All you wanted to know about being freezing while having fun Dog Sledding. Tom and John's excellent adventure . . .
Day One: Helsinki
Minus 20. So cold that the port had completely frozen and local punters were ice fishing and families were walking across the river vs getting the ferries which were stuck in the ice. We decided to go to the Zoo.
After extensive research it looked like the only tourist attraction apart from the mackerel factory. Hotel reception looked at us strangely when we asked directions. They said you know it is very cold outside and the zoo is on an island in the middle of the frozen sea. Ha Ha we said. We are Australians and we are off to the Artic tomorrow. This will be a walk in the park for us.
Day two: we travel to the Husky farm:
There's nothing like a plane trying to take off after a snowstorm with the hostesses dressed like nuns. Landing at Lapland airport with the pilot having to buzz the runway to get rid of some stray reindeer was fine as was the 150km drive north on the icy road.
Day Three: On the sleds
Did you know that in the artic circle the sun comes up at 11am and goes down at 2pm? So you may well ask what do you do the rest of the time given you are in the middle of forest and snow where the temperature is minus 100 on a sunny day and your only companions are five dogs.
Our 2013 sled of the year is the Bjorkis. It comes complete with two brakes and an anchor for around $1,000. But the real winner was us. For $4,000, Pasi and the team at Hetta Huskies gave us a once in a lifetime experience.