Arctic Day 5: 69° 38' 57'' N >> Infinity

One of the best days ever. Bucket list stuff = tick tick tick.

We went dog sledging with Arctic Huskies, about an hour outside Tromsø. The day was stunning – blue skies, perfect snow, and these amazing dogs. Can’t really express how much I’ve longed to do this my whole life – and it was utterly, completely perfect. So perfect I burst into tears!

The dogs are amazing, beautiful, powerful, and so affectionate. The exhilaration as the team pulls together and flies across the snow was such a thrill. Just wow.

And then out for some aurora hunting at night. They have eluded us this trip – just been too cloudy. It started out hopeful – clear skies with thousands of stars.

But as we waited at the base camp (which was set up beautifully for photographers) the cloud moved in, and hopes faded with the fading stars. After a while, the guide then ordered us all back on the bus, to “chase the light”. It took a couple of hours but then - in the very unromantic location of a laybay! – he spotted some activity.

It was exceptionally faint, and certainly not the spectacular light show I’d been dreaming of, but it was beautiful and thrilling nonetheless. It only last seconds, but enough for me to capture it – so I can finally say I’ve photographed the Northern Lights!

Ah well, I’ll just have to come back and try again :)