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Follow the lights
  • Brad and Mandy Pearce

Follow the lights

Another consequence of covid. Trip originally booked with Travelmarvel and it never happened. Our travel agent found similar tour with Hurtigruten - two and a bit weeks seeking out the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights Read more
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  • Trip start
    February 20, 2023
    Brad and Mandy PearceFollow the lightsBrad and Mandy Pearce

    30°C to -5°C in 24 hours

    February 21, 2023 in Finland ⋅ ☁️ -8 °C

    After 2 rather long plane flights (7 hours to Singapore and 14 hours to Helsinki), we have arrived in the Finnish capital for the start of our Follow the Lights tour. We have a few hours to kill before the last flight, only a couple of hours, to Ivelo, in Finland's North.

    Very pretty looking over the snowy landscape, except the runways - how does they keep them clear of snow? I hope our luggage transfers all the way through without any hassle because we are certainly going to need our winter woollies.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceFollow the lightsBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Ivalo airportCurrent temperature at 1pmStarting the trek up to the resort (yes, that's me)The resort and a tobogganer having funEverything is cake in snowA trig stationPlenty of snowmobilesSetting sun over Saarisalka

    Ivalo /Saarisalka

    February 21, 2023 in Finland ⋅ ☀️ -15 °C

    So, my question on how do they keep the runways clear was answered as a fleet of snowplough drove past. Missed their first pass which looked quite impressive as they were in one long line going down the main runway. Video shows them retuning to base after completing their task.

    The flight to Ivalo was uneventful but the plane was packed as usual. Disembarking in Ivalo which is in Lapland and the weather was beautiful and sunny. When it is sunny it also means it is cold. Temperature at 1pm was -15°C according to the airport temp sign. This is good though, because clear weather means a good chance of seeing the northern lights.

    Brad got a bit worried because his bag didn't come out at first so it was a relief when it eventually popped out on the conveyor belt. Our tour guide - Nacho - was there to greet us and most of the rest of our tour group, and a 30 minute drive to Saarisalka where we are staying the next 2 nights.

    We walked up to a lookout / ski resort for the views and sunset (sets around 4.30pm at the moment) Beautiful scenery - bit of a mission tramping up the hill with all the cold weather gear on. Underestimated just how cold it is when the sun goes down as we wandered to dinner (a couple hundred metres ) without the big jacket, gloves, scarf etc. on - and the cold just cut through you. It was -25°C by this time.

    We were hopeful to get our first sighting of the lights as conditions were favourable so traipsed up to a lookout (suitably attired this time) but only a faint glow was seen so no photos. Maybe tomorrow night!    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceFollow the lightsBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Fashion extraordinaire
    Twinning!Snow dogs - ready for action1A nice warm Berry drink and a spot by the fireA young husky who wouldn't stay stillView from our hotel balconyAlso from our balcony - see the sparkles of ice in the airSanta's cottageSnowy scenes around townSaarisalka footpathInside the Lutheran church

    A Husky Adventure

    February 22, 2023 in Finland ⋅ ☀️ -17 °C

    Well, this experience exceeded my expectations - it was great!!

    Weather was perfect - nice and sunny again - very cold, but we were told that the huskies love it when it is cold and they just love to run... but first.. we had to be kitted out in super warm clothing from boots, thick woollen socks, full overalls and mittens as well as our usual scarves, beanies etc. So, being a short round, overalls are always too long in the body and legs and are quite awkward to walk in. Besides that, I look a bit like a gnome.

    Every couple had their team of 5 dogs. Brads job was to drive the sled - mine was to just sit and be the passenger (and take some photos/video). Suited me just fine. The dogs were yipping and barking in excited anticipation. When given the order to go they just took off. Brad did an excellent job of driving and I did an excellent job of sitting - ha!

    In the afternoon we just wandered around the town looking at a few souvenir shops and called into the Lutheran Church where the whole back wall behind the alter was made of windows and overlooked the beautiful wintery scene.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceFollow the lightsBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Walking to feed the reindeerLichen - a favourite delicacyFeeding timeSami guide in traditional dressSoup was served in traditional bowlsFirepit in the teepeeOur log cabin for the nightSnowmobiles on the frozen lake2Brad enjoying his toboggan ride

    Sami and the Reindeer

    February 23, 2023 in Finland ⋅ 🌫 -9 °C

    No, not a child's Christmas story about a little girl and her pet reindeer, but rather a focus on the local Sami culture and their relationship with the reindeer.

    The Sami people are the indigenous people of Northern Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia - often referred to as Lapland. They utilise the reindeer as their source of income, not only for food, but also for clothing (shoes, hats etc) and the antlers and bones for tools such as knife handles, buttons, needle holders.

    We visited the Aurora village where we fed the reindeer (they are smaller than I thought), and then went on a sledge ride - very slow and romantic(?) - it was a nice experience. We then had a very delicious salmon soup (chowder), in a traditional Sami teepee around a fire pit.

    Drove onto Lake Inari to visit the SIIDA museum housing a collection of the spiritual and material culture of the Finnish Sami, then onto our accommodation. We got upgraded to a log cabin as our designated hut had a problem with the heating. Some of us released our inner child as we tobogganed down a snowy slope on the frozen lake.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceFollow the lightsBrad and Mandy Pearce
    The view from our room
    These are the cabins we stayed inVery pretty at nightCouldn't find the toilet at firstReception areas of the ice hotelVarious bedrooms - could you sleep here?The honeymoon suiteThe ice barHuskies on top of their kennels

    Goodbye Finland, Hello Norway

    February 24, 2023 in Norway ⋅ 🌫 -10 °C

    After a leisurely start to the day, we travelled for about 3 hours to Kirkenes in Norway. That is what has been great about this tour, there have been no uncivilised early morning starts - the earliest we have started has been 10am - today was 11am. We quickly notice a difference between the 2 countries - Finland is relatively flat, while Norway is quite mountainous.

    Kirkenes is where we start the cruise portion of our tour tomorrow, but first we visited the snow hotel which is also our accommodation. Thankfully we are staying in the cabins which look a little like hobbit houses and not in the ice hotel itself. Novelty, yes! Comfortable, I think not!

    In the ice hotel, everything is made from ice and snow and each room is decorated in various themes from Santa, to Frozen and the honeymoon suite. Apparently guests sleep in special sleeping bags but even then, the mouth and nose can tend to get frozen. We did, however, enjoy a welcome drink at the ice bar.

    There were also huskies and reindeer at this hotel. The huskies looked funny, partly because they were all sitting on top of their kennel. Someone said it was too hot in the kennel for them (it was around-9°C), but it could also be because they were waiting for their mates to return from a sleigh ride.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceFollow the lightsBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Kirkenes harbourVardo1Northern lights (enhanced)Hammerfest? (I think)Meridian marker1Taking the kid and the dog for a walk

    Bon Voyage on Hurtigruten ship Nordkapp

    February 25, 2023 in Norway ⋅ ☀️ -5 °C

    We vacated the lovely snow hotel cabins to join the southbound cruise ship from Kirkenes to Bergen. The Nordkapp is not luxury like other cruise lines and doesn't have entertainment etc, but the cabins are cosy and the meals are good.

    We had booked a snowmobile tour in the polar night which happened to be the very first night on the ship..... at 1am! It was rather surreal driving on these Ski-doo's at 2 o'clock in the morning. Didn't really see any spectacular northern lights but I have included a couple of photos Brad took. The camera picks ups more than the eye can see, but these photos have also been enhanced a bit.

    As we cruise down the coast of Norway, we stop at many ports on the way, sometimes only 10 minutes. We called into Hammerfest today which is the most northern town in the world. Only there for an hour and a half, enough time to visit the meridian marker, but as it was a Sunday, mostly everything was shut.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceFollow the lightsBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Cold and windy out on deck
    Fishing villageGives an idea of the size of the the mountainsArctic circle marketTaking my medicine1Cod liver oil souvenir teaspoonTrollejorden souvenir mugs

    Crossing the Arctic Circle

    February 28, 2023 in Norway ⋅ 🌬 2 °C

    The last day of so on the boat has been pretty uneventful. Too overcast to see any northern lights although the Aurora activity has been very high lately (including Australia). The scenery has been much the same - grey skies, snowy mountains, cold seas with the odd village nestled here and there along the route.

    As we passed by Trollejorden (a rock that looks like a troll) we partook in a cup of the local brew (tasted a bit like cough medicine). After drinking it, I think every rock looks like a troll. We got to keep the souvenir mug though. We also crossed the Arctic circle heading south celebrated(?) with a spoon of cod liver oil for good health. Another souvenir teaspoon!    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceFollow the lightsBrad and Mandy Pearce
    The Atlantic Hwy
    Aerial view of Atlantic Hwy on a hive sunny dayFloating through the Marble mineMaid of the mountainChandelier is made from marbleSeagulls hoping for a feedSeven sisters mountain range (7 peaks)Hard to see, but the northern lights are there

    Atlantic Road and Marble Mine

    March 1, 2023 in Norway ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    An interesting excursion off the boat. We disembarked at Kristiansund, travelled along the Atlantic Hwy to a marble mine near Molde. This was so much better than expected, helped by the fact that we finally had some sunny weather.

    The Atlantic Hwy is an engineering masterpiece designed to combat the strong winds. It is only 8-9km long but is a very popular tourist attraction, mainly because of the scenery. It was used as a filming location in the James Bond movie, No Time To Die. We arrived just as the sun was setting so it looked really nice.

    The marble mine was interesting. We boarded rafts and floated through underground caverns with mood lighting and Enya style music. We tried the purest water that has seeped through the rock and ended our tour with bowls of hot meat and veggie soup. It is a family run business - only about 5 or 6 workers who blast, dig, and crush the marble rock. I couldn't work out why the marble was crushed but it is actually used to make paper - the high quality glossy stuff - who knew? Some larger pieces are used for statues, furniture and other things you usually associate with marble. I guess the tour is designed to supplement their income. As the demand for paper is decreasing, they are looking to use the mines as data storage centre for the servers because it is cool and there is an abundance of water.

    We have not really seen spectacular displays of the northern lights as it has always been too cloudy. Generally, the photos you see are not what can be seen with the naked eye - appears more like a wispy, whitish cloud - but the camera lens picks up more colours.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceFollow the lightsBrad and Mandy Pearce
    View from harbour up to Mt Florien
    The Bryggen areaNice architectureLake near city centre - looks of bird life1Beautiful swansEdvard Grieg's houseGrieg's burial site for his ashes (and his wife)Scenery around Grieg's homeStave churchCannonball (circled) in church wallThe Canon Ball has been stuck there for over 350 yearsInfo about this cannon ballNoticed there was a submarine in the harbour

    Bergen

    March 3, 2023 in Norway ⋅ ☀️ 7 °C

    Arrived in Bergen on a rare sunny afternoon - rare because Bergen experiences around of 250 rainy days a year. Funny thing is, we were in Bergen in 2017 and that day was also fine and sunny. The hotel is well located, very close to the city centre and while some others rode the funicular to the top of Mt Florien, we wandered around the streets and shops.

    The next day was totally different weather wise - cold and drizzly... and did I say cold! We had a city tour of the main points of interest including the Bryggen (the wharfside timber buildings) that are UNESCO listed. The city of Bergen has burnt down several times in the last 10 centuries due to the close packed timber houses - fire takes hold and it is very difficult to control.

    We also visited the house of Edvard Grieg, composer and pianist, who composed music for the Peer Gynt play - Hall of the Mountain King and Morning Mood - which most of us are familiar with even if we don't know the name. There are a few other points of interest in Bergen that are in the photos.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceFollow the lightsBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Beginning of boat ride along fjordIce cracking coming into FlamFlam1Frozen waterfallsSame view winter and summerVery cold end of the Flam railway

    Bergen to Oslo

    March 4, 2023 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ -6 °C

    A very long day as we travelled from Bergen to Norway's capital - Oslo - by train, bus, boat and train again. Some very interesting scenery as we headed into the mountains at Voss and then onto a fjord where we joined a boat ride to the town of Flam. Coming into Flam, the boat was cutting through ice as we arrived at the wharf.

    From Flam we took the Flam train to Myrndal, considered one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. We have already taken this journey back in 2017 but that time was in Summer so it was interesting to see it in winter. It was very cold and lots of snow around.

    Finally, it was a 4 1/2 hour train trip to Oslo, arriving around 10.30pm. A long day, not doing anything physical much, but quite tiring. The photos really don't do justice to to majesty of these mountain scenes.    Read more

  • Brad and Mandy PearceFollow the lightsBrad and Mandy Pearce
    Hollmenkollum ski jump
    Vigeland Sculpture Park (Brad added a cheeky one here)Angry toddler in middle, young daughter being stubbornViking helmet - look, no horns (they are a myth)Ice skating rink outside our hotel in the backgroundThe Opera house - walked to the topNorwegian seagull!1Crazy ice dipping???No explanation of what this is

    Final tour day - Oslo

    March 5, 2023 in Norway ⋅ ☀️ 3 °C

    Our last day of the tour was spent in Oslo. It was a fantastic day with the usual 4 hour city tour but we had a great local guide who didn't spend overly long at different points of interest.

    The main areas we visited were Vigeland Sculpture Park, featuring over 200 sculptures from granite and bronze with the theme depicting the circle of life, from birth to death. Vineland also designed the sculpture for the Nobel peace prize. The sculptures could be interpreted in many ways and each person would get something different out of them.

    We drove to the Hollmenkollum Ski jump - an awesome site - pure madness for anyone launching themselves off this. Then off to a museum to look specifically at Viking stuff. Only shortish stops but interesting nevertheless.

    The rest of the afternoon was free and Brad and I wandered around the local area - walked to the top of the opera house - designed to look like a glacier, watched people come out of a sauna and lower themselves into the icy harbour - crazy! Beautiful sunny afternoon (still cold though) and a great way to finish our tour.    Read more

    Trip end
    March 8, 2023
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