Hello again my lovelies, how are you all doing? I'm a bit behind with this Blog, and... well, life in general this month! Not just because January is always tough, but more recently Storm Éowyn caused a lot of issues as well. I was luckier than many, and had no damage to myself or my house, but both my electricity and internet have been very patchy since. I don't want to jinx anything, but things do seem to be under control again a week later. Fingers crossed! Anyway, here are some more photos and videos from our incredible trip to the Arctic Circle last month. All of these were taken on Day Three, which as you will see, was another busy day! We were up and ready early, and had everything packed back into our suitcases, before heading to the restaurant for breakfast. That day I decided to try the pancakes. This isn't something I would normally choose to eat, as I don't have much of a sweet tooth anyway, and having spent 18 years in the US, I was put off by the sickeningly over-sweet dishes there. I am SO happy that I decided to try them that day, because it was one of the best things I've ever eaten! The thin crepe-style pancakes, with local fruits and naturally sweet cream, was a joy to eat. It occurred to me that my body was craving the extra calories because of the extreme cold. I have many health issues, several of which affect my appetite and ability to keep food down. I was extremely grateful that I had a good appetite while we were away, and was able to enjoy so many wonderful things that I wouldn't normally eat. I joked that maybe I needed to move to the Arctic if I wanted a consistent good appetite, haha!
On the train from Kiruna to Abisko.
Views from the train from Kiruna to Abisko.
After breakfast we made sure we had everything with us, and that our cabin was left tidy, and then we caught our taxi transfer from Camp Ripan to Kiruna train station. The train was supposed to leave at 09:31, but was delayed for almost two hours. Luckily, we weren't in a rush, though there wasn't anything to do at the station other than wait. Thankfully it was dry and warm enough, and I even managed to get a bit more sleep, sitting up with my head resting on my suitcase, much to Gareth's amazement! (I can sleep anywhere, haha.) Once aboard the train we settled into our seats and spent the next 90 minutes enjoying the snowy views from the windows. It was so beautiful! I'll let the videos speak for themselves.
We arrived safely at the Abisko Turiststation stop, and made our way over to the STF Turistation hotel, our home for the next two nights. The descriptions of this place really didn't do it justice at all. While it does cater to lots of travelers, and there is a section that is more of a hostel, it was so cozy, and had so many amenities! As well as the main restaurant and bar, there was also a more casual bistro, and there were many cozy corners where you could sit quietly and have a drink, or chat with friends, including a library, several lounge areas, and a sauna. There was a shop which sold everything from winter gear to food if you were self-catering, as well as unique gifts and souvenirs. The walls were covered with old photos and memorabilia, and there was lots to read about the history of the place, the STF (Swedish Tourist Association) and the work they do to conserve the beauty of Sweden. You can find out more about STF Abisko HERE, and more about the STF in general, as well as finding other places to stay with them in Sweden HERE.
View from our room at STF Abisko Turiststation.
Gorgeous man!
Absolut vodka and lingonberry juice, yum!
Enjoying a drink in the library at the Turiststation.
Mural in the singing tunnel, Abisko.
After checking in to our room and unpacking a little, we made our way
down to the restaurant and had a drink while talking over everything we
had seen and done so far on this trip. This was only our second full day
and it felt like we had done so much already! Later we got ready and
went to the reception area by 17:30 to meet our guide for the evening.
David met us and a few others there, and we followed him from the
Turiststation to the ground station. There we were given another snow
suit to wear over our other layers, and we caught the chair lift in twos
up the Nuolja Mountain to the Aurora Sky Station.
All wrapped up and ready for our next adventure!
Chair lift up to the Aurora Sky Station, Abisko.
It was a very cloudy and foggy evening as we went up the mountain, and we weren't able to see very far at all, let alone catch a glimpse of the Aurora, but it was still a lot of fun. I might have Acrophobia (fear of heights) when it comes to cliff edges, but sitting in a chair lift in the dark, high over a snowy mountain didn't bother me at all! In fact, it was exhilarating. We arrived at the Sky Station and divested ourselves of our outer layers in the outer room, before heading in to the main room and being greeted with a hot drink by the lovely staff. They were serving warmed lingonberry juice, with the option to add some vodka, which of course we did, and we sat and admired the view while everyone gathered. The room and decor at the Sky Station are fairly rustic, which is what you'd expect at 900m elevation, exposed to the severe winter weather. There is no road up the mountain, so everything travels up by chair lift, the same way we did. You'd be forgiven for thinking that the meal would also be pretty basic, but this was not the case at all. A gourmet chef and his small team prepared a beautiful four course meal for us, paired with beer or wine, depending on your preference. I chose wine, and Gareth chose beer, so we were both able to try each other's and experience even more of the local flavours. The meal was exquisite, the staff were superb, and we had a wonderful time chatting to the other guests and hearing their stories.
Happy faces, Aurora Sky Station, Abisko.
Beetroot soup, Aurora Sky Station, Abisko.
Reindeer with carrots and potato terrine, Aurora Sky Station, Abisko.
Cheese course with lingonberry jam, Aurora Sky Station, Abisko.
After dinner, David gave us a presentation about the Northern Lights while we finished our drinks. He explained the science behind the Aurora, as well as speaking about the local mythology surrounding it, all of which I found really interesting. You can find out more about the Aurora Sky Station in Abisko HERE. If you're not able to plan a trip any time soon, you can check out their Aurora camera, which uploads live 24/7! After the presentation, those of us who wanted to go on a hike with David got back into our heavy winter gear and followed him outside. The weather had worsened over dinner and it was now snowing heavily with strong winds. We knew that the chances of seeing the Aurora from up there were slim to none in those conditions, but we weren't about to miss out on the adventure of a night hike up the mountain in the snow! We didn't go too far, as walking was difficult, and visibility was very poor, so I couldn't take any photos due to the conditions, but it was still a lot of fun. My knees and the heavy layers made it extra difficult for me, and I fell through the snow several times, but I found it all hilarious. It was certainly an adventure, but when are we going to be able to do something like that again?!
Blizzard boots, Abisko.
Post snowy hike, Aurora Sky Station, Abisko.
After heading back to the Sky Station, we had the option to stay up there in the hopes that the skies would clear and we get to see the Aurora. The weather apps were telling us that this was extremely unlikely, and between the extreme cold and my joint pain, we decided to head back down then. It turned out that this was the right decision, since the lower we descended, the more the sky cleared, so we had nice views of Abisko as we headed down the mountain, and then a small cloudy glimpse of the Aurora once we reached the ground station! We spoke to some of the people who remained at the top for a while, when we saw them at breakfast the next day, and they hadn't been able to see anything from the top. A shame for them, but I'm glad we made that decision for us.
Chair lift down from the Aurora Sky Station, Abisko.
Doing my best Han Solo on Planet Hoth impression.
Glimpse of the Aurora, Abisko.
Glimpse of the Aurora, Abisko.
After returning the snow suits at the ground station, we made our own way back to the Turiststation, passing through the singing tunnel again. We were able to capture the Joiking (traditional Sámi singing) this time, and I think I can say that it wasn't just the cold temperatures giving me chills! We got back to our cozy room and were soon asleep after another wonderful day.
Well hello again my loves, and happy Hump-Day. How is your week going so far? I have been struggling with a few things, but here are some memories of our recent trip to the Arctic Circle to look back on and enjoy. This was our first full day in Sweden, and it was definitely a full day!
Morning moon, Camp Ripan. Taken at 10:39.
After a long couple of days of traveling both Thursday and Friday, and
sleeping only a couple of hours on the floor at the airport on the
Thursday night, we slept very well on the comfortable bed in our warm,
cozy cabin at Camp Ripan. We woke up to the dusky Polar Night, and were
greeted with many animal tracks in the fresh snow outside of our
windows. We got up and ready, before heading to a delicious breakfast
from the kitchen.
Served buffet style, this was a far cry from the cold, greasy, under
cooked breakfasts you might be used to in most hotels around the UK.
Here, everything was freshly cooked, beautifully presented, and again
the focus was on local produce and high quality. Alongside the usual
bacon, eggs, pancakes and cereal that you might expect, there was
sauteed fresh vegetables, platters of cold meats, (including reindeer
salami) cheeses, pickles, and a wide array of breads and pastries. Those
with gluten or dairy allergies were catered to, with separate sections
to avoid cross contamination. There was also fruit, salads, and shots of
fresh beetroot and rose hip "soups". These shots of fresh juice seemed
to be a common thing at breakfast, and I made sure to try them
everywhere we went. They were usually mixed with ginger, and between
that and the pure Vitamin C, they seemed to act like an extra jolt of
caffeine as well, as I always felt more alert after trying them. It was a
nice addition to my morning routine!
Bundled up and ready for another adventure! Jukkasjärvi at 13:44.
Reindeer Experience, Jukkasjärvi at 14:43.
After a leisurely breakfast, and a look in the shops by the reception
area, we dressed extra warmly, and waited for our transport to our next
adventure. Our young guide from Nutti Sámi Siida
picked us up and drove us past the famous Ice Hotel to Jukkasjärvi. We
were the only people from Camp Ripan taking this excursion that day, so
we had extra time with our interesting guide, and got to hear his story.
We arrived at the first stop, and while we were waiting for the rest of
the group to arrive, we were given extra outdoor clothes and heavy
boots to wear. It was -10°C at that point, and getting colder throughout
the day, so we were glad of the extra warmth. From there, we took a
beautiful ride on a sled pulled by a snowmobile, through the snowy
forests and out to Reindeer Lodge. Throughout the afternoon, our guides
told us about the history of the Sámi people, and how important reindeer
are to their culture. We got to spend time with the reindeer, feeding
them by hand, and watching them be lassoed as part of their training,
before taking short sled rides behind them, and even racing a little.
That was a lot of fun! After all the outdoor activities, we were led
to a traditional Lávvu tent to warm up. Here, our guide told us more
histories from the Sámi people, while he made us suovas, a signature
Sámi dish. He cooked smoked reindeer meat over the open fire, and served
it to us as a wrap on gáhkku bread, with lingonberry jam. It was
delicious! We ate as we warmed our feet in front of the fire, drank
coffee, and listened to the fascinating stories.
Reindeer Experience, Jukkasjärvi at 15:02.
Food being prepared for us in the Sámi Lávvu tent.
At the end of our time, we were taken back along the frozen River Torne
by snowmobile-pulled sled, gave our outer gear back, and then were
driven back to Camp Ripan by our guide. As a thank you, we invited him
in for a drink, and sat in the upstairs lounge by the reception while we
talked. He was a very interesting young man, and although not Sámi
himself, you could tell that the love of reindeer was in his blood. He
was fascinating to listen to. He considered reindeer to be almost
magical creatures, has spent three years herding them out in the tundra,
and is very concerned about their future welfare and conservation.
After he left, he quickly came back in to tell us that the Aurora could
now be seen outside, so Gareth and I quickly finished our drinks and
rushed out to see.
Aurora Borealis over Camp Ripan, 19:15.
Aurora Borealis over Camp Ripan, 19:15.
Aurora Borealis over Camp Ripan, 19:37.
If you've read my older posts, you will know that over the past eight
months or so, I have seen the Northern Lights quite a few times from
where I live in Ireland. The first time, back in May 2024 was the most
spectacular, but I've also been lucky enough to see a faint glow a few
times since. It has, however, always been a dream of mine to witness a
proper dancing curtain of Aurora from the Arctic. I have traveled to
Sweden in the past, as well as Alaska, Canada, and Iceland, without ever
seeing it, so I thought it was funny and somewhat ironic that my first
glimpse was from Donegal, haha! Nothing could have prepared me for the
breathtaking display that night though. The snow, the cold, the crisp
air, and that dancing curtain of luminous green lighting up the sky
above us, ... from now on it will always be one of my favourite
memories. The photos really do not do it justice, but I was so happy that we got to see it! Obviously there is no
guarantee , and many people, including myself, have traveled to the
Arctic before with no sign, so we had been keeping a close eye on our
Weather and Aurora apps on our phones. The atmospheric conditions were
favourable to see the Aurora, but only if the skies were clear, so we
were keeping our fingers crossed, and we got lucky!
Aurora Spa Experience, Camp Ripan.
Aurora Spa Experience, Camp Ripan.
On Aurora alert! Aurora Spa Experience, Camp Ripan.
Our day wasn't over yet though. Before 20:00 we walked over to the Aurora Spa, and checked in for our Aurora Spa Ritual Stävan
experience. I am not someone who goes to spas, and I have not enjoyed
my sauna experiences in the past (I have very low blood pressure, and
have a risk of fainting in saunas,) but when in Sweden! It would have
been a shame to miss out on this part of Swedish culture, so I was
determined to enjoy as much of the experience as I could. The two-hour
session was designed for us to take at our own pace, and there were
several different saunas, pools, and treatments to try, as well as a
basket of local, natural scrubs and salts to pamper ourselves with. I
went into the first sauna with Gareth, and made it about two minutes
before I could feel my blood pressure dropping dangerously low, so I
knew it would be unwise to continue. So I skipped the other saunas, but
that just meant I got to spend more time lounging in the bar area with a
drink. If you know me at all, you will know that this wasn't a problem
for me, haha! We spent some time in the indoor heated pool, relaxed with
our drinks, and enjoyed the scrubs and salt treatments together.
Outdoor pool at -21°C, Aurora Spa Experience, Camp Ripan.
My favourite part of the spa though, was going outside to the outdoor
heated pool and relaxing under the stars. The temperature had dropped
considerably by this point, and it was now -21°C, but I didn't let that
stop me from trying out the cold plunge aspect of this traditional
Swedish activity! Leaving the warmth of the pool was a challenge, but I
walked to the nearby cold plunge pool, and immersed myself up to my
shoulders for just a few seconds, before getting out and rolling in the
snow, and then heading back to the heated pool, to the applause of a few
other guests, haha! At first, Gareth said he had no interest in doing
this, but after I did, and me telling him that he'd regret it if he
didn't while we were here, and also that he was letting his Scottish
ancestors down, (haha!) he did it too. I think he's glad he did,
although if you watch the video you can see he definitely didn't enjoy
it at the time!
Camp Ripan by moonlight, 23:29.
After finishing off our spa experience with a hot shower and local pine
body oil, we felt warm and relaxed and went back to our cabin expecting
to be asleep shortly. However, we got more alerts on our phones about
Aurora activity, and we couldn't miss out on a second opportunity to see
it, so we were soon dressed in layers again and back out. And again, we
were incredibly fortunate to see a beautiful display above us! The only
downside was that despite the fact I bought gloves that were supposed
to be touch-screen compatible, I wasn't able to work my phone while
wearing them, so I kept taking my right gloves off so I could take
pictures. This wasn't so bad earlier in the day, but it had since gotten
a lot colder. After a short time, my right hand, and then my whole
body, had a bad reaction to the cold. I'm not sure if it was a
combination of circumstances; the hours spent outside earlier with the
reindeer, the brief sauna visit, the hot-and-cold dips at the spa, as
well as my many health issues, including low blood pressure and poor
circulation, but I very quickly became quite unwell.
Aurora Borealis over Camp Ripan, 23:31
Aurora Borealis over Camp Ripan, 23:31.
Aurora Borealis over Camp Ripan, 23:32.
At first, it was only my right hand affected. I knew it was a bad idea
to be gloveless in such cold temperatures, but at the time I felt that capturing the
Aurora was more important. Before I knew it, my hand was painfully red,
except for around the fingertips and nails, which were pure white. I
knew that this could be dangerous, and at the very least I needed to
find different gloves, so I headed back to our cabin. It wasn't a long
walk, but I barely made it in before collapsing on the floor and almost
fainting. My whole body, despite being covered in many warm layers, was
now trembling, and I knew now it was more important to warm up than to take
photos. I placed my hand under running water from the cold tap. At any
other point, the cold water felt far, far too cold, but against my
exposed hand it felt warm. I wasn't able to fully stand yet, so was sat
on the toilet lid with my head on the stone counter, with my hand under
the water. After a while I started to feel pain, and pins and needles in
my fingertips, which I knew was a good sign, and eventually the feeling
of faintness passed and I was able to sit up again. Meanwhile, Gareth
had come back to the cabin, as the Aurora had trailed off, so I was glad
that I hadn't missed out on too much. He made me a cup of tea to help
warm me up, and I ate some of my Kendal Mint Cake (essential on any cold
weather trips!) for the sugar, and slowly stopped trembling and began
to feel better.
Aurora Borealis over Camp Ripan, 23:36.
Aurora Borealis over Camp Ripan, 23:36.
Aurora Borealis over Camp Ripan, 23:37.
That was a bit of an adventure, but
it didn't detract from what was a truly wonderful day. I was lucky to not do
any lasting damage to my hand, and other than my skin being very chapped
and cracked from the cold, and some minor chilblains, all was well. I
am used to chilblains, as thanks to my autoimmune disorders, I have
gotten them on my toes every winter of my life, no matter where I've
lived, or how warm the climate may be there. They can be horrendously
painful, to the point where sometimes I can't even put my shoes on my
feet due to the pain and swelling, but at least I knew what to expect
when I got them on my fingertips. I also "hacked" my gloves, by cutting a
strategic slice on the right forefinger of two pairs, to make sure this
didn't happen again on our trip. That meant I was able to wear my two
layers of gloves, as I had intended all along, and hook my camera
"trigger" finger out of the slits when needed, before slipping it back
in to warmth and safety. Problem solved. ;-)
Hello again my lovelies! As promised, here are some of the photos and videos from the first day of our recent trip to Sweden and Norway. As I mentioned in my previous post, on Thursday 19th December we drove down to London to see my brother before heading to Heathrow Airport. We parked at one of the Long Stay car parks, and got the shuttle bus to Terminal Two, where we camped out for the night. This was actually my third time camping at Heathrow, haha! Sometimes the flight is so early that you can't get public transport in time to get there in the morning, and it really doesn't make sense to get a hotel room the night before if you're not even going to have time to sleep in it. So, we found a quiet corner of the Terminal, laid our coats down, and slept on the floor for a couple of hours, before getting up, freshening up, and heading through security at 04:00.
Big Smiles. Parked up and heading to Heathrow Airport!
Camping out at Terminal 2. Who says you can't wear sequins when you're sleeping on the floor?
Heathrow to Stockholm Arlanda Airport. Excited!
Sunrise over London.
We caught the 06:40 SAS flight from Heathrow to Stockholm Arlanda
airport, and managed to sleep a little on the plane. It was a very
comfortable flight, and the smoothest landing I've ever experienced! I
was in the window seat (as always) and if I hadn't been watching, I
wouldn't have known we hit the tarmac. Well done to that pilot! Arlanda
airport was beautiful, which isn't an adjective I've ever used to
describe an airport before! We had some time to explore a little before
our next flight, and everything was so neat and clean and attractive.
Even the restaurants and all the food on display looked so, so good.
There was lots of fresh seafood on offer, and everything was a far cry
from the dirty, littered, fast food places you see in so many airports.
Pilot's Glory, Atmospheric Phenomenon.
We caught our second flight at 11:45 to Kiruna, and that was another
smooth journey. It was interesting to watch the daylight fade away
behind us, despite the fact it was so early. We were flying into the
Arctic Circle, which at this time of year experiences Polar Night, so it
was our last proper glimpse of the sun for a week. Once we descended
through the clouds again we were able to see the snow covered landscape
below us, and started to get really excited. We were well and truly in
the Arctic now, and had a week of adventures ahead of us.
Stockholm Arlanda to Kiruna Airports. Beyond excited!
Our last glimpse of the sun for a week as we headed into the Arctic Circle and Polar Night.
We landed safely in Kiruna by 13:20, where we had to leave the plane
and walk across the tarmac to the terminal in the snow. It was -11°C
with fresh snow falling, and felt like a perfect welcome! We were picked
up by a taxi and driven to Camp Ripan,
our home for the next two days. I had actually stayed here for a couple
of nights back in (I think?) March 2004, before staying at the Ice
Hotel in Jukkasjärvi for a night, so it was nice to be back. (More
information on the Ice Hotel can be found HERE.)
Things had definitely changed around the camp, and although I remember
it being great then, it is even more wonderful now, after two decades of
improvements. We checked in at the reception in the main building, and
then made our way to our private cabin nearby.
Welcomed to Kiruna with fresh snow!
As you can probably imagine, it was very cold being in the Arctic during
midwinter, and we had packed accordingly with many layers and lots of
thermals. Outside, you definitely needed all the proper gear. Inside,
however? Well, every single place we visited was so well built and
insulated, that we felt too warm more often than not. In fact, quite a
lot of time was taken up during our trip by dressing for the outdoors,
and then undressing for the indoors, haha! It just shows you how well
made everything is there. Obviously they're used to the harsh winters,
and they build accordingly, but it was interesting to see what can be
achieved when you try.
Camp Ripan Restaurant.
Whitefish Roe Amuse Bouche.
Shiitake mushroom soup with grated reindeer heart.
Living my best life.
We were very tired after all our travels and it felt good to be in
our own space, so we took a shower and a nap, and recharged for a while,
before getting ready for our evening plans. I remembered the restaurant
at Camp Ripan being incredible the last time I was there, with a lot of
focus on local produce and sustainable practices, and I'm happy to tell
you that they have only improved since then. We both had the tasting
menu, which was PHENOMENAL, and as you can see from the photos, the
portions were more than generous! The wait staff were friendly,
knowledgeable, and attentive, and they made sure we could take our time
during each course, so we were able to savour every bite. It was truly
one of the most delicious and memorable meals I've ever eaten, and a
wonderful way to start our holiday off right!
Moose Carpaccio with salad.
Citrus Sorbet.
Here's to us!
Arctic Char with cauliflower and potato puree, and roe garnish.
Reindeer with beetroot and potatoes, and red wine and lingonberry sauce.
