Story and photos by Maxby Chan

I have always loved my geography lessons. During my time, geography was a simple subject, it helps the young mind explore foreign lands on this blue planet. It molds the foundation of wonder and awe about lands beyond our shores. My idea, then, of overseas travel was crossing the Penang Straits to Butterworth. I have always wondered what it was like staying in the Tundra conditions above the Arctic Circle. How do people survive the cold, unearthly and windy conditions? So when there was a chance to organise a photosafari trip to Murmansk and Teriberka, I was really excited.

Teriberka

This small town is located North of the Arctic Circle. Before the War, Teriberka had a well-developed cod and shark fishing business. In the end of the 1920s, the first collective farm was organised in the village. It included dairy farms, poultry farm, mink breeding farm and a reindeer herd in addition to the fishing industry.

However, the declined came in the 1960s when the administrative centre was shifted to Severomrsk. The population presently has dropped to about 900 residents. However, this town is slowly recovering. Tourism plays a very important part in its recovery. Local and foreign tourists come here for sports fishing, para-snowboarding and photographing the Aurora Borealis.

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