Courageous as they are, Nicole and Ingrid took a fresh start in 2008. They have celebrated Christmas in Siberia on January 7, 2008 and everyone goes to church. On New Year's day, disguised children beg for candy. Maria, who they can call in case of emergency, made a trip by train, some 1000 kilometers and brought Belgian chocolate, Christmas cards, contact lenses and a satellite telephone.


"Momentarily, we are in Tynda, a city with some 39.000 inhabitants. We are facing day-temperatures of minus 41°C", Nicole tells. "At night temperatures go below minus 51° C !!! "
"Maria came to see us this week. She is a Russian-Siberian teacher who speaks English fluently. She is our light in the darkness, in cases of emergency. Maria is following us for some time now and we keep in touch through the internet. She surprised us giving us Christmas cards made by her pupils, together with candy and chocolats. She also brought us the essential satellite telephone.
We also went to church. We are not familiar with orthodox liturgy. When we entered the church, it was so quiet, almost a painful silence. Everyone was wearing black and there we stood in our bright red coats with sponsor signs....
When we wanted to take off our fur hat, people made signals not to do so ! No hat for men, women though are forced to wear one. The service lasted hours on end : singing, praying, preaching. Hundreds of times, a sort of sign of the cross is made accompanied with deep bows; very exhausting."

"We obviously look awful ; when we are dragging through the snow with our sleighs, truck drivers stop and give us money and alcohol. No one understands what the hell we are doing here and.... how the hell we got here !!! "Strange, isn't it ?" Nicole laughs out loud.