Day 4 and 5 - Kiruna.

Blogging from the ice hotel now. Got free internet at the reception area. Just ate packed ham and lettuce sandwich for lunch. Had bacon sandwiches for dinner last night.

So many things happened the last two days. Will just write it as it comes to mind.

Auroras!!!
Saw the auroras last night. It just appeared as a green glowing shreak across the sky. Rather dim. but it filled about a fifth of the sky, and it's quite static. So one can mistake it as city lights reflected off a cloud.

Dog sleighing, raindeer pasta, snow sledging, and driving a snow mobile!!!

Did that yesterday for 700 krons per person. Took a ride out to a house 10 km into the wilderness on a sleigh pulled by 4 dogs. Was literally dashing through the snow on a four dog open sleigh! Only short of the jingling bells! And it was an awesome experience emerging from behind some bushed on a standing on a fast moving sleigh, to a vast plain of white snow and the backdrop of mountains and rivers!
It is really difficult to handle dogs though, they get bored when we are waiting to set off, and start fighting... And they get really distracted. Our sleigh stopped a few times because one of our dogs found a cap dropped by a person from the sleigh in front of us, and it stopped to devour the cap. The dogs would also stop suddenly to do their business halfway through the ride. But they are really strong, and move very fast!

Then had raindeer pasta and gingerbread for lunch. Tasted very nice. Think its not the raindeer meat, but the way they made the sauce. Need to learn to make nice pasta sauce for myself.
Had water fresh from the stream flowing outside the house! Talk about mineral water from the mountains! And sledged down a slope outside the house for a while after lunch.

Then drove the snow mobile on the way back. Not as exciting as it looks. Its just like driving any other vehicle. But it was the first vehicle Serene is controling... Something for her to say to her friends!

Came back, and did some shopping. Bought all the things we needed to get comfortable in the accom, made sandwich with bacon and eggs for dinner, and koped some leftover fried rice left unattended in the kitchen. Oh yes, also watched the show `Itallian Job´ On our first night in Kiruna. Then went back to the room to relax. Saw people pointing at the sky from the room, and went out to see the auroras.


Today
Got up at 930, one and a half hour later than scheduled, made breakfast and packed lunch. Went to visit a heritage building, had a short education on the history of Kiruna. Hung out at hte library for a while, then took a bus here to the ice hotel. The ice hotel looks more like an art exhibition than anything else, its the whole experience. Reminded me of the modern art gallery we visited in Frankfurt....

Ok, thats about all for now.

Should be getting more supplies when we get back, for dinner tonight, and will be packing up to leave tomorrow morning at 5, to catcht the 630 plane ride. Oh yes, when we last calculated, we have been spending less than $20 Sing a day on food and transport. Its a really budget tour, but very enjoyable nevertheless...