Day 9 -The Ice Hotel

Day 9 Wednesday
Having a wander while Mr C was getting rid of black waste and loading on water, I realised that we had actually parked on the Arctic Circle last night. The sign was so covered in stickers I hadn’t noticed it - we had turned a few km south from Jokkmokk to get the freedom camp with water which is off the E45.

We were at the Sami museum in Jokkmokk for opening at 10am. What a treat it was. It was impossible to do it justice in one visit. It covered the history, culture and crafts of the Sami people of Laponia, as well as having displays of stuffed animals and birds of the area. The craft work was beautiful.

Heading further north we saw many hydro dams for electric power. Still no reindeer but we have hopes! The autumn colours are beginning to show on the birch trees. There were a lot of road repairs going on at various stretches of the E45 north and a new roundabout as we left Gallivare was under construction which upset Gertie Google.

Our next stop was by a pretty river and bridge for our picnic then we continued to Jukkasjarvi where I visited the Ice Hotel 360. Mr C did not fancy it enough to pay £20 (senior rate, £30 for younger adults). I loved it but was glad of the quilted cape I borrowed on the way in as oddly enough it was freezing. There was an ice bar with ice stools topped by a bit of reindeer skin, but nobody to serve me the £21 a glass of Moët, (much to Mr C’s relief.). The bedrooms had all been styled by various artists according to different themes - Midsummers Nights Dream and suchlike. It was fun to see but no way would I have liked to actually stay there - imagine wandering down the icy corridor to the loo in your Jim jams.

We stopped at Kiruna to fill up with more diesel. It was 25.13 Skr per litre - mostly it had been nearer 26. We also got supplies in the Co-op in readiness for crossing the border into Norway where things will be much more expensive.

Scarred by iron ore mine works, Kiruna is an industrial town. The old town is on the verge of collapsing into an enormous iron mine so a new town, to the east, is being built, largely funded by the mining company. Almost the whole central city will be demolished but the entire church and clock tower will be moved by 2033.

We had a few showers today, at one point the temperature dropping to 8C. However generally we have had bright sun, clear light and crisp air. The drive along the lakes to Abisco was stunning with the snowy hills beyond.

We are freedom parked at Abisco at the bottom of the ski chair lift and from there we had a lovely walk up to a Sami camp with views to the south. There we met three young women who were studying the ecology of the area - they were eating lingonberries so I picked a few to go in the gin from Boden before cooking our padron peppers for supper.

214 miles today and we’ve packed a lot in!