Alexander Volkov: "Those who argue that everyone seemed to have not seen anything"

It all started from birth. And I’m not a traveler, I researcher. And children begin to explore from birth. From the 4th grade I knew that I would be engaged in biology, and then I specifically arrived at Moscow State University on that specialty that would allow me to see the world more.

I finished the soil faculty, the only one at the time in the Union. It was he who gave me the opportunity to travel.

I started traveling since 1987. Then in the union was an interesting program "My Motherland of the USSR" – the funds were distinguished to select the most intelligent guys and send them somewhere to do something useful. Sometimes we helped geologists, archaeologists, made the simplest geodetic studies. I, of course, work with the theodolite, did not know how to keep the bar for this theodolite of a special mind was not required.

My grandfathers, four generations, all butchers. And in the south, the bees are bred not as in the middle strip. In the south, beekeepers move along with bees from one blooming field to another. It so happened that I took part in these travels with bees. I really took me, for years to 12 years I was oblivioned the entire Rostov region, partly the Volgograd region and Krasnodar region.

Already being a student, I did one of the coursework on Tian-Shan, and the second on Mongolian Altai is a border of the borders of Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan and Russia. This is the most remote from the ocean place on Earth. After that, I finally realized that I was nowhere to go (laughs).

Alexander, whether I understand correctly that you choose for yourself the directions for traveling from the point of view of new research possible for yourself, and not somehow otherwise?

Oh sure. And the results of my trips – the troubled materials – they are not just put on the shelf. I am writing books, articles in magazines like "Science and Life". I’ll say right away – the photos separately now do not need anyone, everything can be found on the Internet. And the people have learned to write. All authoritative publishers are sobbing and crying – no normal authors. In general, I feel good, it gives me a job. Understandable thing that you will not live on articles. But it is possible to use it in order to compensate for some trips.

As a rule, you always ride at your own expense. Sometimes it happens that you buy, for example, tickets. Rarely pay all. Now last year I dared to Canara – it turned out that there is very interesting and terribly cheap. Why i didn’t fly there before? On Canaras Pretty Dear Flight. And then one agency suggested to me to pay a ticket, and then – my problems (laughs). Instead, asked a detailed report. I agreed. Such cases will now be very rare – crisis.

In general, if you go to some exotic, try to enlist the support of at least the information sponsor. Money does not pay such a sponsor, but everywhere will advertise that the expedition is organized. What a lot about this to all? And attract attention to the trip – our people are conducted on labels and badges. Over time, the scheme will work. If someone wants to receive returns from his travels right away – forget about it. Some of my trips begin to work in two – three. Yes, and over time, experience is accumulated, routes, generalized knowledge that you will not get from one trip – the very case when the amount is something more than just the terms.

Where you will advise to go to those who claim that they have already obeyed?

Well, immediately upset. Those who claim everyone to see, did not really see anything. These are tickles. "Oh, stepped on the Earth of this island – it means I saw it!"But that’s not. The world is so big, so diverse! Yes, now you can fly to any city of Planet per day, and you can reach the most remote points for three maximum. But these points deserve a deep study – ten lives are not enough for it! People who claim to have seen everything (this is for our short life, or rather for those 15-20 active years!), I would advise you to get into my head and rethink the values.

I, for example, in Argentina was four times. Yes, and the entire South American continent I caught up along and across several times. My childhood had two huge dreams – to visit Tibet and Amazonia. I dreamly explore Amazon. Yes, now I can say that I was there, more than once. And yes – I still do not know her. I would go back there again.

What other place these impressions made?

All countries are attracted by different – somewhere this nature, somewhere people, somewhere culture. If we talk about people, then I am absolutely stuck from Iran. There are just plague people! Iran is the only country where I felt in full security, even if I was in a dark alley at three o’clock in the morning with strangers.

In the sense of perception of another civilization I was struck by Yemen. I was lucky – first, I was there several times, secondly, I once struck sponsorship and organized an ethnographic expedition – we drove all Yemen, and most importantly – I found a bilingual, a person for whom Russian and Arabic Native languages. He could translate jokes, pull out the deep meaning and explain it. It is cool – so deeply able to immerse yourself in a cultural layer of another people.

And if we talk about nature … Well, my God, if you at least once visited Patagonia. This is a unique place. There a man did not have time to heal a lot. There, humanity got it later – about 12 thousand years ago. This is absolutely wild places! There are insanely beautiful combinations – when a parrot flies against the blue glacier.

And what you are so interested in Ethiopia that you even wrote about her book?

Ethiopia is a separate topic. It happened that I gathered there in two days. Did not know anything about this country. It happens rarely, usually independent travels are preparing for six months. Ethiopia I walked my legs like a pilgrim. Ethiopia – ancient Christian country, we were not standing nearby. If you want to see the lively true history of Christianity, go to Ethiopia – their religion has not changed with time.

Plus the uniqueness of Ethiopia also in the fact that this is the only country of the continent that has never been colonized. Europeans frustrated all Africa, but they did not get to Ethiopia.

Recently, in our club travelers there was a lecture dedicated to the southern tribes of Ethiopia – of course, we were told about another country, not about which you now say.

You can not imagine how long Russia has from Ethiopia. If not Russia, there would be never independent Ethiopia. If not Russia, and the rastafarine would not have originated there. Ask – where it is? Read in my book. The first Ethiopian pilot was the name of Babichev Babichev – a strange name for Ethiopa, however? Here in the book "Ethiopia. Traveling loners "I tell about all this in detail.

All photos – Alexander Volkova.
If you want to order Alexander Volkov’s book about Ethiopia – just write about this Wolfgrel @ Gmail.Com.

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