Tromsø is at the top of Norway and is located on an island 350 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle. Due to the Gulf Stream, the city is warmer than others at the same latitude, but due to the storm that was prevalent during our stay, this was not particularly evident.
 |
| View from the plane as we left, as there was nothing to see on the way in! |
Arriving in the dark, and taxiing to our hotel 'Bed & Waffles' we saw nothing of the township. We had an hour to spare before our pick up for the 'Northern Lights' tour and we needed to eat. I kept looking up at the dull sky, taking small solace in the odd singular star. To my untrained eye, the weather did not look promising. But, as I kept telling myself, I was unqualified.
Unqualified but accurate. We struggled to see much that night. We spent hours outside in giant boots and onesies that were amazing but weren't quite as warm as I hoped. There was one incredible moment, as the greenish clouds we had been staring at streaked across the sky, dragging colour in incredible shapes. It lasted about five minutes and it was sensational.
The only day in Tromsø saw us rise too early after our 3am finish, and we joined a small group and a guide who drove us north through the fjords. We had scheduled a whale trip, and I was keen to see orca in the wild, but the storm that was blowing arctic air into our suits also prevented the boat launch, so we had to make to with seeing the stunning scenery from a van. And it was stunning,
 |
| Sunrise - 8.30 - though the sun doesn't actually crest until Feburary |
 |
| A Reindeer! (Which are quite tasty as it turns out) |
On the first night, the person next to us ordered whale. My immediate response was dismay, but after quite a bit of research, I discovered that Norway's whaling is not anymore, and probably miles better than a lot of other meat industries. I looked into their official quota and the international agreements they have signed, and also at independent reports that confirmed the government seemed fairly transparent and honest about what they actually do. I double checked with our local tour guide to be certain, and that night tried minke whale - an unendangered species.
I can't really describe it well. It had the look and texture of really firm venison, but the taste was quite seafoody. It was really, really good.
After the long drive, I barely remember falling into bed for a nap before the alarm sounded time for night two of chasing Aurora. We expected much the same as the previous night but were pleasantly surprised by a smaller group, smaller van and a more pragmatic guide. We did not drive far before walking (haphazardly in the deep, crispy snow) to a wide-open field with looming mountains framing the north where we could see more smudgy green clouds, like a kryptonite explosion. The colour waned and grew as we waited. We took some pictures, with the lights showing up more impressively with the right settings and I enjoyed digging into the snow to create a comfy possie away from the blistering biting winds. Moments after Sarah mused about driving to a new spot, the mountain to the east exploded. The dancing lit up the world around us and the colour deepened part green into subtle pinks and purples. The shapes fluctuated before you could identify them, and changed from narrow beams to wide-ranging tendrils. The stars glittered around the Aurora and the mountains framed the sky in their icy splendour. It was unimaginably beautiful and everything I dreamed.
 |
| This was the start of the most amazing part. And while the other photos captured an enhanced version, this is pretty much what we saw. |
Leaving for Copenhagen, the sun was 'rising' though it would never actually rise above the hills. The sky was immeasurably gorgeous as was the crystal clear view from the plane as we rose above the mountains.
Comments
Post a Comment