Bucket List

[cardigan wearer]

As I have mentioned my wife is not too well and one of her bucket list wishes was to see the Aurora Borealis . When I released some of my pension funds for the new scope I took enough so I could take her to Finish Lapland. 2 weeks ago we flew out of London Gatwick for our adventure. It was beautiful. The night sky was so amazingly black, with stars right down to the horizon. My wife is pretty cool with astro stuff and easily picked out Orion and said what is the green smudge pointing to The Orion Nebula. When we get a clear dark night I will be helping her see this though the scope, better be quick or it will in December, Orion is creeping towards the west pretty quick.

Sharing a few images with you all taken with a Galaxy S7 no processing.

 

[John]

It looks lovely

Thanks for posting the photos and the report and I'm really glad you both enjoyed it !

 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Lovely aurora shots. Never seen them myself, so still firmly on my bucket list

[cloudsweeper]

Great views, great location.  Glad you and your wife enjoyed it!

Doug.

[JemC]

wonderful shots, looks like you both had a great time,
so glad your wife got to see the Aurora,

Regards and best wishes to you both

James

 

[Knighty2112]

Very glad you both had a wonderful time viewing the Aurora. Best wishes to you both!  

[cardigan wearer]

Most of the pictures used a 10 second exposure, not having a tripod I patted some snow about to make a firm camera stand at ground level. White balance to incandescent and a 5 second shutter delay to allow time to sit the phone down. Did the whole tourist thing with a husky driven sledge too, Liz wrapped in reindeer skins and me at the back on the anchor.

Thank you for the kind comments.

[Pete Presland]

Looks an  amazing location.  Great news you managed to see the aurora while you were there. 

[Astro Imp]

Lovely report and some amazing images. So pleased you both had a wonderful trip.

Good luck to you both.

[cardigan wearer]

We were only there for 4 days and saw the Aurora the second and third night. First time it was very strong and bright, the camera settings need some tinkering to get right, but you dont want to take your gloves off for too long. Minus 20 Celsius and the wind. I was going to do the sauna thing where you run out naked and jump in the lake though an ice hole. When they started cutting the hole through 1 metre of ice with a large Sthil chainsaw, I just when for tea instead.

[Knighty2112]

5 minutes ago, cardigan wearer said:

I was going to do the sauna thing where you run out naked and jump in the lake though an ice hole. When they started cutting the hole through 1 metre of ice with a large Sthil chainsaw, I just when for tea instead.

Probably the wisest thing to do there!  

[niallk]

Great pics & sounds like a fantastic trip

Best wishes to you + your wife,

-Niall

[Debo]

Super pictures and write up 

[noah4x4]

Looks very much like the resort I visited in Finnish Lapland. Glad you ticked off the Aurora. We had four nights of shocking low cloud.

But the daytime activities were great. The best was when they cut a track in the deep snow using a snowmobile. Then gave us all a dog sled which dropped into the track like being on a giant scalextric.  Hence, no need to steer!  Awesome fun!

 

[LukeSkywatcher]

It's top of my list. 

[Saganite]

Lovely record of an ambition achieved for both of you.  

[cardigan wearer]

10 hours ago, noah4x4 said:

Looks very much like the resort I visited in Finnish Lapland. Glad you ticked off the Aurora. We had four nights of shocking low cloud.

But the daytime activities were great. The best was when they cut a track in the deep snow using a snowmobile. Then gave us all a dog sled which dropped into the track like being on a giant scalextric.  Hence, no need to steer!  Awesome fun!

 

Torassieppi Reindeer Farm, Kitilla. The list of activities available was amazing. Ice hole fishing, reindeer trekking, husky sledging, sauna plunging, night trekking, the list was endless. Food was lovely wildboar and reindeer on the menu from their own farm. They went out of their way to make sure Liz could get about in her wheelchair, and Monarch Airline could not have done anymore for us.

[colin2007]

I took my wife and young children to Kittilla, Lapland for a day at Xmas 2009 and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It seemed strange that we only experienced about an hour of sun that day after we left Gatwick airport. We were in darkness all day long but alas we never saw the Northern Lights. but we did get to meet Santa Claus!

Would love to go back one day and do what you guys have done, The arctic circle really fascinates me. Anyway thanks for sharing  your pics and you both look like you had a great time!

[cardigan wearer]

56 minutes ago, colin2007 said:

I took my wife and young children to Kittilla, Lapland for a day at Xmas 2009 and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It seemed strange that we only experienced about an hour of sun that day after we left Gatwick airport. We were in darkness all day long but alas we never saw the Northern Lights. but we did get to meet Santa Claus!

Would love to go back one day and do what you guys have done, The arctic circle really fascinates me. Anyway thanks for sharing  your pics and you both look like you had a great time!

Over the xmas break we started looking to book, it was much cheaper early January then the later towards the end of February the cost of flights was increasing every week. I would say if you want to go the first week in January is idea. We went on the 17th and the sun rising at 10.30 and setting at 3pm it barley cleared the horizon so it looked like sunrise sunset colours all day. I am so used to looking at Polaris and seeing it at about 35 degrees  seeing it right overhead, makes you realise how far North you are. If we get a chance we will go again so many things we would have liked to do. You need a week minimum and its tiring even for a fit person as your up most of the night looking at Aurora then physical activities in the day. With so many layers of clothes, and the resort provides proper polar wear suits inc gloves and boots its hard to move with that lot on. We were told Santa was having a Caribbean holiday as he had worked so hard at Xmas, so I didnt get to see him even though I have been a good boy.

 

[newbie alert]

Wow..looks amazing..

[michaelmorris]

Sounds like a great trip.  Thanks for sharing the great photos.

[colin2007]

1 hour ago, cardigan wearer said:

Over the xmas break we started looking to book, it was much cheaper early January then the later towards the end of February the cost of flights was increasing every week. I would say if you want to go the first week in January is idea. We went on the 17th and the sun rising at 10.30 and setting at 3pm it barley cleared the horizon so it looked like sunrise sunset colours all day. I am so used to looking at Polaris and seeing it at about 35 degrees  seeing it right overhead, makes you realise how far North you are. If we get a chance we will go again so many things we would have liked to do. You need a week minimum and its tiring even for a fit person as your up most of the night looking at Aurora then physical activities in the day. With so many layers of clothes, and the resort provides proper polar wear suits inc gloves and boots its hard to move with that lot on. We were told Santa was having a Caribbean holiday as he had worked so hard at Xmas, so I didnt get to see him even though I have been a good boy.

 

One day I would love to go back. Like you said it is tiring and unfortunately my illness would prevent me from doing this but hopefully one day I will be better and and I can do stuff like this again.

I agree with you that straight after Xmas would be the best time to go to get a good deal. Lovely clothing they provide too, but  I never felt the cold when we was there except on the face. We went for a sleigh ride and I could feel ice  building up on my nose! It was that cold!!

 

[noah4x4]

14 hours ago, noah4x4 said:

Looks very much like the resort I visited in Finnish Lapland. Glad you ticked off the Aurora. We had four nights of shocking low cloud.

But the daytime activities were great. The best was when they cut a track in the deep snow using a snowmobile. Then gave us all a dog sled which dropped into the track like being on a giant scalextric.  Hence, no need to steer!  Awesome fun!

 

Wasn't the same resort, but sounds very similar. I stayed at the Davvi Arctic Lodge (via Transun) in Karesuando in Finland. Flew to Kiruna in Sweden then travelled for two hours further north deep into the Arctic Circle.  There you stay in cosy log cabins, each with traditional sauna. Every day inclusive activities; dog sledding; snowshoe trekking, snowmobile safari; but sadly over four nights we didn't see the Aurora due to cloud! Truly unlucky!

Other must do "bucket list" trips to see a unique night sky that I would recommend:

Galapagos Islands (combine with Peru/Manchu Pichu). Here, I managed to dislocate my shoulder (long story); but after treatment I spent five hours lay on my back in a tiny dinghy chasing after our main motor boat under the most amazing (bang on the Equator) skies. 

Base Camp Everest; Tibet (n.b. unlike the Nepalese equivalent one can drive there). This was nearly on my "kick the bucket list" as three days later I was in Kathmandu when the recent massive earthquake struck. Very fortunate to have been outside on open ground, but was still a tad scary.

[barkis]

You're a Fine Man Cardigan Wearer.     (Do you really wear one, they are quite during winter months).
You and your Good Lady seem to have thoroughly enjoyed the Trip. Aurora is an inspiring phenomena,
and must be more so up there near the Pole. That Sleigh Ride  seems very exciting too.
Your pictures are splendid, and we appreciate you showing them here. 
Best wishes to you both.

 

 

[Skipper Billy]

What a lovely heartwarming story - thanks for sharing it.