ChoY wEnT tO tHe NoRTH PoLe!!
Must tell you guys about the trip i just had -- to the NORTH POLE!!I just came back yesterday...
The train ride was long... very long.. but worth it.. it is about 23 hrs ride... tough eh? but i survived... it felt like "Polar Express" (those of you who watched this movie will know what i mean...) I was travelling northwards all the while and the ride was sometimes bumpy... then, the scenery outside the window gets more and more snowy as the train headed more north.. then, the window starts to turn colder and colder, eventually, some windows become so cold that snow and ice was produced in the train inside.. and then, those people who sit at those places had to changed seats... (feels like "the day after tmr")
The view outside the window was fantastic! The many many pine trees, half covered in snow, and every but if land was covered in snow, and the houses.. they were exactly those that i saw from story books.. those red house with their roof covered in thick snow..
And then, Finally...! I am in the north pole..!! I have crossed the polar line and entered the arctic region!! in the north pole!! ( i even had a certificate to certify this... heh)
I was in Kiruna, very very north of sweden. It is in the arctic region..
First, we ( me, my roomie and my 2 hong kong friends) checked in to the hostel.. and wow-ing at all the beautiful houses along the streets.. they just looked different.. after settling down into the hostel, we decided to go into the snow fields to wait for "Northern lights". OK, it is the same like you wait to see stars.. Northern lights are strips of lights, can occur in many colours at a time, and it moves.... very rare and beautiful... can only see at a certain time at night and only if the sky is clear..
And... guess what..!? we didn't wait very long, and we saw it..!!! at ard 12 midnight.!! the one we saw was green..!! the more common one... it lasted for about a minute.. then there was no more sight of it... so , we went back to rest..
The following day, we had signed up for a packaged tour that includes dog sleigh and snow mobile and one night accomodation in the forest and lappish ( people living in the lappland aka arctic zone..) meals... and for this tour, we had a big group of us, total of 15 of us who came from together from my school. We were all super excited...!
Then, come all the terrifying part..! things that we have never never guessed.!
We were brought to this place with no buildings.. only a big container and a van with 20lockers.. then, we thought this is the place where we leave our luggages so that we can move freely later into the forest.. then, upon closer look into the lockers, there were dogs!! there were 20 dogs!!
Then, the man in charge of the tour.. i nicknamed him Mr Moustache.. he told us to bring the dogs to chain them along the forest... Gosh.!! i backed out like nobody's business..! those dogs are so big and they kept howling..! no way am i going near them.! Then, the best thing was after they were chained along a chain line, they started to shit and pee like nobody's business.. SUX.!!!! Then, Mr Moustache said that they had been kept for a night here, so, obviuosly had alot to pass out... SMELLY!!
Then, he commanded us to change in groups of 5 in the small container, into the snow boots and jumper suit, in 90 seconds.. Crazy old man!! I feel totally bizarred by this tour.!!
Then, after changing, we actually had to bring the dogs to sleigh ourselves... we had to be our own drivers of the sleigh, standing behind the sleighs!!! Gosh i was so scared, and i was the first to drive somemore.. you had to keep your eyes on the dogs in front of you, always making sure that they are keeping the sleigh chain taut.. if not, they may be injured... i got to brake and signal them to move...
But.... It was FUN!!! to drive the dogs.. and trusting the dogs that pull your sleigh!! they are so strong.!!5 dogs pulling 3 persons on the sleigh!
Then, it was time to stop, we have to unleash the dogs from the sleighs are chain them elsewhere.. i did! and i think the dogs are so cute..! hee
Then, we had to walk on frozen waters to the campsite... we had to follow closely to where the moustache walk, if not, we might end up in the cold water.. we could hear the fast flowing waters under the ice that we are walking on.. and this is terrifying..!! with every step we took, we dare not put too much pressure on them..
Then, we safely arrived at the campsite!! Guess what happens next?! We have to chop and saw out own firewoods! if not, we won't have heat at night and no fire to cook meals.! And, we have to go the the river to get our own water to drink and to wash our everything.! "what kind of a place is this?!
So, we chopped the woods and saw them.. and, went to the river to get water..
The water from the river is so clear and nice to drink..! it was totally an experience.! The ice just next to the river is weak, so only 2 persons stand there.. with one person holding a pail to get water from beneath, and the other person holding on to that person so that the rushing waters will not pull that person along the waters..
Then, our meals.. for lunch, we had reindeer meat with pasta!! Reindeer meat.?! can you imagine those cute reindeers that pulled santa? Then, at night, we actually had a BBQ, with real firewood fire... you know, a real campfire?!
then, at night, we got to start our own fire in the fireplace in the house... you know, those with chimney and smoke will come out from the chimney..
Then, there were no lights in the rooms and in the campsite, we had to use candles...
and, in the toilet as well.. and the toilet, was just one shit hole.. and it was smelly.!!
then, we waited to see the northern lights.. but... there was none that night.. sad... cos we were in the mountains and if it happens, we can see it really clearly and beautiful..
Night falls, and temperature falls greatly too.. -29degrees without wind chill..
And, then, we left that place.. sadly.. cos, we all had fun.. it was really memorable..
we went back to the container place with snow mobile!!
it is like a scooter, with like skis as wheels..
yup...
then, we went back to our hostels.. and the next day, we went to the ice hotel before we left for home..
the ice hotel was great too.! with about 300 rooms, all different designs.. and, they rebuilt the ice hotel every year, because, when summer comes, it will melt.. then, there was the ice bar, where the cups are ice.. everything was ice in the hotel... nice..! pretty i would say..
I was so reluctant to come back to Jonkoping... Kiruna was beautiful... the snow glitters.. the air is fresh, the water is cool, the sky is clear, the people are nice... i wish to live there..!
but, no choice, all good things come to an end....
posted by - @ 3:48 PM
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