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.
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?!
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.
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. |
 |
| Cloudberry creme brulee, 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.
We got back to our cozy room and were soon asleep after another wonderful day.
No comments:
Post a Comment