Wow, what a place. Arrived saturday night after a 25 hour train/bus marathon. Kiruna is not a big town, we found our hostel just by walking round for a bit. Kiruna isn't a happening place on a Saturday night, so we picked up some ice cream and beer from the nearby gas station and settled in for a night of card games with our new American friend AJ who was also staying in our hostel.
Sunday wasn't much better. Pretty much everything was closed and we spent most of the day trying to organize our artic adventures. On the upside, since the sun just skims the surface of the sky you get amazing colours in the sky throughout the day.
Monday morning AJ and us were picked up at 9am and taken to Camp Alta, where we dropped our bags and got ready for our snowmobile experience. First step was to put on a very stylish one piece windproof suit (a one-sie). Next was warm socks, combat boots, two pairs of thick mittens, a helmet and goggles. Then we were off! With Mel taking control at first, and Brad on the back as photographer we raced round a frozen lake, through a forest, over another lake and then arrived at our destination: the Ice Hotel.
Sunrise over the frozen lake
Snow mobiling
Inside the ice hotel
We had a couple of hours to explore the ice hotel, which was pretty amazing. There were about 70 rooms, some of which were pretty standard- bed of ice and a couple of ice chairs and table. Others were designed by artists, each unique and some quite unusual.
By 2pm darkness was encroaching so it was back on the snowmobile (Brad in control) to return to camp. A camp fire and feast of reindeer stew was waiting, which we thoroughly enjoyed.
The evening consisted of watching the stars, sitting by the camp fire on comfy reindeer skins, drilling holes in the ice and ice fishing. Brad tried the sauna and even enjoyed a dip in the lake (twice!). Best of all - seeing the northern lights!
Drilling a hole for ice fishing
Tuesday morning we went cross country skiing round the lake, watching the sun rise. It was hard work, but a lot of fun.
Cross country skiing on the frozen lake
Now we are heading for another 25 hour train to Oslo.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday wasn't much better. Pretty much everything was closed and we spent most of the day trying to organize our artic adventures. On the upside, since the sun just skims the surface of the sky you get amazing colours in the sky throughout the day.
Monday morning AJ and us were picked up at 9am and taken to Camp Alta, where we dropped our bags and got ready for our snowmobile experience. First step was to put on a very stylish one piece windproof suit (a one-sie). Next was warm socks, combat boots, two pairs of thick mittens, a helmet and goggles. Then we were off! With Mel taking control at first, and Brad on the back as photographer we raced round a frozen lake, through a forest, over another lake and then arrived at our destination: the Ice Hotel.
Sunrise over the frozen lake
Snow mobiling
Inside the ice hotelWe had a couple of hours to explore the ice hotel, which was pretty amazing. There were about 70 rooms, some of which were pretty standard- bed of ice and a couple of ice chairs and table. Others were designed by artists, each unique and some quite unusual.
By 2pm darkness was encroaching so it was back on the snowmobile (Brad in control) to return to camp. A camp fire and feast of reindeer stew was waiting, which we thoroughly enjoyed.
The evening consisted of watching the stars, sitting by the camp fire on comfy reindeer skins, drilling holes in the ice and ice fishing. Brad tried the sauna and even enjoyed a dip in the lake (twice!). Best of all - seeing the northern lights!
Drilling a hole for ice fishingTuesday morning we went cross country skiing round the lake, watching the sun rise. It was hard work, but a lot of fun.
Cross country skiing on the frozen lakeNow we are heading for another 25 hour train to Oslo.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:Kiruna
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