What was the most unusual birthday you’ve ever had? This year I spent my birthday exclusively in the passenger seat of the car. While my better half sat at the wheel, I was able to devote myself to the 970 kilometers to Kiruna and think a lot about the passing landscape. Unfortunately, there was no cake – but we will surely make up for that.
We have crossed the Arctic Circle at 66°33’50”. Fortunately we are on a safe road and not on the sea. The landscape and vegetation changed slowly but surely on the way. The villages and settlements became more and more scarce the further north we moved. A strange feeling of emptiness and at the same time well-being came over me. Hard to describe.
After we left the coast and took the E10 highway to Kiruna, there was hardly any traffic on the roads. But at least we encountered two reindeer that crossed our path. Fortunately, we didn’t need to brake or swerve, as they kept enough distance so that we didn’t get in each other’s way.
Here – so after at the Arctic Circle – the sun shines from 2:30 in the night until 23 o’clock in the evening. Basically, it hardly ever gets dark. This is a strange phenomenon, because mind and body are fooled by it and are awake and receptive. Still, it was fantastic to finally get some exercise before we lay our heads down, a little exhausted from the long drive, and close our eyes.
When we wake up again, we head northwest to Senja. There the sun shines from 2:04 in the night until 23:41 in the evening. Fortunately we have vacation and can enjoy all this extensively.