Frozen Tundra

OK, so at the time of this writing, it is -18 at 10:00am in Krasnoyarsk with a wind chill of -43. That will make your nostril hairs freeze I just know it. I remember one winter in college when it was -80 in Alaska, and I don't remember how cold it was in Oklahoma, but it was hovering somewhere -20. I had to walk particularly far one day to my car and I remember my nose hairs freezing and my lungs hurting from breathing that cold air. As I am writing I am seriously concerned about my toes not having to be amputated from the cold. I'm thinking hand warmers. Would those be considered contraband? I was originally thinking I would be packing all my cute stuff. Now I'm moving on to survival.

Well, it's official I suppose. We get to enter Russia. Travel Visa Pro sent me an email this afternoon with the FedEx tracking number. I've been imagining the clerk at the Russian Consulate staring at my convict picture and perhaps praying for me. Did he have such concern about someone of my caliber entering his country he took my picture of the sad American to the lounge and get a vote on whether to approve this application? Was he wrought with indecision? Did he take pity on my husband? Did he think, "What's a good lookin' fella like that doing with this San Quentin graduate?" I suppose we'll never know...

Today I bought a travel alarm clock, have a working wrist watch for the first time in 3 years, and bought some Frebreeze. Tomorrow I will go after the travel toilet paper, snacks, and battery powered electric socks--do they even still make such a thing? Apparently I'm going to need our local boot shop to fashion me a holster to house the giant 9 vote battery needed to supply enough energy to keep my feet from falling off.

I perused Aeroflots's website last night. To avoid a pricey penalty, your one piece of luggage cannot exceed 50lbs on the flight from the US to Moscow. However, on the domestic flight you are limited to 44lbs. So, unless I plan to ditch some items in Moscow, I've got to pack for the 44 lbs. I refuse to pay a penalty--especially on this first trip.

Our agency has recommended we have 1-2 gifts on our first trip to give to those we won't see again ie: MOE person. I went to Schakolad Chocolate Factory--I can't believe we have a place like this in my little West Texas city--and they are making up a box of chocolates for me to take. On the bars they are writing "thank you" in Russian for me. I don't think I have to worry about them melting on this trip...

I reserved our hotel room at the Hotel Krasnoyarsk yesterday. I'm not sure what kind of room I really got--they had everything from twin beds to singles to superior singles to studio a, studio b and studio c. I got the cheapest room for two people with one bed. I kept waiting for the confirmation email. Finally found it in my spam folder today. It was sent there because it was in Russian. I am so fixing to be over my head!

My house is a wreck, I haven't packed one single item--I don't even have a "spot" where I'm gathering items. Help!