Nicole and Ingrid have arrived in Jakoetsk and they are very disappointed. Jakoetsk doesn't come up to their expectations. This city with 210.000 inhabitants is literally and figuratively a 'frozen' city. Continuously temperatures of minus 50° C : permafrost, the locals call it. The air is thick and full of exhaust-fumes.


"We finally made it to Jakoetsk", Nicole tells us. Not without striking a blow ! The Russian repaired our sleighs, but our bodies still hurt, every move hurts. Jakoetsk is an isolated mining-district. People are very surprised that we show up ! What on earth are these two doing here in this extreme cold ? We probably look odd, with our shaky sleighs. The smell's hard to bear. No wonder ! When people want to go out by car, they keep the engine running for the rest of the day .... till the car gets back into the garage. A driver told us : "when I turn the engine off, it will take me till spring before it runs again...."

"We were so disappointed in the reindeermen. We had hoped to exchange our sleighs for reindeer, but bad luck. So we have to negotiate with the reindeer-sellers. But soon we lose courage : we can hire reindeer for EUR. 250,- per day, guide included. This is usurious trade ! When we protest, they increase the price ! The sellers and even the interpreters (who are mostly drunk), laugh at us. Men would love to see it the other way about : they would like to hire us", Nicole says upset and angry.

"These people are greedy, dirty and selfish. We move on with our sleighs. Hopefully we will find decent sellers in the suburbs, sellers who have their heart in the right place."

"We are now facing a tough mission : Oymyakom, the coldest village on earth at 800 kilometers from Jakoetsk.