 |
         |
 |
|
|
|
     |
 |
 DUSHARIN:
On the 8th of August we reached the border between China and Kirghizia,
but at 2 p.m. the customs change its mode of operation. Before 2 p.m. they
admit people and transport from China to Kirghizia, and after 2 p.m. -
in the opposite direction. We were 15 minutes late, so we had to spend
the night at the steppe near of the customs. Getting through the Kirghiz
customs was a tough job too. For 3 or 4 hours they didn't let us through.
We couldn't even leave the cars. They withdrew Igor's passport, and the
long and hard procedure of the ascertainment of the fact of his death had
started.
 |
|
The driver was so happy to meet us. Having got to our homeland we started swallowing food (all we could find were cucumbers and mineral water) and overdone it. After such a mixture in a jolly truck our stomachs started getting upset. After an hour the driver was not happy anymore. After three hour he was angry as a dog and red as a tomato. The car was moving for 15 minutes and then stopping. The whole team ran to the nearest bushes unbuttoning pants as if we were crazy. To save time we stopped buttoning our pants soon.
The driver couldn't stand that anymore. Swearing us with all the words he could only remember, he said that at the back of the car he has a liter and a half of pure alcohol with salt. It is a good medicine for such cases and he is ready to donate it if only to reach Bishkek the same day. We found and drank the alcohol, but it didn't work. The driver was surprised, examined the bottle and found that we drank another bottle without salt. He nearly had a stroke. We drank another one and a half liters of alcohol, this time with salt. We felt better by the time we started getting to Bishkek. It is interesting that everyone was sober, although it was definitely pure alcohol. |
|
 |
 DUSHARIN:
We didn't stay long in Bishkek. We flew home immediately. There we had
a hard and sorrow meeting with Vladimir Samuilovich Benkin, Igor's father.
Vladimir Samuilovich Benkin is a legend of Russian Alpinism, known all
over the country. Actually, he was the founder of the climbing movement
in Togliatti. We exerted a definite influence on each other's life. Also
we are a kind of rivals with him. That's why despite all its correctness
the conversation was exhausting. It seemed to me that finally we understood
each other. Next day we had a talk with Igor's wife, Natasha.
|
|
Carlos came to Togliatti in a week. He got a Russian visa in London. Only our energetic help could solve the problem. The Carlos' arrival was very important to Igor's wife and father. He was the only one who could answer all those difficult questions. He was the last one to see Igor alive. Following the Orthodox Church tradition, on the 40th day we had a commemoration. There were more than 150 people from all over the Middle Volga region. The final hearing of the case in court occurred on January 1997. The court acknowledged the fact of Igor's death. |
 |
 |
|
|