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| aurora borealis, Nellim, Finland |
Something to do with the comfort of hiking boots and thermals reminding me that I am about to go on an adventure.
A long awaited trip to Finnish Lapland with friends.
Snow, wilderness, reindeer, and if we were really lucky the aurora borealis.
We were really lucky.
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| aurora borealis, Lapland |
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| aurora borealis |
For once I was really glad that I had taken my tripod on my trip. Camera exposures to catch stars and the northern lights are a few seconds long, and hand holding the camera is not an option. When the aurora starts 'dancing' in the sky you know you are really, really fortunate.
The days are very short at this time of year. Sunrise and sunset only four hours apart, with a lovely blue twilight that lasts for some time before and after. The sun did not emerge above the horizon during our visit, but just moved slowly around below the top of the hills.
We did a bit of ice fishing on Inari Lake. I don't think anyone really expected to catch a fish.
The best bit is drilling a hole. The ice was about 70cm thick.
The fishing rod was tiny.
Fishing had the potential to be a very cold, zen-like experience.
It is a very popular sport in the summer when the lake is swarming with mosquitos and the bears are awake in the forest.
Reindeer are plentiful. Most are in the wild until rounded up for stock taking.
Reindeer herders know their own stock from the markings cut on the reindeers' ears.
They have a book of ear markings.
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| reindeer with ear marking |
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| lunch of reindeer stir fry |
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| a reindeer passes by our picnic spot |
Some facilities were a little chilly.
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| snowy seat |
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| instructions best avoided |
the scenery was everything that I had hoped
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| Lake Inari |
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| trees in the snow |
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| sunrise |
I took many, many photos of trees, and if we hadn't been so busy fishing, snow shoeing and aurora watching I would have taken many more.
A place of peace and beauty.
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| trees at dawn |
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