Christmas & New Years 2007

Well folks - another Christmas been and gone. What are all your new years resolutions? My resolution of eating less chocolate went out the door on day one - unfortunately at work we always have access to it, and when you are bored, you can't help yourself. So just as well we burnt off some energy over Christmas..

The week leading up to Christmas was the usual mayhem. I had booked two nights at the London International Horse Show at Olympia. The first night, myself and a few riding buddies skipped riding school to watch the dressage kur - musical freeride - amongst all of the other extra shows that were put on. On Friday night, Craig and I (and a colleagues husband) went to the Puissance showjumping. This is the high jump of showjumping and is a sight to see. Basically, they keep putting up the height of the jump, in this case, a big wall, until all but one can clear it. In the end an 18 year old (Robert Whitaker of the Whitaker empire) won on his and his horses second attempt at the event. He jumped 7 feet 1.25 inches. I mean we couldn't see the horse at all when he stood behdind the jump.

On Sunday, we went away for our annual Christmas holiday, as this is the time us contractors get a couple of days off anyway. So braving the costs and the crowds, we set off to Gatwick for a trip to Finnish Lapland. Now a trip over Christmas is never without drama - in this case, the weather had it in for us and it was extremely foggy all day. So we ended up delayed by three hours at the airport - although we were lucky because a) we were still in the airport b) my colleague got delayed by hours Friday evening meaning that when he was supposed to arrive in Edinburgh at 9pm, he ended up arriving at 3am and c) they closed Heathrow completely on the Sunday and all flights were cancelled.


So we got to Yllas at around 3am (well 1am but adjust for the time zone differences). This made it difficult to get up for 9am briefing by the tour company. (Yes we had to do a package tour as it would either be extremely expensive, or an extremely long way to travel or both).

At the hotel, we were lucky to get an apartment that had its own self-catering facilities (even if we had half-board) and a sauna in the bathroom. This meant heaps of space to spread out and chillax. We had opted not to get the log cabin - yes unromantic, but we are watching the money as we have spent too much going back to NZ in March.

So the first day, we booked a few activities, and lolled around waiting for the first one in the afternoon - which was cross-country skiing. This is not really like downhill skiing and not as bad as everyone makes it out to be - although a good cardio-vascular workout to be sure. Around the village area, there is mile upon mile of cross-country ski tracks which are lit as well. This makes for good activities in Lapland, given that it gets "light" at 10am and dark at 3pm - well "light" is a permanent twilight.

That evening,we were up for our Christmas Dinner - celebrated the European stlye of Christmas Eve. It turned out that our dinner was much more Finnish, which we were happy with. There were loads of cured fish, strange salads and vegetable casseroles, along with turkey and ham. Santa even came to visit and give the kids presents. Craig and I were definitely rolling out of the hotel on that one - thank goodness home wasn't far away.

Seeing as we had the gear for 24 hours - we went on a cross-country ski the next day as well - around and across the lake (Akaslompolo). We even saw one of the local transport methods which is a sled pulled by reindeer. Other transport methods include snow-mobiles, snow-shoes, and these dinky sleds which you push your shopping up and down the street on.

The following day was quite busy - in the morning, we went out for a half-day husky ride. I had tried to get a one or two day adventure, but it is too early in the season and too busy for the operators. You can't pre-book and the only person offering one day excursions in Sweden (an hour away from where we were) and all of his four sledges booked up on the Sunday before we arrived :( .


But a half day was just as well. Craig and I shared a sled and we were supposed to swap over driving half way through when the guides told us. Unfortunately, the guide did not tell us, and I was the passenger with nothing but a reindeer hide on the sled (Quebec had sleeping bags) - so needless to say I was frozen by the time we got back. On the way home, we promptly went to get some arctic survival suits from one of the tour operators. I think most times, people need these - I can see right now the temperature is between minus 16 and minus 23 degrees celcius. We were actually quite lucky with the temperature being between minus 8 and 1 degree - and we still had enough snow to do everything. Although the Finns will tell you that there was not much.

That evening, we went on an evening snow-mobile safari - perhaps somewhat to try and find the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis. Now the websites tell you that there is a one in three chance of seeing them - but I think the odds are much less. The sky is often cloudy, and when the sky is clear, you may have to contest with the moon (as we did), somehow turn up at a time where there is loads of solar activity, and wait the entire night for something that may just last a few minutes. You also are better off being away from the village where light pollution is also a factor. But anyway, the snowmobiling was fun, and we sat and had tea and pastries in a kota half way through it. These are huts that are dotted around the forests, and stacked with firewood in case anyone comes in freezing. We also found that the Finns will bring their own sausages to cook over the fires. Now why didn't we think of that!!

The next day brought more snowmobiling - this time a whole day expedition to the Lainio Ice Hotel - not as famous as the one in Sweden or Quebec, but pretty impressive all the same. It was too expensive for us to stay there - and perhaps a little too crazy - but people stay all the same. It takes a month for them to create what is essentially a giant igloo with a number of chambers for sleeping and even a dining room and bar area. Each chamber is decorated with a theme carved into the ice (surrounding the mattresses) and snow walls. At the end of the season - which I think is April, it all melts away for another year.

The next two days brought to us skiing - one day at Yllas (where we were staying) and the other at a resort an hour away in Levi. Both of these mountains (fells actually) are quite a good start to the season with nothing too challenging and a good spot for beginners. And for those that have a fear of heights (like one of my colleagues), most of the lifts are T-Bars - good for your abs. In the evening the runs are lit - well in Levi all runs are lit - it is a bit more limited in Yllas. But this is actually quite a good thing with the controlled lighting - the light never gets flat as you get in the lower latitudes where there is more sun - so you can always see where you are going - and that means going fast. Yippee I hear Craig saying.

Our final day was another quietish one - we went snow-shoeing around the forest at the bottom of the fell. Another couple of people who were supposed to come on the tour had to drop out, so it was just Craig and me and the guide. Snowshoeing is actually quite easy and it was nice to get out into the fresh air and learn about how to survive in the snow (eg sleep in a spruce's ass) from the guide. The only danger was losing a snow shoe in the snow and not realising it had gone (apparently this really only happens when the snow is a little harder, but in powder you need the shoes for sure).

The rest of the day we spent pottering around, eating reindeer dishes and the like. We finally got home and in bed at 2am in the morning - ready for a day at work on the 31st. I think if we do something like this again - we would probably hire a log cabin on our own and just rent the snow-mobiles, snow-shoes, skis ourselves and get some maps. In a resort, you can't go too wrong.

But this is not the end of the post, oh no. Julie's 30th birthday was on the 31st - so we went and celebrated in style. We started at a nice but expensive pub in Fulham called the Cock and Hen. Dinner was served at the Kiwi Kitchen - where mussels, paua, lamb, pavlova and chocolate fish were abound. Then we went and watched a blues band (Bluesmix) at a place called the Troubador Club where apparently Jomi Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan have also played.
So we had loads of fun, and managed to stay away from the crowds.

So it is back to the grindstone now - I am sure that this week is the most depressing week for most people. But I am also sure that this year will bring about a whole new set of adventures and challenges. Next stop - Zermatt (the Matterhorn) - yodel eh ee hoo!!