After a pretty intense time of ministry we were able to take a few days off! My two friends from Switzerland were coming to visit us here in the Far East and that was the perfect opportunity to rent a car and drive up to Mashas parents Dacha (something like a Summer garden). This was my first time driving a car with the wheel on its right side. Here most of the cars are imported from Japan, but we still drive on the right side of the road. Every time I wanted to put on the indicator I first wiped the front window, because the switches are opposite side. After driving myself I understand the full dimension of how bad the roads REALLY are. Good thing Masha was giving me good instructions:-).
On the way back we had planed to spend a two days at the sea, but the wonderful hot weather turned into fog and rain, so instead of driving eastwards we went south, back to Vladivostok. Since we still had the car we made use of it and drove to the old folks home and a family we regularly visit in some small village. My two Swiss friends didn’t have choice; they just followed where ever we went. Our grandmas and grandpas were very happy to see us - it is a joy when you literally see someone’s face light up when they see you! When we left the old folks home it was NOT raining. So we decided to drive on until we see the sea from the road and then go swimming. I wouldn’t say that it was particularly warm, but at least the water didn’t seem cold compared to the air. (It was not T-shirt weather). It was a fun day. When we drove into town it was already getting dark. All of a sudden there was this strange noise; I have heard it for a while and it was getting louder. Oops, I think that is us! We pulled out and saw that the back tire was completely flat... We just got the spare wheel 3 days before! In the trunk we found some tools. I didn’t have any idea what to do, but the four of us did a pretty good job sharing our knowledge and strength and within no time we were on the road again.
I think its quite cool that my friends from Switzerland travelled so far just to come and see us here at the end of the earth! For hem everything is interesting - they even take pictures inside the grocery store (which is forbidden:-). Sometimes I kind of forget that life in Switzerland is quite different.