Aurora BOREalis

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Tina Writes

After a terrible night on what I thought was a hard bed and waking up a lot due to extreme hip pain, we eventually got up and wandered out looking for a brunch place. It was Monday now so everything looked a lot more open. I had marked a few places on my google map for brunch/dinner, so we checked those out. There’s a real lack of places to eat I think, certainly for breakfast which seems non-existent. We could have bought food to cook in the apartment but we’re on holiday and like eating out. We eventually found one of the places I had marked. It was quite busy. We ordered some waffles. Rob had a savoury one with crayfish and I had a s’mores one along with a couple of hot chocolates. We then took a wander around the centre and had a look in some of the shops.

We had a tour booked for later today. We were picked up at 6.20pm for our Northern Lights Hunt on snowmobiles. Ill be giving this company a bad review unfortunately (lol- Rob) but overall, we had a great time. We all got suited and booted in their cold weather jump suits, socks, boots, gloves and helmet with visor. We had worn our cold weather gear here, just in case but we didn’t need it (well not for this but just being outside in general it’s a good idea to just wear it all). We were so hot we had to go outside and wait for everyone else to get ready or we’d have fainted!

After a little briefing, they asked us if we wanted to buy the insurance for €15 that meant if you crash you only pay €150 instead of €900. We didn’t bother, only seen a couple of people seem to take this up. We then headed to the snowmobiles and were shown how to work them. I started to get a bit nervous. We were told to pick our snowmobile and off we go. But I couldn’t I find one. Well actually there was loads of free ones, but these were set up for other groups I assume, as when I went to sit on one I was ushered back to the ones in ‘our rows’. ‘You both go on this one’. ‘No no. we booked two separate snowmobiles’ I explain. They tell me no, they have no note of this, that we didn’t book that. So, I have to get my phone out, show them the booking but its too late I guess. I didn’t fight it cause as I say, I was now a bit scared so was kinda happy to just go with Rob and switch halfway.

Off we went. We were at the very back of the line with about 17 in front of us. Unfortunately, the people directly in front of us decided to go at a snail’s pace. Being left quite far behind by all the others. It was so tempting to let them eat our snow and just takeover but that’s not really how it works. Anyway, we eventually reached a very large frozen lake, and all stopped in the middle to look at the Aurora Borealis. It was there apparently. We have a terrible phone picture that I tweaked to show it up a bit but for us it was non-existent. That was a terrible shame. They barbequed up a sausage each for us and some hot berry juice. I had the audacity to ask if there was more than one sausage for each person on this £300 tour that comes with ‘sausageS and drink’. No, just the one you greedy bitch (he might as well have said). So far a lot of the people we have interacted with are a tad….robotic.

We started back and this time it was my turn driving. Having been a passenger already, I was surprised at how different the front seat felt to the back. Its crazy bumpy on the back. Much smoother as the driver. So, Rob was pretty shocked and complaining about the bumpiness the whole way back. It was beautiful though. A literal winter wonderland. Surrounded by snow laden trees. Along the trail we would come across a road crossing now and then. As I approached one, I realised there was a car there on my left. Panicked a bit but stopped in plenty of time at the top of the wee hill before it hit the road just to realise the car had stopped and had let all 17 of the other snowmobiles pass before me. I rode across the road and down the wee hill on the other and round a sharp left hander, back onto the trail where my headlight shone upon one of our group waving at us with his snowmobile smashed into the tree. We’re guessing he panicked at the sight of the car too and instead of stop as I did, he just went full throttle into the tree. He was fine by the way before I continue to tell you that Rob found this hilarious. Laughing hysterically on the back. Rob only laughs like this at people’s misfortunes (as long as they aren’t hurt or anything!). For regular blog readers, remember the teppanyaki cook in Mexico that was so bad he just dropped the food over and over again with Rob crying with laughter right in front of him. Its that same reaction he had with this poor guy. We are fairly sure he did not take the insurance, ouch! Luckily one of the guides was at the back of the group on the way back, otherwise, I’ve no idea what would have happened. There was no one at the back on the way there. The guide took the guy on his snowmobile back and sent some guys to go pick up the crashed snowmobile.

After we got out of our gear, we then had to wait ages for them to sort out the accident report and likely, payment. I of course interrupted this with my proof we had booked the single supplement and I’d like my refund please. No apology, just a ‘here’s the email address’. So, I emailed them whilst we waited on them making sure they got their money for the crashed snowmobile. We made it back to the city about 11pm and headed to McDonalds to top up on that sausage. I heard it is the most northerly Mcdo in the world oooooh! It was rammed so we crossed the road to Burger King which was empty (weird). No weird reindeer burgers unfortunately.

We made it back to the apartment. The £250 a night apartment with no internet! Our euro allowance was not enough to let us watch a film or something. Rob had eaten up most of his allowance the night before because of this and for some weird reason, Giff Gaff don’t let you top this up once it’s gone. So, I bought a Holafly e-sim. OMG the hassle! Once I actually got it working, we realised it doesn’t allow for hotspots. Waste of time. Got a refund, went to sleep.

I had fashioned a cushioning for my hips using another duvet and pillow. It had worked the night before but not tonight simply because it was too uncomfortable, my hips were fine. Had a terrible night again and ended up on the couch were I managed some sleep. This same hip thing happened in Mexico last year. The beds were hard there too, I thought. And then it dawned on me that it might not actually be the bed that causing it and might actually be related to the coccyx issue I have when flying! That’s exactly what it is. I slept in the bed the next night no problem. I have bad mouthed so many hotels over their crappy hard beds when in fact it wasn’t anything to do with the beds at all. Anyway, the next day was going to be my birthday and I’ll be older which will help with my back/coccyx not sucking hahahahaha.

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