At the March 8 TCC luncheon meeting in Newport Beach, CA, Northern California members Frank and Sigrid Rainer will give a slide presentation about their two-month journey this past summer across the full width of Russia.
Their Russian excursion encompassed five stages: (1) two weeks by riverboat from St. Petersburg to Moscow; (2) two weeks by trans-Siberian train to Vladivostok; (3) about 10 days hopping by car, train, plane and ferry through the Siberian far east from Vladivostok, Khabarovsk and Anadyr; (4) two weeks by expedition ship through the Bering Strait to the polar bear maternity ward of Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean; (5) two weeks on the same expedition ship along the Kamchatka Peninsula.
It was their fourth trip to Russia, although Frank was born in Koenigsberg, Germany, which is now the far western enclave of Kaliningrad, Russia. They have traveled extensively for over half a century, including circumnavigating the globe six times. He has visited 319 of the countries/territories on the TCC list.
Date: Saturday, March 8, 2014
Place: Newport Harbor Yacht Club, 720 West Bay Avenue, Balboa, CA 92661, telephone (949) 673-7730 [NHYC Web site]
Time: 11:30 a.m. – No Host Cocktails, 12:30 p.m. – Luncheon & Program
Cost: Members & Guests $50, Non-Members (not guests) $75. Includes wine, tax and tip.
Choice of Meal: Grilled Swordfish or Bacon Wrapped Petite Filet
Payment: No later than noon, March 5 (for late RSVP call 310-458-3454)
Parking: Free for members and guests
Directions: From the north, take 405 Fwy. south; merge into CA 73 toward San Diego; merge into CA 55 south which becomes Newport Blvd. Stay straight to W. Balboa Blvd. Turn left onto 7th St; turn left onto Bay Ave. Club is on the right side. From the south, take 405 Fwy. north; merge into CA 55 toward Newport Beach and pick-up from above.
