Introducing base camp

We have a lovely lovely base camp, where we lived during the expedition, and mount day trips from.

Sited at the point where the river valley opens up into the endless steppes, base camp is bounded on one side by larch forests (where foxes and marmots play hide and seek). On the other side  (where this picture is taken from), the land rises up towards the ridge, and is riddled with holes that are home to pikas, ground squirrels, marmots and polecats (or "Pikaland" - where Pikachu came from). There is a Golden eagle nest not far away, and we sometimes see the juvenile eagle testing its wings, soaring above our ridge. 

The blue tents are our accoommodation, and the orange tent in the centre is the mess tent. The kitchen tents are hidden in the trees to the left, and the toilets and shower tents are hidden in the trees to the right.

"он мои бо" (oh my God), I am on the Altai steppes!

Hannes unloading the cars, and ever ready to pose for a shot

Enjoying the sun outside the mess tent, here's Sharon - avid horse-rider and experienced primary school teacher from England, never seems to run out of positive energy and is always ready to share a laugh!

Anna, our Russian scientist from the Siberian Environmental Center, she is as alert and light-footed as the elusive Siberian steppe fauna she seeks, and is a veritable encyclopedia of Siberian ecology. Beneath that serious and sensible facade (when tracking animals), is a fun-loving nature and quirky humour!

This is a vegetarian expedition. In the next 2 weeks, we will continue to be constantly surprised at how many different ways our dear cook, Nina, can deliver yummy dishes from the same vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic)!

GPS and compass training - essential tools of the trade

visitors seeking shelter from the heavy rain! Jenny is mixing hot chocolate for the little Altai-ian boy, who is too shy to take it.

Kampi owns the homestead nearest to the base camp. Here he is picking out photos of people he recognised from previous Biosphere expeditions.

Washing area for our mess kits - the view itself is an incentive for washing up! And that's Lucy - the 3rd American of the team, works with the Snow Leopard Conservancy, linguist and literature lover, with an infectious laugh and tendency to slip into 'Smeagol moments'

The campfire was an ESSENTIAL component of base camp. Every night, some or all members would gather around the fire to toast frozen fingers and cold butts, admire the star-studded (literally!) Milky Way, catch a shooting star or two, and watch the International Space Station make its rounds. Next to German technology, the campfire was instrumental in the repair process for my ill-fated shoe. But that's another story.