Now I know why they drink VODKA !

Woke up this morning and it was a bit harder than normal to get out of bed. The apartment felt a little colder than normal, so I checked that he heating was on and yes it was fine. I looked out the window and the sky was clear and in fact bright sunshine! Fantastic, maybe it wont be so cold today. Then I went out on the balcony....SXXT.......... It was so cold! Of course, I cant listen to the news to find out the temperature, so I am assuming it is -15 to -17 as predicted!

I shower, have breakfast and step out the door to meet Dima and the Volga. I swear my nasal hair started to freeze. I think Dima and the Volga were on time but when they arrived, I was absolutely freezing even with all my heavy winter gear ( no thermals). We pick up Michal & the normal polite morning conversation starts. "It's cold". "Yes but the sun is shining". "Yeah its good to see the sun". Then we all slink back into silence. I try and look out the window of the Volga, but I can see much, so I try & wipe the window a little to clear it. It is ICED up on the inside!!! I turn to Michal & say, "there is ice on the inside of the window", he nods and laughs!

We get to work.....
PMU Administration,
behind is the factory.
We have about a 150 meter
walk from Security
to the building. Look!
Blue sky!!!!!!!




Looking back down
from the bulding
to the main security
and car / truck enterance







When we get in the lift to go to the third floor, another guys gets in and says, "cold isnt it?" Yes Michal & I say in unison, "-23 says the guy". I look at Michal in disbelief............ minus 23.... surely it cant get that cold. As we get to the third floor, people start to look at me and laugh, knowing this weather would be killing me!   I have been inside for 10 minutes and I still have on my outdoor jacket, scarf etc. There is no way I am striping off until I warm up. I logon to the computer & see it is +39 in Melbourne!

If you look hard, you can just
see the city in the distance.
Photos were taken through
glass, so its not too clear.

The nearby town, not the city
centre













As you can see, no hills
very flat and bare








Leaving the building tonight was hard. You are in a heated building around 23degrees & then all of of sudden, you are in below freezing temperatures again! As we walked down to the outside security enterance, My nose hair begins to freeze again. "Dont stop to let the bus through" I say to Michal. Otherwise we will be outside 10 seconds more! As we get to security, Michal yells to me..."are you alive?"......."Only just, dont make me speak, it hurts".

Its 5.30 am your time & 8.30pm my time as I write this and the temperature here is -22 and the temperature in Melbourne is +22....... so we have something in common.......22 in either direction! I will  be throwing another doona on the bed tonight....I would really like to have my two babies, Bella and Middy on my bed to keep me warm but it cant be. So before I go to bed, I am going to have a shot of VODKA to warm up!!!!!
xm