Beyond the Arctic Circle, Lapland

I missed the spectacle of the Northern Lights but even in the bleak, cloudy weather there were eerie hues towards the evening. (sanjay austa austa)

I missed the spectacle of the Northern Lights but even in the bleak, cloudy weather there were eerie hues towards the evening.

(Click on photos to go to gallery)

( In March 2010 I had an opportunity to fly to Lapland and photograph the life in the Arctic.  While the rest of the world was preparing for a  fine summer the Arctic had not fully woken from its long winter slumber. Following is one of the travelogues I wrote for newspapers . )

Arctic circle is not an imaginary line. At least not in the  Santa Clause village in Lapland, where elaborate lamp-posts tell you exactly what side of the latitude you shiver. This is just as well. Crossing the 66 degree latitude is   indeed a big deal not just for equatorial inhabitants like me  but even for the Northerners who come here to make this big ritual crossing.  And as if to emphasize its significance, once you cross over they  give you a certificate (all for a few Euros of course).

But did I fly across the globe for this hot-selling touristy kitsch?  I had come  for some serious Arctic adventure.  And Lapland,  the Northern Province of Finland,  offers it in truckloads.

So it was quite a relief when Jari our guide backed out his Wagon from the Santa Clause village and drove us on the long straight highway further north.  Lapland has four seasons and from canoeing in summers, to  snowmobiling in winters, it packs enough activities to keep your adrenalin pumping all year.

Marek perhaps made the mistake of tying a female Alaskan Malamite along with two males of the species to the sledge. He tied her behind them but it was not long before they caught her scent. This distracted them and they would sniff the air , the path, and turn around intermittently breaking the ride from time to time. Marek had to shout `go' more than once. But the scent of the female was clearly too overpowering. In the pine and birch forest Mareks `go' echoed back along with the excited yelps of the dogs. But despite the frequent interruptions in which the dogs performed their mating rituals in front of me , I was at least happy that unlike on a Reindeer sledge I could at least see where the dogs were dragging me. (sanjay austa austa)

Marek perhaps made the mistake of tying a female Alaskan Malamite along with two males of the species to the sledge. He tied her behind them but it was not long before they caught her scent. This distracted them and they would sniff the air , the path, and turn around intermittently bringing the ride to a halt.

 

This  was already April. But the winter showed no signs of retreat. It was  longer, colder and more unpredictable than normal.  Usually by April,  the snow begins to  melt. Finland’s over one thousand frozen lakes thaw and crack. The birch and pine forests sprout new leaves and the ground awash with freshly melted snow  begins to  breath life into fauna lying dormant for over six months under several feet of snow.

But this extended winter was perfect for the winter activities Jari had in mind for us. We had already experienced one in Rovaniemi,  Lapland capital , within one hour of our flight’s landing!.  A reindeer sledge ride was a perfect way to throw us headlong into what Lapland represented.

It can be pretty cheesy doing the usual exotic activities a country is famous for.   Riding a reindeer sledge in the Arctic is  like jumping on a bullock cart or a rickshaw ride in India.  But Reindeer Sledging is something much more. The Reindeers are strong reliable and mild  arctic animals who wait for a tug of the reign before they move. But  my reindeer seemed to have a mind of his own. He chose to ignore any tugging on the reign and dragged my sledge of his own volition.   From the sledge all you can see is the narrow hump of the Reindeer and his flat hoofs as they spring back and forth. I wondered how anyone riding the sledge could possibly see where they were going.   But my reindeer had gone down this path many times before and after cutting a large swathe in the pine woods we were soon back at the reindeer farm.

Reindeer Ride is mostly a tourist activity in Lapland but long time ago, along with the Husky sledging it was the only means of transport in these parts.

This man grows potatoes in the summers and with his suspenders and a comely paunch looked every bit the archetypical Arctic farmer i had imagined. Here he rests against the bunkers that the lumberjacks of yore slept on during their night halt. (sanjay austa austa)

This man grows potatoes in the summers and with his suspenders and a comely paunch looked every bit the archetypical Arctic farmer i had imagined. Here he rests against the bunkers that the lumberjacks of yore slept on during their night halt.

 

If Reeinder ride is surreal the husky ride is a fairytale.   The huskies are not really dogs in the true sense. They have a wolf ancestry and similar domination fights, some of which so vicious that they end in a blood bath. However they are surprisingly benign to humans. For that reason they make very poor guard dogs for they  fawn and wag their bushy tails at any stranger.

Marek the Husky keeper would not take us anywhere near the  dogs unless we had heard the last detail about them including their names.   A  husky keeper is  called a  Musher in Finland. It’s a  French word meaning `go’. “When we set off on a  Husky safari we say `go’ to the dogs when we start. That’s how we got the name,’’ explained  Marek.

Marek kept two breeds of huskies. The  Alaskan Malamites and the Greenland Dogs. The former is a much larger and stronger dog but the latter is more wolfish in demeanor.  This was put to good display the moment when half a dozen one year old Greeland puppies began fighting for nothing.  Marek explained they were having domination fights and will continue until status is  established.

Our sledge dogs were the less bad-tempered  Alaskan Malamites. They were overfriendly and clearly raring to take us on a ride.  Marek said the arctic dogs loved long excursions but were put off if they knew the ride was short. They looked huge but weighed only 35 kilos.  When I attempted to pet one of them my hand sank in the furry coat.  The dogs were all hair and  fur and that’s what kept them going in the sub zero Arctic winter.

From the once hard life dependent mainly on hunting the Sami people have come a long way and some of them are so rich that during the herding -season - late September- they employ helicopters to herd in their large Reindeer flocks. (sanjay austa austa)

From the once hard life dependent mainly on hunting the Sami people have come a long way and some of them are so rich that during the herding -season – late September- they employ helicopters to herd in their large Reindeer flocks.

 

Early next morning it was snowing. But snow is never a problem in the Arctic. It just adds to the fun.  So the snowmobile safari would  go on as scheduled. And as I sat astride a sleek snowmobile it occurred to me that I was raring to go even though I had never ridden a bike in my life.  That’s the level of comfort and confidence you get from helpful snowmobile instructors. But the snowmobile is also an incredibly easy machine to operate. After you turn the ignition all you need to know is when to accelerate and when to press the brake.

 Skiing is another popular activity but Finland does not have the great Alpine slopes of central Europe.  It is a relatively flat land but the few slopes it has are great.  The flat swathes of land particularly those bereft of any trees are usually  Finland’s frozen lakes that number in thousands.  They are perfect for testing your patience at ice fishing. But I gave up after standing over a drilled hole with a small fishing rod in  less than a minute. After riding with the reindeers and huskies,  fishing is the last  activity on your mind.

How to get there.

There are a plethora of flights to choose from everyday from both Mumbai and New Delhi. Finnair has daily flights from Delhi and Mumbai  and cuts the shortest route to Helsinki from India.

Rovenami Lapland’s capital, is the gateway to Lapland. You can either fly here from Helsinki or take the train or  railroad car at night.

 

The Reindeers are strong reliable and mild arctic animals who wait for a tug from you on the reign before they move anywhere. But my reindeer seemed to have a mind of his own or perhaps he could sniff out nervous tourists. He choose to ignore any tugging on the reign and dragged my sledge of his own volition and speed. From the sledge all you can see is the narrow hump of the Reindeer and his flat hoofs as they spring back and forth. I wondered how anyone riding the sledge could possibly see where they were going. But my reindeer had gone down this path a lot many times before and after cutting a large swathe in the pine woods we were soon back at the reindeer farm. (sanjay austa austa)

The Reindeers are strong reliable and mild arctic animals who wait for a tug from you on the reign before they move anywhere. But my reindeer seemed to have a mind of his own.

 

7 Responses to “Beyond the Arctic Circle, Lapland”

  1. Noni Chawla says:

    Enjoyed reading this. You have had some great adventures! I envy you. By the way, there are some typos. I would be happy to edit your pieces before you publish them if I can go as your assistant photographer!

  2. ayushi says:

    osum osum osum pics……..i wish to be clicked by u……can also send u some pics of mine…

  3. nirupama says:

    sanjya ..love your work and your fan following… always makes me proud knowing you!!

  4. niketa says:

    Enjoyed reading your experience.This december I am planning to take a holiday with my husband.Been researching on Lapland ever since I heard abt it.If april was so cold as per you I wonder if December is the right time to visit the place? nways loved the way u penned down your experience if we happen to go there wil definately share it here.

    • sanjay austa says:

      HI Niketa,
      Thanks for your mail. I am glad you liked my travelogue. Yes December is going to be cold and the Sun won’t rise here at all. But as far as cold goes – the cottages etc here are well equipped to handle it. Yes do remember to share your experience and photos when you return. All the best. 🙂

Leave a Reply to sanjay austa