True Beauty of Norway

Norway - Part 3 - January 2024

"This is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

I feel like astronomy is in my blood. I was nine days old when Apollo 11 landed on the moon and Neil Armstrong uttered this famous quote. My parent sat me in front of the TV to watch the moon landing. In grade school my dad and I watched Cosmos on PBS and I longed to be an astronaut. I learned all the constellations even though I grew up in a big city and couldn't see the night sky. I was on high school winter break on that cold January day when the space shuttle Challenger exploded. So, it's no surprise that i yearned to see the aurora borealis aka the Northern Lights.

It was cold and the snow had just ended when I arrived in Tromso and headed to my Airbnb. I had downloaded a northern lights app which said the skies should clear around 8:00PM. I put on extra layers, and grabbed the bus to head to the beach which has open skies. When I got there, I was worried about the cloudy sky. But slowly the clouds thinned, and a small greenish glow lit up the sky. Within seconds the green lady danced across the sky. The Northern Lights have inspired some of the most dramatic tales in Norse mythology. The Vikings celebrated the lights, believing they were earthly manifestations of their gods. Other Norse people feared them, telling stories of the dangers they posed and developing superstitions to protect themselves.

Dog Sledding Adventure

I had a chance to drive my own team of huskies. Training is provided on how to control the sled and an experienced guide led us on a 90 minute sledding adventure in the Arctic wilderness - Afterwards we enjoyed cake and a warm drink in the Lavvu. The kennel had over 120 beautiful Alaskan Huskies. These are the running dogs of the Arctic, born and bred with a passion to pull. You will have plenty of opportunities to swap between driver and passenger throughout the trip, as well as a chance to cuddle the dogs once back at the kennel. This is the tour I took and highly recommend. Husky Sledding Self-Drive Adventure in Tromso

Reindeer feeding

On this Arctic adventure, you’ll visit a real Sámi camp, get up-close and personal with an adorable herd of reindeer, warm up with steamy beverages in a lavvu (Sámi tent), and sink in the scenery of the Lyngen Alps. Break away from your four-legged friends for a hot lunch and learn all about life in the Arctic for the Indigenous Sámi and their almost-mythical creatures. The Sami people are indigenous to Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia’s north and are considered one of Europe’s oldest indigenous groups. They have a rich history that dates back over 4,000 years, and their traditional livelihoods have been centered around reindeer herding, fishing, and hunting. This is the tour I took and highly recommend. Tromsø Reindeer & Sami Culture Experience