Transport Doggy-style (Saturday 9 February)
Up early for both trying to sort out a hire car and for our dog sledding experience. Slightly stressful sorting out the car. Went to the tourist centre and saw/heard a couple already on the Europcar free phone to say that they were busy at the time and would have to call back. The tourist desk recommended I call Hertz from the Scandic hotel. They were fully booked. Took a third phone number for a hire car company and they were fully booked. It took another call to Europcar to get a double the price 4WD Skoda Yeti.
With the car booked we headed over to the Kiruna Guide Tor office. Again they seemed a little disorganised as they were expecting another couple but eventually left without them. We'd been warned that the temperature where the dog sledding was taking place was a very chilly minus 30. It was this point when I discovered that the locals drop the 'minus' when stating the temperature as it seldom gets over freezing.
Met another English couple called Biggles and Ros who were staying in a local lodge. After getting dressed in the extra warm overalls and boots etc we met our dog sled driver, Luc who was French. In fact he drives up to Kiruna every year with his own pack of dogs from Lyon. There were about 11 dogs pulling us along the way with the dogs taking directional orders in French. We'd been warned that they poop and pee along the way so there was always a bit of smell. One or two of the dogs wiped their arses whilst running causing the sled to stop or falter and sometimes Luc, the driver would smack them for obedience. It wasn't cruel or hard but they had to know who was in charge. Otherwise the dogs would eat from the snow banks along the way to cool down and get hydrated. Strangely when we did stop for our lunch break some of the dogs would eat another's poo!
Whilst Luc prepared our mushroom soup in the teepee we got to pet the dogs and take some photos as well as to properly introduce ourselves and warm up next to the fire. It was a crystal clear day but so cold that any exposed skin chilled you to the bone.
I tried to explain that the Brighton connection to Stockholm airport which had Abba memorabilia to Luc but he didn't understand my pronunciation of my A's. I tried to sing Waterloo and then he said he doesn't watch TV. He then said that if I had sang Super Trooper he would've understood me. Awkward!
I asked whether the formation of the dogs were led by the alpha male but Luc explained that it was more about where the dogs themselves would prefer to be after so many runs. The leader was one that took the directions better (even though a couple of times it would get it wrong, have Luc shout at it or get reprimanded).
I asked whether the formation of the dogs were led by the alpha male but Luc explained that it was more about where the dogs themselves would prefer to be after so many runs. The leader was one that took the directions better (even though a couple of times it would get it wrong, have Luc shout at it or get reprimanded).
On the way back I either had to tuck my fingers into my arm pits or cover my face to shelter from the cold air so couldn't really enjoy the beautiful landscape and really regretted not wearing a balaclava.
I would have enjoyed it a lot more but the frost-biting temperatures just made me want it to be over quicker.
Back at the hotel Europcar said they would pick us up to collect the hire car which saved us a taxi fee to the airport. With the early sunset we headed out to Abisko hoping to get a chance to go up their ski lift to view the Aurora on the mountain lodge. The website said they were fully booked but it was worth a chance to drive the 60km plus maybe get dinner at their hotel lodge. The roads were icy but as long as you drove sensibly without any sudden braking or sharp wheel turns it was no problem. We overestimated the it would take getting there an hour early to find the hotel bar and restaurant closed. With the prospect of waiting an hour or even two to see if there would be any availability we headed back but kept looking to the sky. After a couple of stops in parking areas we eventually saw another Aurora, slightly less impressive than the previous night but eerily green with a striking clear starry night sky. With it being so cold I gave up going out of the car and somehow kept the camera still balanced on the dash and steering wheel.
Next blog entry - Day 4: Norway bound (Sunday 10th February)
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