Thundereggs from Siberia

Thundereggs in Russia are a totally different proposition from those in the US - and even in europe. I had never even heard of them until I ran across the first stones below. The problem appears to be that, even today, things don't seem to leave Russia very easily. Bureaucracy and official attitudes in russia are still so primitive that you cannot actually move rocks out the country directly - and even moving them within the country needs a sea of paperwork. In order to get thundereggs out of the country you have to do either of two things. A) bribe the officials to let them out. or B) quickly glue a small clock to the face of it, presumably so you can call it an ornamental clock! I kid you not! Both the Primoreye and the Yakutia below left Russia with clocks on them - the Yakutia even coming to be direct with clock still attached, which i had to deal with myself. Of course, that then means one gets clobbered nicely for tax on importing clocks when they arrive in the US and UK - so we end up with a lose/lose situation and it is doubtful which approach is the cheapest.

Of course - all this fuss means that these russian stones have the dubious distinction of being the most expensive thundereggs i have ever bought. I wont reveal precisely how much I spent but I will just say that you could buy about 15-20 average/good oregon thundereggs for the amount it cost to get one of these, after it has been dug in the wilderness, turned into a clock, posted, taxed, had clock removed - then perhaps posted again and taxed again. Russian bureaucracy and official mentality pah!!!! I am told that there are many other thunderegg locations over there, but i can imagine how rarely they are encounter here.

I guess this makes you appreciate the wonderful thunderegg hunting spirit in Oregon so much more. But anyway - I am very pleased to lay my hands on a small number of russian specimens to help spread the word a bit and reveal how beautiful they can be.