day 15 - It's cold in them thar hills

I haven’t been here for a while so here’s a nice loooong post for you all (but especially you Bec).
 

MGM will agree with me I'm, sure, when I admit we've stepped way beyond our holiday comfort zone this time.  Norway has been a series of firsts for us, challenging firsts.

Our first snowmobiling, our first look at the Northern lights, our first cruise. MGM's not a fan of traveling on water, makes him feel queasy, so spending two days on the Hurtigruten was something he anticipated with mixed feelings.  The Hurtigruten works its way up the Norwegian coast as a supply ship, with a bit of accommodation tacked on almost as an afterthought. We were in the cheap seats; our room was just above the water-line, so consequently we got to know the machinery workings of the ship intimately. Our cabin, while extremely cosy, vibrated, hummed and pitched with the waves noticeably. We spent a lot of time on the observation decks watching the fjords drift by, very relaxing & MGM is pleased to present a perfect score card, – even managing to eat meals at more or less meal times.

We only went into one port, (day 14’s post). It was a good break from the constant vibrations and we were happy to arrive at Kirkenes and disembark, at 9am (yes another early pack/start).

Because we’re not morning-friendly we’re finding it surprising just how long the days are when you start them at 6/7am. Remember when I mentioned holiday days being equal to 2 work days? Well, let me explain: we get up early do whatever is on the itinerary that day, have a sleep (it is really easy to nap here in the semidarkness), then get up refreshed and it’s like a new day to go out for more holiday excitement, followed naturally by another sleep. It’s probably exacerbated by the lack of daylight here too,  but it makes it really hard to remember what we did on which day.

In Kirkenes we checked our luggage into the hotel we’re staying in tomorrow night (not tonight – tonight we spend at the snow hotel), wandered the main shopping precinct.

 

 

this is how Kirkenes does a round about

 

 

 

Spent some time with the free wifi in the library (as you do).

 

Had some cake lunch.

 

this is 1:30pm as we're coming out of the cafe.

 

 

Then waited for the bus to take us here

 

Yes it was gob-smacking.

 First we went into the hotel to get the low down.
 

 

It’s not what I was expecting ‘hotel’ is a bit of a misnomer. That bar is not a bar that you stand around having drinks at whilst relaxing in the ice furniture. I was planning on having a vodka (just for you Pip) drinking it out of an ice glass but didn’t get the opportunity L. The rooms are not really hotel rooms, places where you can go and sit, relax, spend time, rather they are just places to sleep. Impressive places certainly but I was expecting to spend more time in there, nothing wrong with this, just unexpected. I think it should be called snow camping, we’ll come back to that.  

 

 

all the furniture is ice 

 

we were alloted rooms, ours is the second on the left

 

 After we found our room we were free to look at each room, a bit unnerving –going into other people’s rooms but it seems snow hotel-specific privacy rules apply that over rule etiquette.

 

glad we didn't get this room. the lights stay on all night for saftey, I think sleeping in this coloured atmosphere would be challenging.

 

 

 

We were given our sleeping- bags (to set up on our beds ready for sleeping) & taken to dinner. There’s a little community that surrounds the Snow hotel; the outfitting room, a restaurant,  a common room (& warm place to stay if you can’t handle sleeping in the -4° climate of the hotel), reindeer pen, husky pens, and a lavo (Sami tent) – it’s a very pretty little snowy wonderland.

 

 

ice sculpture tree very pretty

 

 

There were a number of activities in which one could partake. Kick-sledding (I tried it but alas the picture was too blurry to include); walking on the frozen lake (I tried it and got about 10 feet before I hit soft, deep snow and went in up to my thighs – MGM, waiting at the lake’s edge was quite amused); snow angeling (I tried it for you Jen but did not realise that you need to have a certain level of agility to get up without destroying the angel – I think we can all agree - agile I’m not); Northern light searching (I tried it –couldn’t find ‘em);  tobogganing (had learnt to stop trying stuff).

 

So then, winter activities exhausted there was nothing left to do but sleep. It was 10:30pm. I’m not tired at 10:30. Persevered anyway.

 

We’d been given sleeping bag instructions and here’s where the camping thing comes in…I don’t do sleeping bags – I don’t camp. I did not make allowances for this.

I prepared for the cold. It wasn’t really. We had our thermals (I actually slept in my clothes too just to be sure) & the sleeping bags are rated to -35°, the Norwegian army actually sleeps outdoors ON the snow in them, so no problems there. However those of you who do camp  (unlike myself) may know what I didn’t, that there is actually some skill involved in getting into a sleeping bag.

Skills.I.do.not.have.

The instructions said take off your jeans, roll them up & stuff them in the bottom so they’re warm in the morning. However, to take off one’s jeans one must first remove one’s shoes which is actually challenging when the floor is snow. Believe me you do not want to get wet in -4° so I just slept jeans and all. MGM who, it turns out, has some skills with sleeping bags slipped into the lining sheet (also a bag), stood on the bed, jumped effortlessly into his bag, zipped up, lay down happily cocooned in his -35° rated bedclothes.

Me? Well let’s just say it didn’t go that smoothly. Who knew that there was a right way to put your head into the head protection? Who knew that there is a right way to zip the damn thing? Who knew that they are next to impossible to roll over in without coming face to face with the inside of the sleeping bag with no visible exit? Come on people how the hell do you camp for relaxation?

It took quite some time, & help from the expert, to make myself comfortable and then I realised I was WIDE awake! MGM was asleep as soon as he got me into the bag of doom but me? No. Wide awake. So I thought "I’ll read". Did you know that if your ipad has been sitting on the bed in -4° it will fog up as soon as you take it into your nice warm sleeping container? Also, so will your glasses.

 

So, no reading.

 

I tried to adjust my pillow and it was covered in ice, so was the bag of constriction, well everything really. I don’t know why this surprised me but is did. I tried to compose myself.

 

Right then – go to sleep thoughts. Of course it’s then I realised that, like sheldon, I am not the master of my own bladder. Where is the ensuite when you need it?

 

Actually the 30 minute adventure to extricate yourself from the sleeping contraption, put on your snow clothes/shoes, walk to the toilet was a welcome respite from the claustrophobia of the bag. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to handle being in a room with no windows, that was made out of snow but it was the sleeping bag that I found the most claustrophobic. The hotel itself was wonderful – I really do love snow. We did sleep the night through though, and have the certificate to prove it!

Another interesting thing to note if you’re intending on a visit is there’s only one shower because, it turns out, the Norwegians really do use the sauna/roll in the snow option for personal hygiene, or maybe they were having a lend of us when they said the sauna would be fired up from 6am and that we could run naked to the snow if we wanted (don’t think there were any takers).

It was certainly an experience we’ll remember but I can’t help thinking… a place that is seriously cold, involves camping and a long walk to shared toilets …Sandy this is not for you!

The next morning revealed even prettier scenes so here you are, some pictures to reward you for getting through this long post…enjoy.