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Working in Tromsø
  • Miel Degang
  • Miel Degang

Working in Tromsø

A 187-day adventure by Miel Read more
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  • Trip start
    October 26, 2024
  • Miel DegangWorking in TromsøTraveler
    View from Katarina Elevator
    Gamla StanNight train Stockholm - Narvik

    Stockholm

    October 31, 2024 in Sweden ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Layover in Stockholm in between night trains. Enough time to stroll through Södermalm, have some Fika and try out the Katarina Elevator.

  • Miel DegangWorking in TromsøTraveler
    A welcome sight after so many years of Belgian melting snow ☃️
    Fjellheisen: first outdoor adventure, first lesson: never go hiking off-trail without snowshoes1View from my living roomStop at Ersfjordbotn during a little roadtripTromsø's wooden houses with the famous Tromsdaltinden in the background 🏠Lesson nr. 2: never go cycling with crappy gear in -11°C with Michel (a professional cycling guide)NL from my doorstepLunch with some of my coworkersOne of Norway's typical rorbuerI cycle through Tromsø's picturesque cemetery every night 🪦Snowshoe adventure to Rødtinden

    A cold welcome

    November 26, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ❄️ -2 °C

    The day I arrived couldn't have been better! Snow is what I wanted and snow is what I got ... and lots of it ❄️ . It was entertaining to see how it dictates life here: people go to work by cross-country ski (preferably being pulled by a dog), they're shoveling snow on a daily basis, everything has spikes for extra grip (shoes, bikes, cars, ...) and it's rare to see a kid that's not on a sled 🛷.

    Unfortunately this didn't last long and while the snow melted, I struggled a bit to settle in. It's cold and dark, I had to beg to get some shifts assigned and my place is pretty far from town, especially if you have to walk through slush all the time.

    After being here for 4 weeks however, I have found my place in this cool city. Norway has a huge second-hand market so I found myself a bike 🚲 and skis and figured out there is a shop where you can borrow outdoor equipment for free. Only in Norway ... 🇳🇴

    Today I did my first snowshoe hike to see the sun one last time before it disappears for 2 months ('Polar Night' sounds way too romantic for perpetual darkness in my opinion)! It's truly beautiful here!    Read more

  • Miel DegangWorking in TromsøTraveler
    Telegrafbukta, Tromsø's famous beach
    Sami exhibition at the University MuseumCabin trip for Laura's bdayFjellheisen 🥶New Year's Eve dinner 🎇Whalewatching - we saw 3 different species 🐋🐳🐋HumpbackOrcaMy parents were lucky enough to witness some red Northern Lights

    Velkommen familie!

    Dec 26–Jan 1, 2025 in Norway

    Finally reunited with Laura! (yes, also with you, mom & dad). The nice thing about getting visits is that you get to experience the place in a different way. Together we visited some of the Island's highlights and went whale watching 🐳. My parents and Laura got to know the cute local fauna 🦌🐕‍🦺 during some tours around Tromsø and I also took them along on one of my Northern Lights chases.Read more

  • Miel DegangWorking in TromsøTraveler
    The famous Swedish Semla 🤤Fika usually involves unlimited refills of dark roasted coffee and a bunGamla Stan - Maze of cobblestone streets full of tourist shopsÖstermalm - Luxury living & high-end shoppingKungsholmen - Laid-back vibes and scenic waterfrontsSödermalm - Hipster heaven with lots of cool cafes and vintage shopsBergianska TrägårdenVaxön, one of the archipelago's many islandsRosendals Trädgård in DjurgardenNew favourite vegan spot: MahaloNew favourite game: Hive1World championship of speed crosswords @ HermansWe each had a different night train to catch; Laura to Hamburg and I to Narvik 😢

    Stockholm

    Mar 2–7, 2025 in Sweden ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Stockholm sits perfectly between Tromsø and Belgium, making it the ideal spot for our reunion - and returning here is anything but a punishment! We loved revisiting our favorite spots while also diving deeper into the city’s unique neighborhoods (mostly by having Fika at every possible vegan spot). This time, we ventured into Stockholm’s lush green spaces and even took a scenic ferry ride through the archipelago.Read more

  • Miel DegangWorking in TromsøTraveler
    The BA guiding team. Team meetings luckily involve pizza 🍕
    I didn't take long before I decided to buy my own camera 📷The minibus tour involves chasing the gaps in the sky and finding the northern lights,... sometimes in difficult weather conditions ❄️,... taking pictures of the guests,... and making a fire, providing food and drinks and telling some stories,... sometimes spotting moose on the way back 🫎The camp tour involves going to a nice, comfortable place,... for example a husky farm 🐺,... where I inform and entertain the guests while waiting for the northern lights,... usually telling some stories around the fireplace... and taking pictures of the guests when the show startsThe fjord tour involves driving to some beautiful locations along the coast,... taking some pictures of the landscape and guests,... and of the wildlife if we're lucky enough to come across them 🦌,... hoping to avoid bad weather 🌨️Once in a while my coworkers drag me to the other side of the camera, during work... and after work, when we go out for a drink 🍻Benefits of working for a tour company: joining some other tours for free, such as snowmobiling... and whale watching 🐳

    The job

    March 14, 2025 in Norway ⋅ ❄️ -6 °C

    As a guide in Tromsø, I am taking people out on three types of tours. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here are some that give an idea about what the hell I'm actually doing here.

  • Miel DegangWorking in TromsøTraveler
    Exploring some gapahuks around the area
    Tromsø Filmklubb showed independent movies at the beautiful VerdensteatretSki touringOne of many cabin tripsInternational Julebord with coworkers: Christmas feast where everyone brings something typical 🌲Cross-Country skiing, so much harder than it looksWinter Cinema during Tromsø's film festival, where I volunteered 🎥Sometimes Michel was able to convince me to go for a ride 🚲Chilling at the cosiest cafe in Norway: BryggejenteneCamping outdoors 🥶Klatresenter, the most social place in TromsøSpotting reindeerNight skiing under the Northern LightsBuilding and sleeping inside an igloo ✅Another great bad weather activity: playing boardgamesSnowshoe hiking

    Leisure

    March 25, 2025 in Norway ⋅ 🌬 -4 °C

    Working night shifts had an unexpected perk: I could soak up the precious daylight hours during my time off. Whenever the weather played along, I seized the opportunity to head into the mountains for some ski touring — hiking up on skis and carving my way down through untouched snow. When conditions weren’t ideal, the climbing gym became my second home, offering a perfect indoor adventure. And whenever a few free nights lined up, I made it a mission to escape on a cabin trip, chasing quiet trails and cozy cabins.Read more

  • Miel DegangWorking in TromsøTraveler

    The Lights

    April 3, 2025 in Norway ⋅ ❄️ 0 °C

    I just guided my last Northern Lights tour and was able to finish the season on a good note! Although we had to drive all the way to Finland in a snowstorm, I found a gap in the sky and after patiently waiting in the cold for half an hour, we were rewarded with a beautiful dance of the magical Aurora Borealis. These colorful light displays in the sky caused by charged particles from the sun colliding with gases atom in Earth's atmosphere near the magnetic poles never get boring ⚛️

    Occasionally we don't find them, sometimes they're very faint, more often than not clouds hide most of it and every single time cameras are better at capturing their colors than our own eyes, but getting paid to chase and photograph the northern lights is definitely not something I’d call a punishment. Here are some of the best pictures I took 📷    Read more

  • Miel DegangWorking in TromsøTraveler
    Free cabin in Dividalen NP
    Laura spotting a moose from the cabin 🫎Wolverine tracks 🐾Trollhytta in the Lyngen AlpsCabin at the end of the Lyngen AlpsWe came across a herd of reindeer twice!Cabin on the way to FinlandThe last Northern Lights of the seasonGryllefjord, SenjaBøvær, SenjaTungeneset, SenjaSegla, SenjaStruggling on what is and easy hike in summer in Ånderdalen nasjonalparkView of Sommarøya on the way back to Tromsø

    Velkommen Laura & Maarten

    Apr 5–19, 2025 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ -1 °C

    As the season came to an end, it was time to enjoy Tromsø's surrounding scenery in daylight for a change ☀️. First I had some quality time with Laura, during which we explored Dividalen NP and the Lyngen Alps, and after that Maarten and Laura joined us for some snowmobiling in Finland and hiking (no snowshoes = wet feet) in beautiful Senja.Read more

  • Miel DegangWorking in TromsøTraveler
    The 😴 setup
    I got rides in different vehicles, from trucks to Tesla's, and met many interesting people!1View from OffersøykammenStanding on top of RytenDriving in Lofoten ... 😮Perks of hitchhiking: free homemade traditional foodCold cocoon ❄️My most charming rideThe bridge between Malmö and CopenhagenNyhavn

    Hitchiking home

    Apr 21–26, 2025 in Norway ⋅ 🌬 3 °C

    After a fun trip, I wasn't quite ready to say goodbye to Norway. So, I decided to extend the adventure by hitchhiking home 👍🏼

    Armed with just my hammock, a thick (but apparently not thick enough for these Arctic temperatures 🥶) sleeping bag, and a stubborn sense of adventure, I set off. First, I made a detour to the stunning Lofoten Islands, chasing a rare window of perfect weather and ticking off a few hikes from my list. After a ferry ride I joined the E6, winding my way south through dramatic landscapes. 2400 km, 21 rides and 4 cold nights later, I reached Copenhagen.

    Since the roads had flattened out and the scenery lost its wild edge, I took a Flixbus to cover the final stretch back to Ghent, which welcomed me with summer temperatures ☀️    Read more

  • Trip end
    April 30, 2025
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