Transport leg

I had a long tour planned today to get the feel of my new skis only to discover that someone in the store had stepped on them and made a crack. They can't be used and have to be exchanged. Minor setbacks like this cannot be allowed to stop a big expedition though. The roller coaster well prepared 13 km of ski tracks to Kikut where therefore covered on my old planks. Snow conditions were wonderful and there were not too many track-demolishing kid-sleds out to block the way. Hot chocolate with raspberry jam & sour cream waffles made excellent provisions before turning back. Waffles like these could well have been Amundsen's secret weapon to beat Scott.

I still have not got the Omnia HD which I was hoping Samsung would issue me with. I'm therefore turning to Olympus for a picture of an old snow covered Ent - here captured with a 10mp Mju1030SE.


On the way I also came by this group of Hobbits tenting in the snow. They are shy so I could go no closer and hence the slightly pixellated photo.

Imagine, these creatures spend their entire weekend in the snow. But then, with their excessively hairy feet they don't mind basking in it despite night temperatures below minus 10C. I guess they don't miss broadband either.

Sunday means that stock markets don't fall and businesses don't go bust. For all we know the economy may be recovering already but Monday may prove that wrong.

Some countries have been through this before. The British PM John Major lunched with president Yeltsin during a visit to Moscow and asked him to characterize in one word the state of the Russian economy. "Good", Yeltsin said. "And if you should use two words?" Major asked. "Not good" Yeltsin replied.

See you on Monday.