Monday 1 March 2010

The Aurora comes to dinner!


The plan was to chase the Northern Lights  but it joined us.
Gunnar, my true idea of a Nordic Viking , tough, ruddy face with thick gutteral accent, picked 3 of us up at City Living and then the final 6 from another hotel. The mother and daughter staying at the same place as myself were on a surprise 60th birthday trip. Mum was not aware until dparture time on Friday evening of the destination and therefore not well prepared. Just ordinary trousers and a light jacket with a wool hat in her bag The group from Maidenhead were well prepared and again this was a special birthday trip and the group frequently travel together. Warm clothes, rucksacks and tripods indicated a well researched trip and both excitement and hopes were high. To calm our expectations Gunnar showed up the map of the area he was prepared to drive to and would be in contact with some other guides to pass on locations of activities. However he said that for 3 nights there had been no sightings on his trip and only small activity on North Whale Island which I had seen. But they had not stayed for long and were not very bright. Fifty/fifty was the given odds so we headed first of all to base camp where Gunnar was to prepare our dinner in a Sami tent beside the fjord.

It was a magical setting and with full moonlight we could enjoy the wonderful scenery around. Gunnar gave us a constant flow of information and at times it was difficult to understand but soon we all became accustomed to his English pronunciation. We were greeted to a warm blazing fire in the tent and a circle of logs draped in reindeer skins to sit on. All the requirements for dinner was brought down on a sleigh.

We were then mesmerised by pure theatre as Gunnar explained the menu and his unique cooking style. Tonight it is cod  - now becoming rarer and expensive if from local waters. Potato wedges cooked with onions and a crispy salad. The fish had been previously prepared and marinated in lime pepper then wrapped in individual foil parcels. These were then hung over the blazing fire. As he prepared the potatoes, vegetables and salad we were given an insight into local life and in particular the rise and fame of Guide Gunnar. The picture is one of a group of tourists all wrapped in layers with assorted stupid hats that we would not normally be seen dead in sitting in a Sami tent around an open sparking log fire. Gunnar in short sleeves, thick muscular arms and a ruddy complexion after a day out ice fishing, wielding a knife that could carve a reindeer in half. The scene is set and we get to know each other and the reason we are here. Jo Lumley must have been employed by the Norwegian Tourist Board!

Drink selection was limited and all but one jumped at the option of Christmas Beer.. which turned out to be a nice light but tangy brew and a favourite at Christmas with the traditional reindeer. No there are not any old reindeers in Norway.. they are the main meat source so do not get too sentimental when out on a reindeer sledge ride!

Dinner was ready and a laden plate was offered to all. The cod was at least 2 inches thick, in steaks about 6in x 4. Very meaty and no bones.. what a new image of eating cod and a far cry from the thin and watery fillets that are frequently drowned in batter. Clean plates all around. Are you beginning to think we have lost the plot and purpose of this trip? No, as just like Scott we assigned ´volunteers´ to venture out into the cold and check for activity. Dessert was fresh fruit cooked in a wok with more than healthy chunk of butter, orange juice for the sauce and bananas to thicken at the end with cinnamon for the spicy kick. Topped with cream as we needed that extra layer of blubber to ward off the cold!

A selecion of teas, including Early Grey (!) was offered or coffee. I asked for a touch of cognac in my coffee and as if by magic a hip flask was produced from one of the group. A wise and well prepared man! Enjoying our coffees and conversations when Gunnar casually mentioned was anyone interested in seeing the lights! We just about fell over ourselves and went outside without all those extra layers of clothing we had carefully fortified ourselves with! No gloves, no hats , falling over tripods this excited group ventured into the cold cold snow. According to Gunnar the temperature was a warm minus 12. Perhaps it was the cold but something brought us to our senses and we went back in and gathered our warm gear. Gunnar went to the mini bus to fetch his camera which was all set up on the tripod and ready. He gathered us all around for the group photo and the Aurora played around us.

No need for us to chase, it had come to join us for dinner and it played alongside a full moon.

Photos: GuideGunnar - Arctic Norway 2010

There will be more updates to this diary  ..  but do check out photos from this group and other adventures  on  Gunnars Photo Facebook
Photo update from the Merry Group thanks to Gill!


Watch this short Video Clip from NASA about what creates the Aurora

Thanks for your visit : Sylvia
 28th February 2010


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