Kirkenes: A night in the snow hotel
This is perhaps the most special place of the whole Nordkalotten 2015 journey to write my blog: On the bed in the room of the snow hotel. Behind me a warm sleeping bag, beside me a snow relief of husky dogs running.
But its a perfect match to my afternoon, where my friend had a half day of and I got a wonderful private dog sledding tour. Parts of the trail where prepared perfectly, because they were part of the Finnmarksløpet – a 1000 km dog race from Alta to Kirkenes and back again that happens right now. First I sat and enjoyed gliding through the landscape effortlessly, but on the flat sea ice of the Langfjorden I could stand on the sledges blades and steer the dogs by myself – a really easy terrain for beginners like me – and I have to admit that this is much more fun than just sitting.
A great two hour tour, thank you, C.! The only disadvantage as a photographer, most of the time you see bums and tails, but if you ignore this, it’s great fun!
Later on we got a three course dinner which was very good. To be honest, that was almost the main reason, why I booked the snow hotel night. I’ve slept in igloos before, but of course not in such a huge one with a three course dinner before.
This night is a good end of my journey. Tomorrow I’ll head home. I’m stuffed with sensations and impressions and I’m longing home. But before I went into my room, I even got some polar light again after a quite long time of abstinence.
Now I have to close, the laptop runs out of battery and I start getting cold.
Good night!
7 comments to “Kirkenes: A night in the snow hotel”
Annika 2015-03-09 23:16
Was für ein Abschied! Gute Fahrt :-)
Sabine NL 2015-03-10 10:27
A fairytale-like end of a journey! There is always a point when even the most wonderful journey is “completed”, rounded up, makes sense in itself. Congratulations, have a safe journey home. Thank you very much for sharing all your impressions and thoughts with us!
Ma HB 2015-03-10 12:45
Dear Olaf, it was so wonderful to participate your long journey each day. Now I think you choose the right time to drive at home because of so specially experiences – ice hotel, steering dogs by yourself and so on.
Thanks for your
daily informations and very wonderful photos.
Have a good return trip.
Yours Ma HB
Elijah 2015-03-11 20:23
What did you dream in the cave of the dogs?
way-up-north 2015-03-12 07:22
Annika: Danke
Sabine NL: You are welcome. I had a safe trip home the day before yesterday, but it was a long journey – more than 850 km.
Ma HB: Thank you for reading by blog and for your many fine comments. I’ll continue writing here even if the journey Nordkalotten 2015 is finished. But there’s more to come.
Elijah: I don’t know. I guess I dreamed of dogs but more because of the dog sledge tour before.
Mara 2015-11-21 12:57
Beeindruckend. Ich würde auch gern mal eine Nacht in einem Schnee-Hotel verbringen. Polarlichter müssen auch wunderschön aussehen. Faszinierend!!! Viel Spaß und eine gute Reise, viele Grüße Mara
way-up-north 2015-11-21 17:00
Die Reise nach Kirkenes ist schon ein bisschen her, Mara, aber die Gegend hat mir so gut gefallen, dass ich überlege, diesen Winter wieder hinzureisen. Sind aber leider von mir aus immer noch 800, 900 Kilometer.