For a trip based around work meetings, this was going to be an exciting time abroad! Despite having visited Helsinki multiple times before, I had never been further north and so venturing up into Lapland was thrilling. As you’ll come to see, flying is one of my greatest pleasures. I will happily hop onto a plane and head anywhere. And I’ll enjoy the flight!! But I need to have a window seat. Without a window seat, the fun is diminished as I can’t gaze at the views, see the sunrises and sunsets, enjoy the cloud formations or get lost looking up the night sky.
The flight up to Kittila was in two parts; first from Heathrow to Helsinki, and then from Helsinki to Kittila (via Ivalo). Given this was a trip in March, the landscape out the window was covered in snow and sparkled as I flew overhead.
After morning meetings, and in the spirit of bonding with the customers, it was dog sledding time. The huskies were even more keen than we were, and they were the ones doing the work!
Once harnessed, it was into the sled and off! Away the dogs ran, taking us bouncing along behind them. Wow it was fast! The 2km course took no time at all. It wasn’t the comfiest of rides I ever taken, but it was one of the most exhilarating! Twisting and turning and bouncing along behind the dogs was incredible, and I suspect we weren’t even at full speed. Highly recommended!!
But the afternoon wasn’t just about riding in a sled; there were huskies to play with, reindeer to meet, pups to make you say awww and wolves to look at (or to be looked at by). 
Naturally, I’m quite a warm person and so I tend to avoid saunas. However, Finland has converted me. There is nothing quite as relaxing as a Finnish wood sauna. Heated for at least four hours before entry, these wood powered saunas are the ultimate in relaxation. I can’t recommend them enough, and will jump at the chance to visit one. So it was with great delight when our hosts announced we were off to a traditional Finnish sauna for the evening.
Yes, that building is surrounded by snow, but, as you may be able to make out, it is also sitting at the side of a frozen river. Which naturally forms a perfect cold pool to have a dip in (once a hole in the ice had been cut). It was incredibly cold, even more so coming out of the sauna!
It truly took my breath away and left me dashing back into the sauna to warm up (I would like to point out that that is not me in the above photo). Switching between the sauna and the cold pool, with visits to the hot tub in between created a perfect atmosphere of relaxation. Combined with good company and the tranquillity of the evening led to me feeling rather care free and unwound.
Fortunately for me, Laura arrived that evening to join me, but unfortunately for me I had meetings all day the next day (it was alright for Laura, she went snowboarding!). However, once meetings were done, it was time for dinner! Without turning this into a food blog, dinner was excellent and rather varied. The menu consisted of flame pit cooked salmon and various parts of reindeer, and they were delicious. I particularly liked the reindeer heart!
My third day in Lapland was all about skiing, but not just downhill. We began the day learning how to cross country ski. I am by no means a natural skier and so I took to this like a duck to a desert. I wasn’t great. But it was good fun. And eventually I began to get the hang of gliding along and transferring my weight between my feet. I may have fallen a few times (rather spectacularly may I add) but it was worth it. The blue skies and sunshine certainly helped!!
After struggling up and down slopes (yep, coming down slopes was a struggle and usually ended up with me not standing up), we emerged out onto the frozen river. I don’t know how thick the ice was, but it must have been thick enough to hold me, Laura, 50 others and the odd snowmobile whizzing around on top of it. It was also the same river that served as the cold pool for the sauna I had been in, so I knew how cold it would be if the ice had given way!! Turns out, I can manage to stay upright on the flat, although this may have been because I could stand still and push with my arms rather than having to use my legs for propulsion.
Having survived the cross country skiing, with calves sore to walk on and a brave smile on my face, it was onto downhill skiing. I’d been downhill skiing four times before coming to Lapland, and so I was very much still a beginner. But you know what, I wasn’t awful (at least by my standards!). It was great not to have to put much effort into moving, even if I was even more out of control when heading down a mountainside. The good weather had continued and the views (when I got a chance to enjoy them and wasn’t cursing the lack of brakes on skis) were gorgeous. We even made it down in one piece!
I slept like a baby that night! And then managed to fall out of bed the next morning when my legs decided they’d been punished enough the day before. Today was our last day in Lapland before heading home and so, given the fantastic time I had had at the start of the week, we went husky sledding. Now, whilst I had already experienced a husky sled, this time I was going to get to be in control of the sled. After a driving lesson lasting no more than ten minutes, into the sleds and off we went! Wow the dogs were powerful and so keen. Our team (Laura and I were sharing a sled, taking it in turn to drive/be passenger) was made up of ten dogs and so we shot off. The freedom and enjoyment of being pulled along by the dogs was second to none.
The route we were taking wound through woodland before emerging out into a wide open expanse with snow as far as I could see. The dogs loved running and set off, effortless dragging us behind them. This trip was extra special because after we had finished with the sledding, we got to meet the dogs and play with them. The handsome fellow on the left (for those of you viewing this on a computer) was one of these dogs. The dogs loved the attention, admittedly some more so than others, but all wanted to be petted and played with. One cheeky chap even tried to steal Laura’s bobble hat!
Eventually we had to put the dogs down and head back to the hotel to pack our bags. Come nightfall, we layered up and went on an exploration to try and find somewhere dark enough to see the Northern Lights. This was the second time we were trying to see them, having valiantly tried when in Iceland, but, as with previously, it was to be too cloudy for us. However, there was something surreal about walking on the top of a frozen river at midnight when it was -25oC!
Come the next day, it was off to the airport to head home via Helsinki after a fantastic time in Lapland. We had a fantastic time and would recommend it to anyone and everyone (provided you have a warm coat!). And we even got to fly in over London coming in to land.
So to finish, I would like to say kiitos to my customers for hosting us in Lapland, and kiitos to Kittila for giving us such an enjoyable time.