ADVENTURE: On Thin Ice - Hiking Siberia During the Invasion of Ukraine with Explorer Charlie Walker
There is a moment in every great adventure when the world shifts beneath your feet. For explorer Charlie Walker, it came in a Siberian supermarket, comparing brands of pasta at minus 38 degrees, when his phone buzzed with a BBC alert: Russia has invaded Ukraine. He was about to begin a 600-mile solo trek through northern Russia, crossing some of the most remote, frozen wilderness on Earth. The official advice was to leave as soon as possible. He chose to stay.
On Thin Ice is the story of what happened next. A journey across a Siberian Zimnik, a frozen winter road through silent forests and tundra, past Gulag towns and disappearing indigenous villages, into the heart of a country at war with itself as much as with its neighbour. It is a story of extraordinary human warmth in the coldest place on Earth, of state surveillance and midnight knocks at the door, of weeks spent in a Russian prison cell, counting days up instead of days down. And it is a story, ultimately, about the nature of truth and a mirror it holds up to all of us.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
Stranded in Yakutsk
Hear how Charlie found himself in Yakutsk the morning Russia invaded Ukraine, standing in a supermarket comparing pasta packets when his phone buzzed with the news that changed everything.
Siberia’s Ice Road
Travel with Charlie along the Zimnik, one of Siberia’s frozen winter roads, through total whiteout, wolf tracks, blinding cold, and drunk lorry drivers navigating in the dark without headlights.
The Coldest Place on Earth
Discover the warmth hidden in the coldest place on Earth: Sakha women who dressed Charlie in traditional ceremonial costumes, fed him horse blood sausage, danced with him, and sent him off with a shaman’s blessing the next morning.
Imprisoned in Putin’s Russia
Find out what it feels like to be arrested, tried, and imprisoned in Putin’s Russia, and how Charlie spent nearly four weeks in an Arctic prison cell, counting shuffling footsteps from one wall to the other.
FIND OUT MORE
Charlie Walker’s book On Thin Ice is available in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold.
Explore Charlie’s other expeditions and books at cwexplore.com
Follow Charlie on Instagram: @cwexplore
KNOW SOMEONE WHO NEEDS THIS?
If this episode lit something up in you, do me a favour - send it to just one person. One friend, one family member, one person who needs a little adventure in their life right now. Hit the share button in your podcast app - it takes about ten seconds, and it genuinely helps us keep bringing these stories to you.
FOLLOW US
Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Website: armchair-explorer.com
CONNECT WITH US
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe so you don’t miss a thing, and if you have a spare moment, look up - there’s five stars waiting to be clicked! It goes a long way in helping others find the show.
CREDITS
Armchair Explorer is written and presented by Aaron Millar. Audio editing and sound design by Charles Tyrie. Produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at Armchair-Productions.com
Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast
This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast
Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around
the world
This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Advertising.
On Thin Ice is the story of what happened next. A journey across a Siberian Zimnik, a frozen winter road through silent forests and tundra, past Gulag towns and disappearing indigenous villages, into the heart of a country at war with itself as much as with its neighbour. It is a story of extraordinary human warmth in the coldest place on Earth, of state surveillance and midnight knocks at the door, of weeks spent in a Russian prison cell, counting days up instead of days down. And it is a story, ultimately, about the nature of truth and a mirror it holds up to all of us.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
Stranded in Yakutsk
Hear how Charlie found himself in Yakutsk the morning Russia invaded Ukraine, standing in a supermarket comparing pasta packets when his phone buzzed with the news that changed everything.
Siberia’s Ice Road
Travel with Charlie along the Zimnik, one of Siberia’s frozen winter roads, through total whiteout, wolf tracks, blinding cold, and drunk lorry drivers navigating in the dark without headlights.
The Coldest Place on Earth
Discover the warmth hidden in the coldest place on Earth: Sakha women who dressed Charlie in traditional ceremonial costumes, fed him horse blood sausage, danced with him, and sent him off with a shaman’s blessing the next morning.
Imprisoned in Putin’s Russia
Find out what it feels like to be arrested, tried, and imprisoned in Putin’s Russia, and how Charlie spent nearly four weeks in an Arctic prison cell, counting shuffling footsteps from one wall to the other.
FIND OUT MORE
Charlie Walker’s book On Thin Ice is available in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold.
Explore Charlie’s other expeditions and books at cwexplore.com
Follow Charlie on Instagram: @cwexplore
KNOW SOMEONE WHO NEEDS THIS?
If this episode lit something up in you, do me a favour - send it to just one person. One friend, one family member, one person who needs a little adventure in their life right now. Hit the share button in your podcast app - it takes about ten seconds, and it genuinely helps us keep bringing these stories to you.
FOLLOW US
Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast
Website: armchair-explorer.com
CONNECT WITH US
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe so you don’t miss a thing, and if you have a spare moment, look up - there’s five stars waiting to be clicked! It goes a long way in helping others find the show.
CREDITS
Armchair Explorer is written and presented by Aaron Millar. Audio editing and sound design by Charles Tyrie. Produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at Armchair-Productions.com
Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast
This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast
Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around
the world
This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Advertising.