Artyom Sokirko travels

Most people travel and most of them do so on business. Personally, I prefer to travel to conferences (those who tried both understand the difference).

I visited more than 100 cities in 12 Soviet republics - from Baltic Sea to Lake Baikal. The opening of "iron curtain" substantially changed the structure of my travels in 1990 to Europe and America. Now Christmas holidays are associated with the idea of downhill skiing and summer - with white-water kayaking.

When I had European, rather than American vacations, my favorite hobby was to join a group of friends self-organized for one to three week backpack expedition somewhere in the back of beyond. In particular, from 1976 to 1992 I traveled: with an ice-axe, with a paddle, with a crook, by cross-country skies and on my knees in 42 expeditions.