-20

How does -20 feel exactly? It is of course out of the question that it is very cold. But I would like to give some specifics about it. For me, it was exciting, quite scary, painful and triumphant experience.

How exciting:  it is because I didn't have idea how it really feels and how exactly people feel with it. I was filled with curiosity before it actually happened. Whenever I would ask my husband about it he would just answer cynically like "how? cold,of course". This is not my first winter but it is my first Russian winter. You probably heard about how harsh winters are in Russia. I don't usually conclude according to what other people say. Some of them are exaggerating, others are just too pessimistic. That's why it was exciting for me because it something yet to be discovered as I've not listened to anyone else's comment.

Quite scary? Yes, it is. People normally fear what they don't know, or if not, at least feel worried about it. Not knowing how much cold I can take, makes me feel worried. Besides that, I also have uncanny thoughts like my heart would stop beating if I stay longer in cold, or that I will not be able to walk suddenly because my bones starts getting frozen. I imagine how people get frozen from movies, and aagh, it is scary to see slowly dying in cold. As I have said, they're just my uncanny thoughts. Of course it will not happen, We don't even go to the mountains, we're just rambling in the city or in the parks and close to the river which is located at the heart of the city. So in any case, I will be saved before I get frozen or we simply can go inside a nearby mall to get warm. But I must confess, I really do get worried. Sham told me he knows when I start feeling cold because I start looking worried and starts running away from him. We love to make pictures which in that case, he makes pictures and I pose hehe. But when it's cold already, buck picture, all I have in mind is to run or ride to the nearest  place where we can unfreeze ourselves. Then, I will start regaining my conscious self again :)

Painful it is. If you go out without beanie and hood, of course you'll get brain freeze. (hehe, parang halo-halo lang yan eh). As soon as I step out of our apartment building, I sniffed a very sharp air. I'll describe it like a sharp knife which suddenly has gotten into my nostrils. Later, I was complaining that something is moving inside and it was when the liquid from my runny nose slowly was getting frozen, like a winter frost hehe. Tooth edge pain is killing me,(mangiluhon). That's the most hated part I'd say. In China before, wearing scarf already feels suffocating for me. But not anymore, In Russia I love scarf, the thicker it is the better :))) I wrap my neck up to the mouth and nose. At least only small part of my cheeks is being slapped with the very cold wind. I've seen some people crying but they were not. Tears are, as I have learned, a reaction to cold. I don't have it. But I felt kinda teary eyed and one time I had my non-waterproof mascara on, it felt like melting and at the same time freezing. My upper eyelashes were sticking to my lower lashes haha. My hands, oh yeah painful is the right adjective. It reminded me of buying ice in Philippines. If you buy ice and you hold it (not the plastic) till you get home, surely you'd feel very unpleasant pain on your palm and fingers. The good thing about ice bought is that you can always drop it if you couldn't take the pain anymore. But with winter, you cannot drop anything. Good quality pair of gloves is the answer to the problem. But even good ones, fail sometimes. My Rossignol gloves gave up yesterday. My ones are used for skiing and there is this some kinda rubber material on the palm, maybe for grip, and they cracked :( We made a conclusion from it that North Face won over Rossignol since nothing bad happened to Sham's North Face gloves. They're really really good I must admit, I've worn them one time when my hands got too cold from taking pictures. It's cold proof, wind proof and water proof. Simply I'd love to have the same. My body, back and chest are so fine, no complains. Thanks to my Billabong skii jacket. My left leg has little problem. I'm probably too young to have rheumatism. But it is pain in the bone which I feel. It feels like a breaking bone pain which extends from the back thigh bone, concentrated on the knee and down to the ankle. It is difficult especially when walking down the stairs, I couldn't bend my knee without hurting. How do I solve it? Nothing, I always have to endure the pain till we get to some warm place. When we get home, I put it right beside the heater on the wall until the pain subsides. Legs could have been warmer of course if I have water proof/cold proof pants but I didn't see much need for that now. Next year maybe when I will be looking forward to a winter adventure. This year is my Russian winter initiation and I'm trying to get my body get used to it and also get a full awareness of surviving it on a regular basis. I just use a leg warmer and a semi-woolen knee socks under my jeans and I'm be fine. My feet are fine with my UGG if it is dry cold, but when snow is wet, I had to use my waterproof Lacoste boots which is thinner so then I have to use a real warm socks like those of made from goat (real wool). On colder days like when it's -20, I can't use Lacoste, they might crack like Rossignol gloves. Sham bought me a real good layer to protect my sole. They're thermo-layer, which function is to block the cold from getting into the shoes. It really works! I love them. Technology, that's what you call it :) So, in fact the soles of my feet didn't get cold but the toes do when I stay really long time outdoors. After a long exposure outside, expect a body pain at home. Warm bath relieves it.

 Triumphant! Yeah, I am. Two times I went out on a -18, -20-21 temperatures and I made it haha. Curiosity was satisfied, Health and survival capabilities tested hehe. And of course, I am no longer ignorant to what they say COLD in RUSSIA. I'm happy about it, I could add it to my experience list :)



This week is the coldest according to weather forecast. Temperature ranges from -20 to -32. Wow! It is C O L D !  I already was told that we will stay home when temperature drops at -30, but I'll try to insist of going out even just nearby. I still want to feel how it is and later finally make a conclusion about Russian winter hehe.