Adventure Holidays in the UK, Spain, Scandinavia, Europe, Peru & Mexico
Telephone: +44 (0)1822 880277 • E-mail martin@spirit-of-adventure.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1822 880277 • E-mail martin@spirit-of-adventure.com
Traveled through the day to reach Helsinki and then Ivalo in deepest Finland. Our first incident was a lost suitcase, giving rise to panic as No Thermals! FinAir kindly provided the usual overnight kit which contained some tan tights (10 denier…), a white t-shirt, both very useful in a town where average temp around –15. Also, a tube of anti-stress cream! Next we all jumped into a taxi and then found out the taxi driver did not speak English, and no one had any idea where he was taking us! One suggestion … was - might we be on our way to Russia? In hind sight it was lucky that JH's case didn't arrive, or else we would have had to carry it on our laps! Arrived safe and sound to a lovely cabin with sauna, three bedrooms, two showers and open fire. And hurrah, all our bottles of wine survived the flights in our suitcases! - now, where's the cork screw ?
All set off for Skidoo day. Partners selected and set off, the drivers gained confidence (or became cocky!) as told by guide they were good! Driver JP saw the army in winter whites and thought we were in a James Bond movie, next minute we were in 4 foot of snow with a skidoo on top of us with everyone laughing so much not only could we not move, but no assistance provided. We were later advised by couple riding at the back, that this had all been caught on camera and would be forwarded to 'You've been framed' for a tidy sum …
Bumpy sled ride by skidoo … fastest in history and not even the offer of a bus back, just sleds packed in. This is where most of the bruises came from - laid down on tums face down and GOOOOOOOOOOO.. bloody fast and I seemed to have missed the part where there was a drop and a corner ! ... oh well sometimes its good to be blind
Teams switch and lucky JB got JP as her partner of the day. Off with the huskies …extremely cold, eye lashes freezing and sticking together as we head over Siberia pass. Our Bond girl (JP) managed to leave the husky sled as driver (falling off the back) abandoning her passenger who was whisked off into the sunset by a team of huskies! ... the Guide's face was a picture when he eventually came to the rescue to see a sled with no driver. So left to one eyed JB (lost one of her contacts) and blind Howell (could not wear glasses as kept steaming up) to lead the packs home
Day off and shopping of course as we are girlies after all . . . All attempt to walk up mountain to the shop, but JP and JH decide to sledge back down and get a taxi, as they would prefer to exert themselves in the shop and restaurant rather than climbing the North Face of the Eiger (or that's how it seemed to us …) JP and JH step out of their warm taxi into blizzard conditions at the top of the mountain and gingerly walk over to the path, to see whether JB and SC are anywhere to be seen - two reindeer hats are sighted, closely followed by the girls - looking a tad windswept (reminder - must get JB waterproof mascara …) Disrobe in shop and drinks all round, once warmed up - let shopping commence !! Coffee and cake for sustenance, then sledging down mountain in the dark, so much fun and it's free !! Back to hotel for drink, then snowman building competition begins.
Reindeer ride quite sedate for us and JP on her own at the rear … just in case. Although our lead reindeer went on a bit of a rampage and overturned the main sled. Caused a sensation with our reindeer hats J (Feel we have a great marketing coo here, as many fellow tourists asked where we had purchased our hats in Saariselka - but they were in fact bought in sunny England …possible export opportunity for redundant JP ??)
Survival day... 5 hours ... and Friday 13th to boot ... each has a skidoo, had to make fires, admirably done by SC…….. using a lighter, shoot bear, JP swears she saw one on the roof (twice), and make traps for birds ! (and boy were we all glad that the traps had failed from the last people). Reindeer sausages for dinner, yummee!! No accidents and great fun all day long.
All over …very sad as on way home. When's our next trip ??