So we would have to survive on what we had brought with us, and hope that our bus would collect us again in two days time as arranged.

Our under-rated bus trip also included an unexpected and hearty meal of the popular local dishes of fish soup and smoked fish, freshly cooked on a barbeque. So our first meal was a good one. In fact there was so much food that our driver and tour guide (on the left in this picture) loaded us up with all the left overs before leaving us to fend for ourselves. The arrangment we had negotiated included being collected again two days hence, to join the return leg of a new tour group.

As isolated as this place seemed, there were still enough people using the camp site that Lena insisted that we hike down the road in search of a more isolated spot. It was now getting quite late in the day, so we would have have to waste no time if we were going to get our camp site set up before dark. We ended up walking for six and a half kilometers before settling on a location, but even then those annoying people with cars seemed to have found their way to all the good spots no matter how remote.

Thursday August 21st - our first full day at camp site 2

At 11:23am the following morning at our new camp site, looking back along our secluded beach. At least this end was ours.

	Yung Sheng, Gu Shung and Lena having breakfast at our new camp site.

At around midday (12:43 according to the timestamp on this picture) we were being confined to our polatka by one of the occasional downpours that had occured since our arrival at this location. To pass the time, Yung Sheng and I thought we would try taking a group picture inside the palatka by fiddling with the timer on my camera. But Lena complained that she was in no condition to have her picture taken. Naturally we had to take a close up when she said that. We also seem to have caught her with her antennae up. Perhaps there is a reason she knows so much about Mars...

	Yung Sheng and I inadvertently taking a picture as we work on setting up the camera, with a flurry of hair brushing and make up going on in the background.

And the final result. As you can see, I didn't waste any time trying to look respectable.

	and another - this time with Yung Sheng proudly brandishing his new telescopic fishing rod which he had bought specially for the trip.

From a vantage point above our camp site it was possible to look back along the coast line to see how far we had hiked. The little bay that comprised contained the village at our start point is visible at the top right of this picture.

	Looking down toward the water, Yung Sheng is clambering over the cliffs trying to find a suitable place to try out his new fishing rod.

At 19:14 on Thursday evening, enjoying our evening meal. We had no luck in the afternoon with the fishing, but did return from our hunting expedition with a mountain of fresh mushrooms.

	Yung Sheng is obviously happier on a full stomach. As you can see from the improvised shelter, the weather was still a little damp.

Yung Sheng takes a turn with the camera so that Gu Shung can get into the picture - and out of the rain.

	A rather scary picture of me, showing that I am not scard of a close up just because I have been living in the field for a week. I only really took this to see if I had charcoal on my face, as I did't have a mirror.

Friday August 22nd - heading back to Khuzhir

On Friday morning we had to get up early, pack our gear, and make our way back the way we had come, to our pickup point at the little fishing village.

We arrived just after 13:00, just in time for our arranged pickup. However by 16:00 we were starting to get very worried as there was so far no sign of our bus. We had visions of the bus having arrived early, and not knowing that we were camping some distance away, assuming we were no longer here and leaving without us. Knowing that we had a train to catch back in Irkutsk in two days time, and considdering the limited transport options in this village, this was an unsettling thought, and we had visions of spending the Winter here... Fortunately our transport did eventually arrive, the passengers apparently having requested an earlier lunch stop - so we made it back to Khuzir on schedule.

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