Hei Sweet Friends!

I simply cannot say enough wonderful things about the “lodge” where we stayed during the final leg of our arctic adventure. The Arctic Panorama Lodge in Skjervoy, Norway operated by owners and hosts Svein & Aud, is by far one of the most fab places I’ve ever stayed.

Our transfer driver, Jaseck and his fiancee Joanne, picked us up in Tromso on Tuesday morning and we started our three hour journey to the lodge. The roads remained icy after the storm and the driving was a little dicey in parts so the journey was slow, but we made it to the ferry with only minutes to spare. The lodge is located on a small island with only 15 permanent residents!!! In the summer months, some residents return and the headcount goes up to a whopping 50 people! It’s isolated position with no city lights is perfect for star gazing and watching the Northern Lights. At least that’s what we hear from others.

The lodge itself is positioned prominently on the small island with enviable views of the surrounding mountains and fjords. Built to a very high standard with sound proof walls, high-speed wifi and insulated windows, the interior oozes class, from the snug bar area with its high-end stereo and well-stocked shelves to the comfortable sitting room with log burning fire & large, family-style dining table positioned to take best advantage of the views.

Staying here is like staying with friends! Svein and Aud are like your favorite aunt and uncle who can’t do enough to make your stay more enjoyable. They do everything possible to make you comfortable and happy. Meals are served family style at the long dining table. Aud went out of her way to ensure that I did not go hungry once she learned I was vegan. It’s home cooking at its best and she uses local ingredients and family recipes handed down for generations.

Svein and Aud greeted us upon arrival and quickly grabbed our luggage and showed us to our room. The rooms are small with twin beds and a decent size bathroom with a wonderful, hot rain shower. Ahhhhhh! Cozy and comfy and quite adequate for me and Tam Tam. After we were situated in our room, we joined the other guests along with Svein and Aud in the family room where a fire had been lit and we were invited for coffee, tea and snacks before dinner. Svein advised that we might not see the lights since the storm still lingered and the snow was still falling. Sigh. But we were ever hopeful for a break in the clouds.

After a wonderful home-cooked dinner, Tam and I geared up and went outside. They provided thermal jumpsuits, a hat and mittens, insulated boots and a headlamp! We grabbed two kicksleds and off we went down the long steep driveway! WOOHOO!!! We sledded down to the street where there was NO traffic to worry about and it was dark. We kicked our way down the street and then sat down on our sleds and watched the sky hopefully for a break in the clouds. We must have sat outside for a couple of hours with only a few breaks in the clouds, but no lights. We finally called it a night around 11:30 and headed for our room for a good night’s sleep. We dreamed of dancing lights in the sky.

The next day, the snow was falling hard! According to Svein, it had snowed one meter overnight, that’s about 3 feet of snow, and it was still snowing. The dark clouds hung low in the sky during breakfast and we were getting more and more discouraged about our planned snow shoeing adventure scheduled for today. Svein advised that we wait and do both our snow shoeing and snowmobiling the next day, hoping that the weather would improve. So, we stayed in the entire day reading and talking to the other guests, going outside only to make snow angels and a snowman. The other guests in the hotel were a family of four with two kids, so me, Tam and the kids played outside during the afternoon. Svein even built a fire in the fire pit and we attempted to make popcorn and once again searched the sky for the lights. We managed to see a faint glow in the sky over the mountains, but that was as close as we got to seeing the illusive lights. 🙁

On Thursday, our last full day at the lodge, we woke up to an almost sunny day. Well, it wasn’t dark and gloomy anyway and the snow had stopped for the moment. After breakfast, we geared up to go snow shoeing. Jaseck once again drove us to our starting point at the base of the mountain overlooking the fjord. We strapped on our snow shoes and grabbed our sticks and began trekking up the mountain. After about 30 minutes, we were huffing and puffing and asking “are we there yet?” Snow shoeing is hard work especially when you are climbing uphill the entire way. Tam and I finally had to have a break and we crashed in the snow and just lay there catching our breath! Jaseck tried to encourage us by saying, “it’s only 200 more meters to the right, you can do it.” Yeah right. Longest 200 meters I’ve ever walked, in snow shoes, uphill, both ways. When we finally made it to the top, it had started to snow again, so our view was restricted. We enjoyed some snacks and hot tea during our break at the top and then headed back down the mountain. The entire trip took about three hours but seemed much longer to me!

Once back at the lodge, we rested for a bit, and just before dark, we went snowmobiling. Tam and I both decided that since the weather was so bad and it was almost dark that we would just ride behind instead of trying to drive and navigate the terrain. So, she and I were pulled around behind our snow mobile driver along a circuitous path up and down the hillside. It was like a ride at Disneyland! Disney’s new Arctic North Adventure ride. You must be 72 inches tall to ride this ride. It was fun and on a clear night, I’m sure we would have seen the lights as it was the perfect setting, but alas, the illusive lights stayed hidden from view by the low clouds and snow.

When we returned, dinner was ready and two other guests had joined us. We ate family style and enjoyed our last evening together. After dinner, we once again went outside to wait for the lights. We sat on our kick sleds and Svein placed reindeer skins over us to stay warm. He built and fire and turned off all the outside lights and we waited. I would love to say that finally, the lights made a showing and danced brightly in the sky on our final night; but it was not to be. We did not see the lights that night or any night. It was disappointing, BUT the trip was not just about seeing the lights. It was about seeing each other and spending time together and enjoying our adventure and creating lasting memories. I will always remember sitting outside under reindeer skins with Tam Tam, giggling as we sledded down the steep driveway, laughing as we made snow angels, and holding onto one another during Hurricane Ole. That is what life is about – making memories!

I hope your day is a memory in the making despite life’s obstacles! Good night sweet friends. Check back tomorrow to hear about our weekend in Copenhagen, and take a look at all the pix under Photos above.