Mikee and Eric petting the dogs as we prepare for departure
On the way. First is our guide, Jonas followed by Mikee and last is Jennifer
Mikee's dogsleigh and behind her Jennifer's. We had glorious sunshine for our three days with the dogsleighs. -5 degrees at daytime dropping to -20 at nighttime
The huts, where we stayed overnight the first night. Notice Mikee looking out from one of the windows
This is the room next to the sauna, which was warm already when we arrived and therefore became the favourite room for the three of them, while I walked around
I took time for a stroll with my camera before the sun set
A lake, where the ice had opened up next to the outlet into the stream
The family went outside for a drink before dinner. Notice the ice blocks the children built behind the fire place
Inside the cottage, where we were having dinner
Dinner
The next morning Eric and Mikee were playing in the snow
The abundance of snow made it very exciting for the young ones
Off we go again. The track takes us across a frozen lake
We stop for lunch
Mikee sinks down through the snow
Resting before lunch
Jonas preparing lunch
Eric playing in the snow
And looking like a real snowman afterwards
Bonding
Mikee ready to start with her sleigh. Eric is standing in front of Mikee on the skids
Into the forest
When we arrived at the next destination, Eric was asleep on his sleigh
We are putting the dogs at rest
This is the house were we slept and had dinner the second night.
A nearby log cabin used for storage
The well outside the house. Notice the fjells in the background far above where any trees can grow
Playing in the snow
Eric is trying to cover Mikee with snow
All about having fun
We were surrounded by a vastness of enormous proportions and none nearby; not even a mobile signal could reach us out here
A small log cabin in the wilderness,
The same log cabin from another angle
In the morning the dogs were readyto get going again
And the family was also ready for the departure
We stopped for another lunch break
Mikee is driving one of the sleds
Eric and Jennifer ready for departure to a Same village
Feeding the rein deers
They were very tame
The trees don't grow very tall in this cold climate
Catching one of the rein deers to draw the sleigh
Eric is helping mama to get the rein deer in place
Mama and Eric making slow progress on the sleigh
Mikee went a lot faster on hers
Sven got of course his rein deer to run fast with Eric sitting and watching
Eric, Jen and Mikee waiting for lunch in the kåta (tepee). The smoke from the fire rose in the tepee , so standing up was difficult, but if you sat down you were fine
Sven was preparing the rein deer meat
Ready to depart from the Same village. Eric is determined to drive faster than anyone else!
We came to the Ice Hotel in the late afternoon
Falling over. A second later both Eric and Mikee where on the ground with their feet up in the sky
The walls of the ice hotel were made of ice blocks tht felt more like plastic than ice. It was so dry and cold that the ice had no water whatsoever on its surface
The church at the ice hotel
Papa took a photo of Jennifer, Mikee and Eric entering
...while Mikee caught Jen and me stealing a kiss from each other
The underground railway at the ice hotel. It had even a sign saying "Mind the gap".
One of the luxurious - but cold - bedrooms
Frozen Flowers
A cold kiss. Everything is made of ice
The Ice Hotel bar. Notice the gigantic fish sculpture in the background
The bar from another angle
Mike and the unicorn
In beginning of April 2014 the family went to Lapland. The light had come back and the spring made the days a lot warmer than during winter time. We went for 5 days of which three were dog sledding. The first three days we lived with a guide and 18 dogs and three dog sleds. We slept at different cabins every day and learned to feed the dogs and set a fire in the cabins and the children loved playing in the deep snow.
We had wonderful weather with blue skies and around minus 5 degrees at daytime dropping to -20 at night time.
The fourth day was a little overcast and we went by snowmobile to a Same village to feed the reindeer and to go by sled after the reindeer. We had lunch at a kåta (tent; tepee) in the Same village and ended up late afternoon at the Ice Hotel. It was a beautiful creation, but Jennifer was happy I had booked our accommodation at a warm log cabin instead of one of the ice cold rooms in the main hotel.
We had a great dinner with all the courses associated with ice in one form or another. The fifth and last day the blue skies were back.
This was probably the best little holiday the family ever had! Great bonding! Both kids and adults had lots of fun. Adventure and beauty combined. Thank you, Kent Fjellborg and your team for arranging it!
