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Officially Licensed to Drive a Reindeer Sled

In the 1960s, a massive change swept across Finland. The Americans had finally perfected their design of a vehicle for recreational use on the snow — the snowmobile. While it has always been seen as a fun toy — sort of like a jet ski — in North America, the Ski-Doo imported by a schoolteacher…

Dashing Through the Snow…On a Saddled Finnish Horse

What comes to mind when you think of animals in Lapland? Reindeer? Huskies? Polar bears (and no, they don’t actually live there)? One animal I certainly wouldn’t have thought of before I went to Finnish Lapland was the horse. Like the cows that didn’t last very long in Honningsvåg, I thought horses wouldn’t survive in…

The Inari Sami and Their Reindeer

The Sami and their reindeer are inseparable. For thousands of years, the northernmost indigenous group of Europe have relied on these animals not just for their livelihoods, but for transport, food, and clothing as well. The fact that the Sami and their reindeer are so intertwined is obvious from their language; they have over 20…

Swimming with the Dusky Dolphins of Kaikoura

I stood in my flippers, looking out at the calm sea beyond. Dorsal fins cut through the surface in every direction, but instead of being scared, I couldn’t wait to get into the water. As our boat had motored out into the Pacific Ocean, we’d watched two pods of dusky dolphins come together in front…

My Travel Bucket List

  • Go to South America for long enough that I learn Spanish properly!
  • Walk the Inca Trail
  • Finish the Three Peaks Challenge
  • Hike/boat all 9 of NZ's 'Great Walks'
  • Go to all 4 Grand Slams (tennis)
  • New Year's Eve on Sydney Harbour
  • Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro
  • Go diving with whale sharks

About the Author

I'm Kristin, a Texan born to an American father and English mother. I've been living in Australia since 2008. My first plane flight was when I was three weeks old and I've been hooked ever since. I never feel quite right unless I have a plane ticket (to anywhere, whether it's Sydney or Sweden) booked in my name!

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