Saturday, 1 March 2014

Summary of the Week!

So one of the main reasons we came to Finland was to see the lights, not that Shuv isn't completely obsessed! And the unfortunate thing was that it was cloudy and not that cold in Finland the whole week. So we changed our plans being the flexible type of couple we are.

Helskini airport - brrrr

 Shuv on plane to Kuusamo, too slow at blocking the sneaky shot!
 Walking the next day (Saturday) along the road from our cottage
 View from the cottage window of the lake...
 On a 22km trek on Sunday... MADNESS!
 Saw a wood shed that I thought would be the envy of respective father and FIL
 Next day rented a car and drove to Kuusamo where we stopped at a tat shop which had a pottery attached and very much up for public viewing.....
 Very much up for public viewing
 Went to Ruka, bought proper snow boots for the boss and this was the piccie out of a pub toilet window half way up a mountain.
 You might recognise some of the trees from this place as they were the fabulous sunset through trees covered in snow shots from Mrs W - just not so much snow and not much of a sunset.

 So the next day we headed off to Abisko in Sweden, a little matter of 675km away and with a -1 time difference... and alot of roads covered in snow. Didn't help that before we'd left Finland I managed to get the Skoda stuck in a parking area!!!!!
 The locals, random stoppers, were lovely and organised the snow plough to come by and tow us out.
Sweden nearly at Abisko.
 Now Abisko is the place that Shuv has been looking at via webcam most often for her Northern Lights views, a micro-climate which means it's hardly ever cloudy. And the hype was right!!!! Look at this!!!!!
 OK so my camera on the phone isn't that good, but believe you me the lights were dancin, trouble is the main display happened as we were walking out to set up the camera so Shuv didn't quite get her money shots.
Amazing scenery though the next day! Unfortunately the hostel (YUCK) we were staying was full up so off to lapland.
 MORE SNOW ON THE ROADS, this time I managed a parking spot without getting stuck.


 So we got to Akasentie, only 450km so an easy day. We managed to pay it forward for our help in getting un-stuck by giving a lift to two Aussie girls, one with a busted ankle, who had got confused with public transport (WHAT PUBLIC TRANSPORT) so we got them to Kiruna airport on time.

Right this chap on the telly makes any of us feel alot better about our hair......
 I'm in trouble...
Next day nice walk round the lake then back to Kuusamo (only about 350km so a breeze)
 Friday, nature trail. Couldn't ski as the place we got them from back when had turned into an Angry Birds theme park!!!!
 Saturday early packed an orf to airport so thought take a piccie of the hut!
 First into the departures lounge.
 A rather desolate runway.....
Missing the pets now.
Few hours to kill so thought I'd update the blog.
Never guess where we are at Helsinki airport.....