Well hello again my lovelies, and happy Hump Day! I hope that your week is going well so far? I have a few last photos and videos to share with you from our Arctic trip, and then I'll stop making you so jealous, I promise, haha! These were all taken on Boxing Day, 26th December 2024, as we travelled back from Norway to England. Since most of the day was spent in airports and on planes, there aren't as many photos to share with you, of course, but I thought you might like a few of these.
That day we were up too early to get breakfast at the hotel, but we still had some snacks in our room that we had bought on Christmas Eve, including some cake! That seemed like a fitting last breakfast, so we enjoyed that while we finished packing and tidying the room ready to leave. We got our pre-booked taxi outside the hotel at 07:30 and were driven the hour-long journey to the Harstad/Narvik Airport, Evenes. It was cold and dark and snowing again, and must have been a very quiet ride for our driver as Gareth and I were both dozing in the back, haha!
After checking in and dropping our bags off, we had some time to kill and took a wander around the terminal. Despite the fact this was a very small airport compared to others, it was another example of attractive architecture, cleanliness, and efficiency. I really loved that about both Sweden and Norway. Everywhere we went things just seemed to look and work better!
Rare Nacreous/Polar Stratospheric clouds.
Rare Nacreous/Polar Stratospheric clouds.
Rare Nacreous/Polar Stratospheric clouds.
We caught our 10:50 flight to Oslo, and were treated to another
atmospheric phenomenon not long after leaving Evenes airport. This time
we saw a small patch of rare Nacreous or Polar Stratospheric clouds,
which neither of us had seen before. It was so pretty, but of course,
once again, the camera doesn't do it justice. I felt that we really had
been so lucky during our trip; we saw the Pilot's Glory on the way over,
the Aurora Borealis three nights in a row while we were there, and then
the Nacreous clouds on the way back. Incredible! I was feeling very sad
that the trip was over, but this was almost like a last special goodbye
from the Arctic, which was lovely.
Sunrise!
Sunlight!
Snowy landscape as we descended towards Oslo.
We landed safely at Oslo Gardermoen airport, and had plenty of time
before our next flight to look around a bit and get some food. Once
again we were amazed by how beautiful the airport was! The emphasis was
on large open spaces, clean lines, and lots of wood, and there were some
impressive sculptures as well as everything being decorated for
Christmas. We wanted to get some lunch, and had a difficult choice
between all the healthy and tasty looking options on offer. I felt like I
could have spent a whole day just exploring the airport and trying
different dishes. In the end we decided to get some sashimi, and sat
overlooking the tarmac enjoying the last meal of the holiday.
Airport sashimi!
Enjoying the last meal of the holiday, Oslo Airport.
After our meal and a look around some of the shops, we went to catch our
connecting flight at 15:00, and then we were officially leaving
Scandinavia. We got back to London Heathrow on time, went to collect
Gareth's car, and he drove us safely back to Shrewsbury. It was along
day of travelling, and we were sad that our trip was over, but we had
our own gifts to exchange with each other to look forward to. So we sat
beside the Christmas tree with some music playing and got to open some
lovely things!
Last leg, Oslo to Heathrow.
Flying towards the sunset.
The whole trip was so magical, truly what you would call a trip of a
lifetime. Of course, now I can't wait to plan something else just as
exciting!
Well hello again my lovelies, how are you all doing today? I have some more photos from our Epic Arctic trip to share with you. These were all taken on Christmas Day, and while it was very non-traditional for us, it was definitely one of the most memorable!
Morning view over Narvik from our hotel room.
We started our day with breakfast in the main restaurant of our hotel,
and once again were amazed by the selection and quality of everything on
offer. Afterwards we had a lazy morning and caught up with friends and
family members via video calls and messages to wish them all a Merry
Christmas.
Christmas breakfast.
Polar Night, Narvik.
In the afternoon we wrapped up warm again and caught a bus outside our
hotel, which took us to Gratangen, and from there we were picked up by
car and taken to the Husky Isogaisa in the tiny village of Kvernmo.
There we met with our Sámi guides and their team, we were given more
warm layers to put on over our own clothes, and we were given
instructions on how to drive the dog sleds. It was full dark again by
this point, which just added to the fun, and we soon set out on our dog
sledding adventure through Gratangen’s winter landscape.
Getting layered up before dog sledding.
Ready to go!
Happy smiles, dog sledding trip.
Happy smiles, dog sledding trip.
Happy smiles, dog sledding trip.
I had been dog sledding once before, many years ago in Sweden, and was
excited to try it again. We had the option to switch positions halfway
through the trek, so we each got a chance to drive and sit. However, due
to my bad joints and overall lack of fitness, I knew I wouldn't be
strong enough to do any of the running and pushing. So, Gareth kindly
did all of the physical stuff the whole way, and I got to sit on the
sled and enjoy the ride. It began to snow again, and traveling in the
dark through the snowy fields and forests, being pulled by enthusiastic
dogs, was both magical and exhilarating. We loved it!
Tracks in the snow.
After the sledding, we got to learn more about the dogs and how they are
cared for. We also got to greet the dogs, help to take their harnesses
off, and have some cuddles before they went to their kennels. It was
very obvious that everyone in the family business, and all of their
young helpers, had nothing but love and respect for the dogs, and the
dogs themselves seemed more than happy. They really do love to run!
Thanking our dogs after our trip.
Thanking our dogs after our trip.
Thanking our dogs after our trip.
Heading into the Lávvu tent.
Happy smiles.
After helping to care for the dogs, we were taken to the traditional
Lávvu tent to warm up, eat, and learn more about the Sámi culture. Ronald Kvernmo is a Sámi Shaman, so not only did he tell us many
stories about his family and the Sámi traditions including Joiking, he
also performed a Northern Lights ceremony, inviting the spirits of our
forefathers to visit us as the Aurora dances across the night sky. I
found the whole experience to be absolutely fascinating, beautiful, and
very moving.
Sámi Shaman Ronald Kvernmo, joiking.
Bidos, traditional reindeer stew.
Ronald's wife, Beate made the traditional reindeer stew Bidos,
which we ate with bread, sat around the fire in the Lávvu, listening to
Ronald's stories. As I said, it was definitely a very non-traditional
Christmas dinner compared to what Gareth and I would be used to, but it
was delicious! Afterwards, Ronald himself drove us back to our hotel, so we had
the opportunity to ask some more questions, which was very interesting.
A few less layers, but still cozy.
Drinks at the Tøtta Bar.
Drinks at the Tøtta Bar.
Drinks at the Tøtta Bar.
Back in our room, Gareth and I showered and changed, (we both
smelled like wet dog, haha!) and went back to the Tøtta Bar for some
festive drinks. It was the last evening of our holiday, as well as
Christmas Day, and we lingered over a few drinks, enjoyed the
spectacular views, and looked back over our recent adventures, before
heading back to our room to finish packing for tomorrow. What a
fantastic Christmas!
Well hello again my loves, and happy Wednesday! I hope you are having a good week so far. Mine has been frustrating, as I have loud construction noise going on next door to me, making it impossible to work on my VO stuff during the day. Well, that just means I have an excuse to try to catch up with my Blog a bit, so here you go! All of these photos and videos were taken on Day Five of our Epic Arctic trip, which was also Christmas Eve.
Saying goodbye to the Abisko STF Turistation.
That day we were up early to make sure we were all packed and ready to
go, and then went down for our last meal at the restaurant. I went with a
light breakfast, and had the caviar from a tube again, haha. I wish I
could have brought some home with me, I thought it was delicious! Today
was Christmas Eve for us, but Sweden celebrates their Christmas on
the 24th December, so I made sure to wish everyone "god jul" and I gave
small
gifts to all the staff at the restaurant, and at the Turiststation when
we checked out. I did this everywhere we stayed, and people really
seemed to appreciate it. Having worked in retail and restaurants for so
many years, I have worked more than my share of holidays, and I know how
it feels to be away from loved ones at Christmas and on other special
occasions. I wanted to make sure all the staff knew that they were
appreciated. There were even a few tearful reactions, so I felt more
than justified at doing this. It's going to be a thing for me moving
forwards, no matter the time of year. I'm a great believer in spreading a
little joy everywhere you go, and I also know that the ripple effect of
good vibes really can make a big difference in the world!
Cheers! Beer on the train.
After checking out, we walked back to the nearby train station and
waited for the (30 minutes delayed) northbound train to Narvik. Once in
our seats and on the way, I got a beer from the cafe on board, it being
Christmas Eve and all! Gareth didn't want any, since he sometimes gets
travel sick and didn't want to risk not feeling well on the journey.
However, as you can see below, I was so busy taking videos of the
spectacular scenery, that I didn't have enough time to drink it, so
Gareth had to help me once we got to our destination, haha. I felt like
the journey didn't take nearly long enough. All the views were so
beautiful, I could have stayed looking out the window all day. Before we
knew it, we had crossed the border into Norway, and arrived safely in
Narvik.
View from the train window, journey from Abisko to Narvik.
View from the train window, journey from Abisko to Narvik.
I had been to Sweden once before, but this was my first time in Norway,
and it was Gareth's first time in both countries, which made it all
extra special. Narvik, or Áhkánjárga in Northern Sámi, is located on the
edge of the Ofotfjord in Northern Norway. Called Ofotfjorden in
Norwegian, and Ufuohttá in Northen Sámi, Ofotfjord is an inlet of the
Norwegian Sea, located north of the Arctic Circle, and it was so
beautiful. After the quiet and remote places we had stayed at in Sweden
over the last few days, Narvik, with it's population of about 14,000
people, seemed like a vast metropolis!
View from our hotel room, Narvik.
Exploring Narvik on Christmas Eve.
"Liv opp av kaos" or "Life out of chaos", WWII memorial by sculptor Gunnar Olaf Finn Eriksen.
Exploring Narvik.
Exploring Narvik. (Telford friends, note the "spider web" climbing frame!)
The Scandic Narvik Hotel, our accommodation while in Norway.
View of the Ofotfjord, (Ofotfjorden in Norwegian, and Ufuohttá in Northen Sámi.)
We made our way from the train station to our hotel, the Scandic Narvik,
and were very pleased to find that we had a room on the top floor (with
only the Bar above us) which afforded a beautiful view of the mountains
and the town below. After checking in and settling into our room, we
went for a walk to explore a little. Since it was Christmas, a lot of
places were closed, but we had expected that, and it was still lovely to
walk through the snow and enjoy the festive lights on Christmas Eve. We
found an open supermarket and stocked up on some snacks and supplies, since
we had been told that the hotel bar had a limited menu over the
holidays. The main restaurant downstairs would still be serving
breakfast in the morning, but the lovely lady at the desk had told us
that they have a tradition of serving the homeless and needy at
Christmas, and they wouldn't be open to hotel guests that night. She
apologised for the inconvenience, but we thought it was such a lovely
thing for them to do, and not something you would necessarily expect
from an upscale hotel chain! It only made me think more highly of them.
View from the Tøtta Bar, Scandic Narvik hotel.
Christmas Eve drinks. Tøtta Bar, Scandic Narvik hotel.
Later in the evening we made our way up to the Tøtta Bar to check it
out. We weren't sure what to expect, and had our backup plan of snacks
in our room if we needed, but it turned out that they weren't necessary.
At first the place was empty apart from us and the lovely young woman
working the entire place alone, but after a while several large groups
arrived and the place got a lot more noisy. We had chosen a small cozy
table by the window, which gave us a view of the town and the mountain
behind, and not long after we sat down, it started snowing. This was
definitely a very non-traditional Christmas for both of us, but it was
so magical to watch the snow falling down over the town on Christmas
Eve. We ended up staying in the bar for most of the evening, ate a
delicious meal, had a few drinks, and enjoyed the views while we
reminisced over everything we'd done on this trip so far. Every day was
so full that neither of us could pick a favourite moment, and indeed, it
was difficult to differentiate one day from another, though it was only
a short trip!
Delicious food and drinks at the Tøtta Bar, Scandic Narvik hotel.
Christmas Eve drinks. Tøtta Bar, Scandic Narvik hotel.
Christmas Eve drinks. Tøtta Bar, Scandic Narvik hotel.
Views from the Tøtta Bar, over Narvik.
View of the Ofotfjord from the hotel bar.
View of the Ofotfjord from the hotel bar.
Views from the Tøtta Bar, Narvik.
After a very enjoyable few hours in the bar, we went back to our room.
Our plan to watch Christmas movies failed at first since we couldn't
find any on the TV, but Gareth saved the day and was able to play the
film Love Actually on his phone. So, we snuggled up in bed together and
watched one of my favourite Christmas movies, while the snow fell
outside over the sleepy town of Narvik. It was the perfect end to a
wonderful Christmas Eve.
