"What are the odds of the same airline having two accidents in the same week?" I thought, trying to reassure myself as our Sibir Airlines 737 began its descent into Balandino Airport in Chelyabinsk. Besides, 737's have a good safety record and our pilot was an excellent flier, right? Right?
Fortunately, the landing came off without incident. In fact, the only threat to our life and limb was occurred when the cabin door was opened and gargantuan mosquitoes fell upon us like blood thirsty Cossacks on stragglers from the Grande Armee retreating from Moscow. It was not unlike something that you would experience in the north woods of Minnesota, except we were sitting inside a plane on a tarmac at an airport just outside a rather large (1.2 million people) city.
Besides mosquitoes, the area also is similar to Minnesota in climate and terrain. Warm summers and cold winters (actually much colder than Minnesota). Lots of trees, lakes, and dachas (somewhat similar to a cabin). And hearty folk who appreciate the glories of hockey and are apt to indulge in a cocktail or two (or thirteen).
You know the stereotypical image of the Russian dinner with round after round of toasts celebrated with vodka? There's usually an element of truth in all stereotypes and this one is no different. The days are long and so are the nights.
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