Not sure I’m going to like this.

Swedish Lapland

Last March my friend Carol  began nagging me about going to Finland to see huskies, reindeers, snowmobiles and Northern lights. Absolutely no way I’m doing that. I hate the cold. Every winter I knew I wasn’t designed for cold, dark days. I never belonged in the UK.

26.1.24

Every winter I knew I wasn’t designed for cold, dark days. I never belonged in the UK. I moved to Turkey a few days short of 13 years ago. I love the short mild winters and bright sunny days

So, no way am I going to Lapland.

Carol can be quite a persistent little soul. She wasn’t showing any signs of giving up on this.

Eventually I gave in. It’s only a for a few days, it might never happen anyway it’s so far off, it’s not like I’ll be using up precious annual leave and at least I know we’ll get a summer.

Ok, ok. I give in.

So, what dates?

We used to be indecisive, now we’re not sure. By the time we ummed abd ahhed all the dates from Manchester or Gatwick were sold out. They’d added more dates, but our only option was now Newcastle.

£200 deposits paid in March 2023. Plenty of time for a new pandemic, a nuclear bomb, famine or a plague of locusts to ensure I don’t have to go.

Direct flights from Western Turkey to Newcastle in winter are non existant. So…Easyjet flights to Manchester booked, bus to Newcastle booked, train from Newcastle to Manchester booked and 3 nights UK hotel accommodation booked.

Shopping :

2 thermal tops, 2 thermal bottoms, 5 pairs of thermal socks, a balaclava, thermal gloves, hand warmers and foot warmers. I saved 50p by crocheting my own woolly hat. I even made a pom pom. Oh, and.. the shame.. Swore blind I’d never have one.. A selfie stick. Don’t judge me. There’s no way I’m taking gloves off to take photos. It has a built in tripod, to get those fabulous northern light photos with no camera shake, which apparently is essential.

I’m sure I’ve seen round the world cruises for less money and the shopping list is far more exciting.

We paid the final balance in December and it was looking inevitable.

I watched You Tube, read reviews and joined the Davvi Aurora Lodge Facebook group, which I love.

Our tickets arrived.

After 10 months of telling everyone we were off to Finland I realised we’re actually staying in Sweden. We’re staying at the Davvi Arctic Star. No facebook group, hmmm, ominous, so İ started one. People soon joined.

The reviews are fabulous and now I’m really excited.

No one remembers the advert that’s been in my head since finding out it’s Sweden.

‘We treat you like a swede not like a turnip’ 😂

https://youtu.be/hJ_qHiGo754?si=1wX3P2sN4TO5sTD4

Temperatures are going up nicely. They had – 40 😱 2 or 3 weeks ago.

This is where we will fly to

Apparently the hotel is about a 45 minute drive from this shed, hopefully not too much cooler than the airport.

So, time to get up and out of my pjs and embrace the long day ahead.

I’m off to Lapland. never thought I’d say that.