Tel Aviv - Moscow flight

I got out of the car at the airport building, loaded my bags and the huge box with the bike onto a cart, and my heart skipped a beat. Where am I going? Suddenly this whole endeavor seemed huge, much bigger than me. Just three days ago I was sitting in my apartment in warmth and comfort, and now, in three days, I'll be pedaling in the heat, somewhere in the wilderness of Hokkaido. After saying goodbye to my brother, I stepped toward the airport building.

I had to pay an extra $50 for the bike box. Turns out, bike transportation is free if there's no other baggage besides it. I didn't account for that. I felt like a complete idiot when I was transferring numerous gadgets and electronics from bag to bag. Besides my phone and laptop, there's an electric razor, music player, camera. Each has its own cord, charger, battery — I hate feeling like such an electronic dude. There's also a GPS tracker, from a sponsor for internet access and communication with the outside world on Japanese territory — the EX-ROADmedia portal. This tracker will allow real-time tracking of my movements on a map, sending SMS messages to loved ones and SOS signals if needed.

Here's a small insert for those interested in bike transportation. The bike needs to be packed in a box after removing the wheels. Then, at check-in, they'll ask you to take it to the oversized baggage counter, and upon arrival you'll need to find out where they give out oversized baggage. I got my bike at Sheremetyevo in the very corner of the baggage claim area — they just brought it out through the doors. At check-in, the worker refused to register the baggage through to the final destination, so I had to put it in storage for the day. Although on the phone, a girl from Aeroflot said it was possible, even if I'm staying in Moscow for a day.

Usually I'm lucky with interesting passengers, this time I didn't say a word. Above my left ear sat a drunk couple — a fat girl and a bearded guy in a cap with Dzhigurda's voice. He's swearing at her and threatening to send her to the zoo. "Stick your tongue in your mouth," she responds to him. She probably wanted him to shut up. I really wanted that too. To the right sits a middle-aged woman enthusiastically reading a book. "Ah you bitch, thought Fyodor." I read that line from the book and decided to just try to fall asleep.