The Coldest Place on Earth, Oymyakon Valley

If you think your school disappointed you by not giving enough holidays during the much awaited winter break, let me introduce you to Oymyakon's solitary school that closes only when the temperature falls below -52°C.

Unbelievable but true, the Oymyakon valley is the coldest place on Earth! Coldest, I understand but inhabited, that’s strange. They say the lowest temperature recorded here was -71.2°C with the average being -50°C. “Are you kidding me?” I wonder.

It’s been a while now since I have been wishing to visit Oymyakon but the thought of living through the extreme conditions makes me shiver. Located in the eastern Yakutsk region in Russia, it is also known as the ‘Pole of Cold’. To get there, you can take a flight from Moscow to Yakutsk and follow it with a two-day drive and an overnight stay in Tyoply Kluch.  And once you’re here, almost everything will surprise you. So, here are some of the unusual facts of the town that never melts:

• What’s in a name? Just like the place, its name is strange (and ironical) too for Oymyakon means ‘non-freezing water’. It was named after a hot spring nearby.
• Gone in 60 seconds! Even boiling hot water will take precisely 60 seconds to freeze here.  Try spraying some water in the air and voila, you would have created some ice crystals of your own.

• Here, there and everywhere: No matter where your head turns, the entire village of Oymyakon is covered in pure white snow. Since nothing can grow here, the only food you can have is deer meat, horse meat and fish.

• Survival of the fittest: The only source of calcium and many other crucial micronutrients is deer milk. It helps the locals stay fit.
• Don't stop while driving! Once you decide to drive around Oymyakon, make sure you don’t take a halt midway because the car engine might freeze if you stop for longer than a minute.

• R.I.P: Such is the misery of the dead that it takes three days to bury them. The families first thaw the snow which is quite time-consuming. They use hot coals to generate heat and finally when the grave is deep enough, the coffin is buried.

… and the curious case of Oymyakon does not end here. In fact, even common things like tea, milk, pen ink or batteries freeze very quickly. If you see a dog drinking water, don’t be too surprised if its tongue gets stuck either to the rim of the bowl or the frozen water itself. Young children are warned not to touch metal when outside the house because you never know, it might call for an emergency.

I seriously wonder how a population of approximately 500 people have been living in a land that has always known only one colour, one season and such tough living conditions. Brrr…the very thought just ran a chill down my spine!

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