Finland
When I originally sang along with the Pythons (“Finland Finland Finland, the country where I want to be”) I didn’t realise how much I’d come to agree with that sentiment. My trip to Lapland in winter was one of the most memorable experiences in my life, and my return in summer to see the midnight sun was equally magical.
Great Ways To Spend Ruka’s Long Summer Days
Lapland is a region that is well known for its winter attractions. From dogsledding to northern lights watching, nearly all of the activities that immediately spring to mind when people think of Finland’s north are only available during the coldest months of the year. As a ski resort, Ruka (located
Exploring Helsinki’s Archipelago by Kayak
The idea of an archipelago in a Nordic country used to bring to mind thoughts of Volvos inching down roads made of ice, red wooden saunas barely peeking out of the snow, and hovercrafting. I guess that’s not surprising, since all of my experiences in the Nordics up until this summer were at the heig
Introducing the Guide to Lapland and Northern Norway in Winter
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I absolutely loved Lapland and Northern Norway when I visited last year. My 28-day circuit around the region was full of crazy experiences and memorable places to stay, and I’ve never had a holiday quite like it. One thing I noticed when planning this trip, thoug
Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day With the Aurora (And Knee-Deep Snow)
Most St Patrick’s Day celebrations involve a lot of Guinness and even more people wearing every shade of green in existence. Last year, mine involved neither–although some of the people with me may have been wearing green under a multitude of other layers designed to keep them warm in the -20ºC temp
My 13 Best Photos of 2013
It’s the time of year that all bloggers start trotting out their “best of” posts to show off what they’ve been up to during the year. Since 2013 was quite an eventful year for me–one where I quit my job and travelled to 13 countries, only 4 of which I’d visited before–I felt that, of…
The Northern Lights: Photos vs. Reality
You’d be hard pressed finding someone who doesn’t have “see the who doesn’t have “see the northern lights”on their bucket list. I know it featured on mine for years, even though I’d never given much thought to how I would accomplish it. Because all of these people have, at some point, seen a photo o
Finland: Brought To You By The Angry Birds
There are a number of exports that are instantly associated with their country of origin. Finland may bring to mind Kimi Räikkönen and Nokia, but you can forget them because the Angry Birds are here, and the Finns want you to know that the birds that are eternally trying to rescue their eggs (and Ro
A Taste of Wilderness in the Middle of Rovaniemi
The most memorable part of my brief sojourn to Swedish Lapland last year — the trip that inspired me to go back for much longer this year — was my first venture out into the untamed wilderness in a sled being pulled by six huskies. I remember being bundled up in reindeer skins and canvas...
Bashing Through the Ice in a 3500-Ton Ship
Standing on the bow of the Sampo icebreaker ship, I looked out “to sea.” That sea was a frozen, barren stretch of ice that stretched all the way to the horizon, only broken by lines of churned-up ice left by the ship’s previous excursions. It looked as though we should be stuck, hemmed in as [&helli
Snowmobiling on the Icy Gulf of Bothnia
Standing in the middle of the frozen wasteland of the Gulf of Bothnia, I felt like I could have been a thousand miles to the north. Sure, in the distance I could see a small windfarm, slowly spinning away in the light Lappish breeze, but when I turned away from it I was greeted with […]