This morning we spent about three hours hurtling around the forest on a dog sled.... Amazing... Again......
Six gorgeous huskies, jumping out of their skins, SO anxious to rush off, and ours were so well behaved we couldn't believe it. Some others had dogs who took it in turn fighting with each other along the way, or attempting on-the-run sex!!!! Arthur and I took turns to drive the sled, and drove off in the usual convoy, in single file. Each dog must have had at least 2 craps along the way, always on the run of course, and the stink of dog poo was ever-present - considering how many dog sleds there were! They could also pee on the run, and they would grab mouths-full of snow from the banks along the way, for a drink..
Hand signals from the leader were passed along the way, i.e. "slow down" and "stop". The dogs will simply keep going they're so keen to run, so you have to put on the brakes - hard..... We did have one hilarious moment.... The wife of the couple was to take turns to be the driver, with her husband sitting in the sled, she wasn't concentrating too well, lost her balance, the dogs and sled took off at 100 miles per hour, with hubby on board. He thought his wife was being a little erratic, and wasn't aware that he was "alone" until one of the guides hurtled past him in a snow mobile, and pulled in front of the dogs to stop the sled. What a scream... I haven't been able to stop smiling about it since, particularly since nobody was hurt, and the participants also thought it hilarious!! God knows how far the sled and dogs would have gone if they hadn't been stopped!
It was so serene driving through the snow, so quiet, with only the noise of the doggies and the swish of the sled skis to break the silence. Truly unforgettable... We stopped at a snow-covered tee-pee for a lovely lunch of salmon (always salmon up here - or reindeer) soup and bread, sitting around an open fire. Hot juice to drink and hot tea. Such nice people looking after us, and we all had a lovely day. To top the day off, for about the last 10 minutes of the dog sled ride, it began snowing, and we finished the day, actually standing in the gently falling snow for 15 minutes or so - for this Southerner, it was pure magic. Our Parkas, gloves, hats and boots are so brilliant, it was not at all cold, and we just sucked it up!!!!
Shortish drive from there to our next stop, which was Saariselka. Checked into another in the chain of "Santa's Hotel". They're VERY comfortable, and our room had it's own sauna and drying cabinet, so did all the washing....
This is one of the major Ski Resorts in this neck-o-the-woods, and is truly a very pretty town. Beautiful hotels and Apartments, all looking like a scene from a movie.. Piles of snow everywhere, and it snowed again this afternoon.
We had a few drinks with some of the mob, and then enjoyed an 'average' meal across the road.
Another drink or two saw us head off to bed at about 10pm.
Friday 22nd, Saariselka.
We had checked the sky on our way home and there was thick cloud, couldn't see any stars...
We were horrified to note that this morning some of the more diligent girls had ventured outside at about 11pm and saw THE Lights.....
Maybe tonight.... We have vowed not to sleep before midnight.......
Heading to Inari, Finland's Sami (Indiginous people) capital.
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