Travelogue - Snowmobiling at the Top of the World (February 2003)

A couple of months ago, my longtime AA friend and former colleague, Jim, invited me to join him and a merry band of fellow AAers for a weekend getaway to the
Winter Wonderland of northern Finland. We agreed to venture to the Great White North in mid-February, when daylight hours would again return to the region, and
a healthy snow pack was a sure bet.

As talk of impending war and increasing economic downturn prevailed, our group dwindled down to just Jim and me. Never fear, the two of us veteran travel
buddies forged ahead with our plans.

Flew up to Helsinki after work last Thursday, stayed overnight, and embarked on the Arctic expedition the following day. Caught a morning flight to Kittila,
some 500 miles (820 km) due north of Helsinki. The 1.5 hour flight was uneventful, and soon we found ourselves landing in the heart of Lapland, 150 km north of
the Arctic Circle. In Western Hemisphere latitudinal terms, Kittila lies north of Iceland and the lower 1/3 of Greenland, roughly equivalent to the northern
shoreline of Alaska (Prudhoe Bay, etc.)

We landed on the small, snow-covered, asphalt strip surrounded by a sea of white. Heavily snow-laden evergreens abounded in nearby forests. The temperature was
a relatively comfortable 0 degrees Celsius (this, a blessing, considering that the area had recently experienced temperatures as low as 20'C!!) The air was
still, cool and crisp. My lungs inhaled and exhaled the healthy, pure oxygen-rich air with delight.

Upon arrival at the hotel, Jim, who had arrived the day prior, had already made plans for our afternoon snowmobile safari. We agreed upon a 3-hour trek.
Mounting the machine quickly reminded me of the snowmobiling I had done while growing up in Upstate New York. O course, snowmobile technology has improved
greatly over the past 25 years! New features like electronic start, forward/reverse, adjustable-warmth, heated handlebars, etc. has made the experience much more pleasant and enjoyable.

Miles upon miles of snowmobile tracks lay in the greater Kittila/Levi area. It was a thrill to open-up the throttle on the track. At times, I felt like I was
in a Soviet-era James Bond film, adroitly outmaneuvering the imaginary KGB agents in hot pursuit. Actually, it was only Jim behind me! He opted to take up the
rear, so that he could observe how high into the air my happy butt bounced as I moguled my way across the dips and bumps of the washboard track. (Thanks, Jim!)
After about two hours, we stopped at a teepee shaped wooden hut for a mid-adventure break of hot coffee and a snack. We sat on tanned reindeer skins as we
huddled close to the warmth of the central fire.

We continued, onward and upward, to the summit of Levi Mountain, and gazed down on the foggy valley below, with the beautiful, crystal-clear arctic sunset in the
southwestern horizon. A peaceful, dreamlike blue hue settled over the entire scene. Amazing.

The sun rose at around 8am, and set around 5pm - far longer than what I had anticipated I would encounter at those high latitudes. Still, the evenings were not
cold and dark, but rather the snow-covered landscape glistened a blue glow throughout the night, illuminated by the bright moon above. No problem skiing or
snowmobiling into the evening hours.

We dined on reindeer the first evening. Yes, I had to sample a bite of Rudolph, as this is the region's main culinary specialty. The taste was pleasant and
non-gamey, unlike some deer meat I've tasted before.

The next morning we set out for our reindeer ride. Went to a reindeer farm where some local Laplanders tended to a herd of 20 or so animals. A couple of
Santa's beasts were quickly harnessed up, and attached to sleighs to take Jim and I on a 10-minute loop of the property. My reindeer quickly picked up speed,
while Jim's got off to a slow start. After we rounded the first turn, my beast erupted into a full gallop, as I screamed "Fly, damnit, Fly!!" I glanced down at
the sleigh's odometer as we passed V1, and watched as the hooves began to rotate and lift skyward. Ah, the feeling of flight in a reindeer-drawn sleigh! Such
magic only occurs in Lapland...

Once back on terra firma, we bid Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen goodbye, and headed back to town for a couple hours of
relaxation in a Finnish sauna.

In summary, Kittila is a great place to go if you want to get away for a few days of wintertime fun and adventure - plus a hearty dose of Lappish culture as
well. The peaceful, serene, natural setting is a far cry from the hustle and bustle of our modern, urban lives. So, head up north - way north - and see if
Rudolph and his friends will let you join in any reindeer games!

Happy Travels!

Mark