We were taken out to "Santa's Village", which is right on the Arctic Circle, where Lapland begins - although no different from Finland really...
Lots of gorgeous deeply snow-covered buildings clustered about, and of course a Post Office. So, we left all the important addresses with Santa, and several happy little munchkins should get a surprise letter from the REAL Santa, in Lapland, at christmas time this year. Yee haa..
Went back to our hotel, skipped lunch, and took a walk along the amazing frozen river in town - lots of folk going around town on their cross-country skis, and even saw one amazing device, a thing which looked like a zimmer frame, incorporating a shopping bag, on skis..... Brilliant..
Returned to the appointed place to get kitted out in serious Arctic gear, in preparation for our Snowmobile expedition.
This was an amazing experience... About 20 of us (2 per snowmobile) headed off in convoy, firstly driving along the frozen river for a few kms. then we headed off into the forest. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.
Truly stunning. Virgin snow surrounding pine trees positively groaning under the weight of the accumulated snow, and deciduous trees often appeared to be dripping in diamonds on their small twigs. When we began it was about -10 degrees, but sunny and very comfortable. Quite magical.
By the time we'd finished at about 4.30pm we were frozen to the bone, but had had a spectacular day.
Went upstairs to our room and had a couple of Bundies before we left our lovely warm accommodation to have dinner at The Ice Hotel...... OMIGOD... The entire place was made of ice, walls, floors, ceilings, dinner table, benches on which we sat ('warmed' by a deer skin!), everything in fact was ice. There were slabs of wood on the ice, onto which our hot food was placed. The cutlery on the table was freezing, the food was soon freezing, there was no alcohol to ease the pain, and in short, it was such a miserable occasion, for everyone, that I don't think it's going to be included in the tour ever again!!!
We sat at dinner with our entire wardrobe of outdoor clothing on, including hats - Could not wait for it to end. Bonus.... Desert was Ice Cream!!!! Don't think so!!!!!
Two of the seemingly sane members of the group actually decided to sleep at the "hotel" for the night... They survived, but I couldn't stop thinking of them and how they were going..
We fell into bed by about 9.30, stone cold sober, and too shattered to even be bothered to go out to look for the Lights. Apparently there was a faint glimmer, but we didn't miss much....
Will add some photo's to the next post, but for now, have to go out........
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