** WITH THE LAPPS OF THE GODS **
This is the 9 Oct 2002 Edition of
this page.
CHAPTER FOUR
** FINNISH LAPLAND **
With my arrival in Repvag the previous evening, I stayed overnight, after our
coach returned us from NORTH CAPE, (in the EARLY HOURS - to see last
night's midnight SUN) - having a lay-in before doing my morning's write-ups
and finishing these at about 8.45am - as breakfast will be at 9am..
The guy who came to "knock-me-up", both of us with pen-in-hand, answered that
"breakfast will be in the RED Reception Building". In the light rain which, later, fell much
heavier, I trundled across there, meeting an old lady in a 'red mac' also heading there. I was
in a T-Shirt and umbrella and returned to my room - similarly later - at 9.35 a.m., meeting
Geoff (our guide) who thinks that our 'complex' was, in former times, 'an old fishing village'.
After leaving this place - we went from Repvag down the west bank of PORSANGER
FJORD, past LAKSELV to KARASOK (Sapmi) where we saw films, shows and
wandered around exploring the place. In the Sapmi Centre's Information Office, I exchanged
some Sterling and got some Finnish Marks. That would come in handy in the next day or two!!
After that 'stop', the coach went all the way to INARI without the ventilation system working (was it
broken? - or possibly disabled by our driver?) It was a pity really, as it was a nice countryside
here (especially with the unending trees) - and it was too hot and stuffy to be able to appreciate
the scenery without the cooling effect that ventilation would have given. I had told the 'guide'
and 'driver' about this point several times. Let's hope something will come out of this!!
I put the watch 'ON' the second hour since home - just after the arrival at the hotel (KULTAHOVI) -
advancing it from 17.30 to 18.30. On entry to this hotel, I went to collect the keys for, Room 202, at
18.45hrs and then voted for the meal-selection for tonight!! (I chose Mushroom Soup and Reindeer
Stew [again! - that's what I had at midday!]. It should be served at 19.30hrs.
It was a nice SLOW meal (each & every course!) - after which, I was back in my room
by 21.30hrs (but some of the time was spent in a chat with Geoff about coach ventilation
from tomorrow onwards- there having been VERY LITTLE up to this point!). I hear
that tomorrow's breakfast will be at 8am., with the journey and visits from 9.15am..
Having got instructions on the use of the KEY for opening and closing my room-door, I'm
now OK!! (I hope!!). Unfortunately, I was pestered by MOSQUITOS as soon as I got
into the 'fresh' air at 21.45hrs.. This was altogether TOO much hassle, - so I returned to my
room for the evening.
On the way back, I had a long CHAT with an IRISH GUY (from Cork, Kilkenny - and the
whole world!) we compared many experiences and could relate to each-other's feelings. I then
wrote cards to a some friends back home in the UK . Immediately after that, I got involved in
International Discussions with Geoff, plus our driver, plus an Irishman (curiously, a Royalist
from CORK!!). I returned to my room for preparations for sleep, bed and tomorrow. I turned-in
at 0.42am tomorrow morning.
10th JULY 2000 (Monday)
We'd had another LIGHT NIGHT due to our HIGH LATITUDE! However, despite that, I managed
to get a GOOD night's sleep again. I got UP at 7.10am and got ready for the day. It was the FIRST
time on this trip that we didn't need to MOVE out - as we are staying in the INARI hotel for TWO
nights!
After an 8 am breakfast, we departed for today's trip at 9 am.. We went to the SIIDA SAMI MUSEUM
(close to the hotel) first and then to the NORTHERN LAPLAND NATURE CENTRE likewise. We spent
a few hours here, including having our midday meal and a 'conducted tour' and personal views. We learned a
lot more about SAMI life and reindeer EAR CUTTING. These cuts indicate the individual family owners
and a 'location' identity. We also got a photo exhibition of the Northern Lights.
A BOAT TRIP was next. That took us around LAKE INARI - and, there, we got off at an island (a rather
dangerous plankwalk being involved!) and individually climbed to its highest point, surprising each other with
with our abilities when we found each other at the summit! Rock climbing was involved, - a pleasant and
sometimes precipitous mini-adventure.
Following that, individually, we returned to the edge of the island, then the edge of the lake, and then the coach
took us back to the hotel. On this trip we did about 12 miles by coach and 14 miles by boat. Now at 18.04, I
prepared for lunch which was to be at 19.00 hrs, tomorrow's breakfast at 8.00 a.m with the 'cases out' ready
for a departure between 08.30 and 08.45. On the coach, incidentally, the filtered air intake is a great boon in
this mosquito infested territory!!
The evening meal was on-time for its start at 19.00 hrs (only taking half an hour to eat) and it finished at
21.00hrs.. It seems a big waste of time - but I did have chats with Derek (from Great Barr, Birmingham)
and an Essex guy from Southend and Rayleigh. Even with the 'football chatter' it was preferable to the airs-and-
graces of the "Toffee-nosed-Tories" to the left of me in the restaurant!!
(Two couples were in earnest upper-crust conversation ALL the time, dealing with all their trivia with an air
of superiority.) With our little group from Essex and the Midlands, things were far more MEANINGFUL. In
the evening, back in my own room, I sorted out much paperwork on LAPLAND and from ARCTIC
EXPERIENCE from their internet WebSite. I didn't bother to go out in the evening - the mosquitos providing
an adequate deterrent!
11th JULY 2000 (Tuesday)
I had a GOOD nights sleep, awoke and got up at 7.12am, dressed and prepared for the day before
my 'wakeup' telephone rang at 7.17am!! I took my blood-thinning half-aspirin tablet (medication!) and
put my HIKING BOOTS on for the first time this trip. Having got-ready, I got my case down to the foyer
at 7.45am, before my 8.00 am breakfast. As I'd been having problems with the room-door's lock earlier,
this morning my attitude changed to "Sod the lock if it doesn't work!"
This morning we departed for a MUSEUM, a GOLD-PANNING experience, some walking and a bit
of refreshment! An EXCELLENT LUNCH preceeded the 3Km walk with MOSQUITOS and a lass
from the ORKNEYS. Each walker embarked on the route of their own choice, - I remember that Duncan,
Andrew and Mavis did the 6Km variant!! Later, we headed off for the VUOTSO REINDEER FARM (close by!) -
but after a while I decided to escape from the mosquitos by going INDOORS for an ice-cream!
Before our imminent departure from there, I decided on taking a few photos of some friendly REINDEER!
It was a long slog down to SODANKYLA (apparently pronounced "soddin' kill yer") through continuous
forests arriving at 5.30pm. Dinner will be at 7pm! The earlier forest/park runs all the way from the E4 right
across Eastwards to the RUSSIAN border. The hotel at Sodankyla was quite good (after our 120 mile
journey) and some good TV welcomed me in my room. I surfed many channels (shame that the 'Tour de France'
didn't have an English or French commentary - but FINNISH!) The DONINGTON motor-racing was
alternately in American and Finnish.
My self-service evening meal at 7pm was finished by 7.45pm and then our Group chatted through to (and beyond)
the time that I left for my own room at 20.21hrs. That group was Mary & Frank (from Cork in Ireland), an
'upper-crust' couple ('She' from ESTONIA and 'He' an ex-colonial serviceman from the UK who spent much time
in FIJI) and a largish couple from Bradford, England.
Geoffrey said, in passing, that tomorrow's wake-up call will be at 7.15am, breakfast at 7.45am and the departure
at 8.45am.. Back in my room, I watched EUROSPORT's "Touring Car Championship Round" from IMOLA with
English an commentary. This was followed by Eurosport's SUMO wrestling, some Heavyweight BOXING from
the USA and finally part of the "TOUR DE FRANCE" whose commentary was neither English NOR American - but
something Scandinavian.
So, at 23.22hrs , I turned into bed!
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