Eilne päev oli päris produktiivne. Aga miskipärast on järgmine päev pärast sellist pingutust nagu üks suur veniv näts ning kuigi üht-teist saab ikkagi siiski tehtud, mõneti ehk isegi mitte kehvemini kui eile, siis on tunne ikkagi selline so- so. Vihma kallal ilkumine lõppes õhtul kui (juba) peale kella kuut hakkas linnakohal tantsima roheline virmaliste punt. Pidu kestis ca kella üheksani ning mul õnnestus ka välja pildistama minna. See väike pisiasi, et kuidas oma kaamera sätestada aurora borealise tabamiseks... jäi tegemata, nii et lõpuks oli katse-eksituse-meetodil klõpsimine ja kaasvaatlejate abi see, mis suutis mu panna jäädvustama vähemalt midagigi. Ilupilte teen siis mõni teine kord.
Aga mis seal ikka: kui jagatud rõõm on toppeltrõõm, siis jagatud ebaõnnestumine on ...ka rõõm. Ja virmalisi on tegelikult ka päris äge niisama vaadata.
Esimesed pildid tegin koos poistega rõdul. Virmalised olid nii tugevad, et isegi linnatuledes olid nad nähtavad ja paistsid õrnrohekad(talvaliselt sööb linnavalgustus värvi ära ja aurora paistab pigem hallikas).
Aga fotokal on kõik valesti alates säriajast kuni ava suuruseni jms.
Homseni!
PS. eile oli mu kodulinna naabritädi 103. sünnipäev! Pean talle rääkima, et tema sünnipäeval selline vinge etendus meil toimus, jah.
I forgot to answer to the most important question: How do you get to Svalbard, Longyeabyen?
The easiest way is to fly. There are two flights a day to Longyearbyen at least by SAS and Norwegian. Flights to Longyearbyen start from Oslo or Tromso. Then Finair announced to start flying to Longyearbyen in the summer from Helsinki. So if you are coming from somewhere else than Norway... you have to fly to Norway first. (Or Finland, if you're coming in the summertime).
That's that :)
In the summertime you can also come by boat. Many cruise ships have a stay in Longyearbyen, but it lasts only for some hours up to a day, but even that could be enough, depends on your travelling style :) And from the boat there is actually a bigger chance to see wildelife... but the bigger the boat, the more people the less opportunity to see the smaller fjords. I have never been on a cruise ship, so i have no idea what's it like, but people i have met from those tours usually are happy and chill. I guess it's like being in a fancy hotel that moves around?
The first question people ask: when is the best time to travel to Svalbard, Longyearbyen?
The answer: When we started living here i caught myself after every month thinking that the last month was the best. In October i thought: Wow, September is so beautiful here, the coulours of the endlessly long sunsets, the beautiful mountains, the smell of the first snow in fresh air. No trees! In November: Wow, the cold, the snow, the promising auroras! And this would continue until September next year thinking: Wow, August is awesome, the colours of the plants, the grass, the reindeers, the hikes to the mountains! You see?
Then again, now i do have a little insight perhaps; The first question might actually be to yourself: what am i looking for in this trip? What do i want to see and experience?
I have a feeling this will become a long post, right.. O_O
Aurora borealis, the northern lights:
More often people are eager about the polar-day than the polar-night. As an estonian, i surely could kind of imagine the polar-day, since we have something like that in the midsummer (of course here it's like totally much more of a "day" than in estonia that one-two nights) but the polar-night seemed therefore arose more interest: how will we cope? how does it feel? Will we go mad not seeing the sun for months? Do we change as people? Haha! When the only indicator for morning or evening is the clock, will it be depressing?
It is strange, especially here, since in December there isn't even a hint on light at any time of the day. (In Tromso there supossed to be still a little blue time during midday).
But this darkness is good.... very good to see some northern lights, aurora borealis. This is something of course you cant scedule, but with a bit of luck it's possible. In my personal experience the best times for that might be November and December. In January it's usual to have a warmer period with the snow melting and rain, so the clouds cover the sky. February might work too, since it is still cold and the night still is much much longer than the subtle light that might take only an hour or three of the entire day. After the 8th of March we have the sun coming back fast and then there is even more to look out for.
Dogs, snowmobiles, skiing/hiking:
My favourite is the dogsledge rides. A tip: when you're on the sledge, riding between the white snowcovered mountains in the dark polarnight, starry sky above you - switch off your headlamp, that way you can see more. You're on a different planet, sweeping through the universe in silence. But the first rule of dogsledging is.... never let go of the sldege. As cute and loving the dogs here are, they will not stop when you fall off. Hold on tight!
The second thing: In smaller companies you get to interact with the dogs, it means, you yourself will put them on the sledge, later take them off and feed them. In seven cases of nine: I'm afraid of dogs. After interacting with the sledgedogs here, i've partly overcome that fear... im not afraid of sledgedog anymore. (Still afraid of the bulldog or something, who lives on our street.) The common breed here is the alascan husky, which is here a bit of a mix of the greenland dog too, here and there some siberian husky vibes in corporated. It's told that the innuits used dogs to keep children warm during cold winternights, -days, so that only a friendly dog could survive in that culture. We had a chance to dog-sit a retired greenlanddog couple of times and she's the sweetest ever, even with three children running around screaming and a house full of exitement.... she was chill, wanting to cuddle.
Snowmobilerides: fast and furiously through the arctic! With a snowmobile obviously one can get much further in little time on the island, but beware! Safety first! Thereare awesome trips offered, but keep in mind: you are driving, therefore you need a driverslicence with you and you need to be sober. It might seempalpable. Worth mentioning anyway. And... last year we witnesed a snowmobile accident right from our window, where a trip didn't last even 300m in the valley, when a scooter spinned and crashed. It was the day of the solar eclipse and this guy had to lay in the hospitalbed instead. The reason being: because he drives a motorbike, he thought to make some trick with the snowmobile too, well, it was an totally exiting day. Lucky he didn't crash into someone else and survived with some broken bones.
When it comes to skiing, i must say, i haven't tried this here. I've been more on hikes on the snow. The good thing: no need to go too far. The mountains around the smal town offer great views and nice nature experiences. Depending on your strength you can combine a longer/harder trip, or something more easy. The Platåfjell is quite popular during winter and summer.
Im going to leave you with two links, Spitsbergen Travel and Svalbard Wildelife, to look around and see the different opportunities. Usually trips with dogs and snowmobiles provide you a overallsuit, hat, gloves, shoes, that are suitable even for harsh conditions. The shoes are designed to keep feet safe even with -40 C.
It's quite a long blogpost aleady, so i continue some time later about other oportunities/seasons and my views and tips about them ;) and what to pack with you when travelling to Svalbard as a tourist ;) See you soon! Bisous!
2015 in photos; a year in #svalbard, #longyearbyen.
Here is a post about the 12 months in the Arctic. I intentionally did take out a big portion of photos of family and friends to keep it more about the nature and the impressions of the different light and atmosphere up here. Enjoy! (if you can)
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
I did get frustrated with that dust on my camera sensor, but was sadly too busy to take time to remove it from all the photos. So therefore some nice ones will be coming up some time later, or never :)
This is not how it looks like here right now. It's still dark.It's taken in november.
The wind is back, with the speed of 20 meters per second and so it'll be for 3 days. Luckly the wind is not freezing cold as it would be if it'll be more humid. Down in the centre of the town it's not so bad, but in front of our house it does take ones breath away. But it's kind of fun too, sometimes.
Someone asked once about the houses here, as what are they made of, so i'll share as much as i know now about that. All the houses here (with the exeption of Huset) are built from wood, brought from mainland. In this arctic desert firefightingmanagement is therefore very important. The buildings have no cellar, they are standing on wooden poles that go into the permafrost, 5 to 6 meters it was, if i remember correctly. Thats why in a case of strong wind the houses sving along. It's something you rather feel than see. And when lying in bed at night feeling the house move, is okay for you, i guess living here is no problem :)
Huset (in english "house") is the only stonebuilding in town. It's like The House. Store Norske build it for three years and it is the only house with a cellar, and to be more precise, with a wine cellar since the '80s. It was opened in 1951 and had been from restaurant and school to postoffice with a busstop to emergency hospital and movie theater. Now it's the place of a fancy restaurant and the most nordic night club in the world. Nearly all of the concerts they have here take likewise place in Huset. It's located a bit furhter away from the centercity, near Nybyen, i think most of the income of the taxidrivers comes here from driving to the airport and driving from Huset at night :)
Some photos from August. Recently the camera is something that is just weight in my bag, since i hardly get the chance to take it out.
We've been out there for five weeks before coming back for two weeks for Martins job. He's working and me and the boys hang out with friends and family. It's been pretty nice, exept that im down with a cold, but i keep up, no matter :)
Now, thinking: five weeks. When we arrived it was amazement, we walked around eyes wide open and a grin. The first week the mountains looked two dimensional, and i felt not really there yet, as if they had forgotten some of my mind in Tromso while getting off and on the same plane. Thats when i learned that having less handluggage (items) is a lot better, when with kids.
The second week i remember walking down the road and calling my friend and being utterly saticfied. Im in the freaking Artic and im having a conversation with someone close - how cool is that.
On the third one Martin was on sea and that was a hard week. As it was my first time with two kids alone, it came too quikcly in an unknown environment. The weather played a role, as going outside was tricky, because of the storm. And here i do have a elaborate supportsystem of people and places. There it was just the livingroom for most of the time. But it was tough on Martin too, i think. We did our best. Therefore the fourth week we just recovered and then started kindergarten...
... and as soon as we arrived in Tallinn my body said: dear, we're home, let it all out. Thus soar throat and a blocked nose.
When we go back it'll be the beginning of the dark season. Interesting. How will we manage? But in other aspects we are kind of returning home. It's an interesting flip i didn't think of. I'm with the kids on vacation, as strange as it sounds.
We're like crazy here with food, eating at least one red onion a day and greens, reds, yellow in between!
It's 23pm and i'm obviously ...cooking jam. Miki is asleep, like Martin and Juss, who instead of the bed, are sleeping in the winter-garden, by accident. Interesting. They wanted to wait/play there until i put Miki to bed, but ended up asleep on the orange couch.
I'm gonna miss this apartment, although it's full of flaws (like last renovation was in the 90es), it has been a great two years and these walls here know it. We love the garden and foremost our neighbours. Living here has made me see how nice it is to have a small community and that they actually work.
Last friday we had a nice brunch outside the town at our friends place. We stayed until the late afternoon. They have a big garden and a sandbox, that way the kids were entertained and we could just relax. And truth be told: it was flattering and exiting to have someone photograph me and us for a change, since 90% of all our jpg-fails don't include me, because i'm the one taking them and it's either me with the kids or Martin with the kids. Now we have some fails i think i'll even print. Yey.
This is what summer is about! Trees and water! And watermelons! Everyday! Summer, you're finally here! Let's have a great time. Let's fill our batteries with sun.
This was said by a friend, who quoted someone, who thought of this in a difficult moment (or is it from a song?). Since I've heard it, i feel that it's a powerful sentence, with a very though and deep meaning behind, once you start reminiscing. It is comforting. Life seems to be about change, something we fear and need at the same time. The positive and the negative. Now, when i think of it, it's scary. Especially the negative.
But about the positive: I'm making a change too. I rolled in a driving-school last year and this week had my first driving lessons, today in the freaking intercity, at 6.15pm, right after rush-hour! Okay, this is a little town and the traffic is actually "drowsy" as experienced people say, but for me it was like woawoawoawoooaaaa!
We survived. Huh!
But I sure am exited. A new world is opening up again little by little. I like that. It's like learning a new language. Fluent is the goal.
New year. Why not start something new?
Oh, this reminds me of a quote of Monty Phyton " ..and now for something completely different: a man with two noses."
Huh, this post has been started at least three times(nights) already. So, what was i saying again? :))
Happy 2014!
After Christmas we decided to stay at home on new years eve, to have some quiet time. We planned to put the kids to bed and then stay up just until after midnight, before having a nice dinner. I got all ready to roll some sushi (that's what i call it) and bake a pie and all. Kind of romantic for young parents: eating good food by ourselves and then watching the fireworks form our winter-garden. There were some ingredients still missing for my sushi (like... the main things), so we headed all out on the 31th. Some kids were trying already their fireworks out and that's when our plan to escape was again on the table. Truth is, we prefer not to stay in the city/town on new years eve. It's noisy. And there's this nervousness, i think.
Since our guests, who planned dropping by, also cancelled, the road was clear. Like crazy ants we baked the pie, rolled the sushi, packed our bags and at 5pm started the car to drive 100 km south to our friends, who run a sheep-farm and to celebrate new years eve in a village centre.
Well, like a miracle our two little ones just slept almost until midnight, so we could dance, eat and converse with people. Twelve o'clock we wished happy new year through the phone to each other: i was nursing Miki inside (in solemn loneliness) and Martin and Juss were outside looking at the fireworks coming from the neighbour village (or somewhere.. i wasn't there, i have no idea). Soon after that, we headed to sleep in front of a fireplace. We snored before the babes did.
It was an interesting evening and the following day. Some thoughts came up again and made us think. I this the year we'll making those decisions? About that, next time.
The next day i was at loss, like always when im a guest, i don't know what to do... i feel so awkward eating myself away (there are some amazing cooks over there), so i ended up hiking outside in the woods with some of the kids of the house. That was quite amazing and i had a great time. I was not their nanny, but a friend and that's such a better position to be in.
One month. The first clothes, that are already too small. Time does seem like a fleeting river as you try to hold on to it. Miky is awesome, as Juss, who adores him. Soon they'll be up to things together. Like eating soap. But after Monday, Juss can already explain you, little Miky, that it' doesn't taste that good.
This first month has been a joy as it has been a learning experience again on how to live without sleeping :)) I got to bed once at 3.30 in the morning, and Martin was woken up at 4. But we're good. Looking like a pair of old slippers, but really really happy ones.
Since it's been an indoorsy week, i wanted to post some more photos of our trip to the woods. It might sound weird from a woman who just had a baby five days ago, but i really want to go out, like on a hike, visit friends at the countryside, go to the sauna. I do. And, what's even more strange, i might even have the strength to do so. I'm still not done comparing labor to a marathon: the first time it's hard but ecstatic, the second time it's still an effort, but you know how to enjoy it (at some point, bouncing on a giant ball, i asked Martin to tell me anecdotes), but mainly: your technique has made an improvement :).
