Every eclipse has different logistic obstacles and the 1981 event had plenty. As the track ran through the Soviet Union even getting weather data was not simple (are you spies..?) and when it was clear the best place was going to be in a closed region in Kazakhstan, the negotiations had to kick in early. All travel had to be set up through Intourist, the only outfit allowed to bring in foreigners so there was a mountain of paperwork and weeks of delays waiting for permission. Immigration on arrival
took forever and we were all told off for arriving late at the hotel, “your dinner has been cancelled…”.
Visiting Soviet era Moscow and Leningrad (now St Petersburg) was a unique experience, tourists were rare and always carefully shepherd between the various examples of Great Achievements, but the elements of the city which had effectively been preserved in aspic had a wonderful resonance of an earlier times.
A rugged Aeroflot flight from Moscow to Tselinograd (now Astana) introduced us to the real rural Soviet Union, regimented blocks of brutal apartments built among the remnants of the old wooden buildings and inhabited by regimented schoolkids with bright red scarves.
An observation site had been prepared with a restaurant tent and yurts, all ready to serve breakfast on the day of the eclipse. It was not actually on the centre of the eclipse track, but they were not going to move it! Another glorious eclipse in a clear blue sky and great hospitality from the local people.
Brian McGee
Founder, Astro Trails