Norway

Monday 28th december:
Cloe and I get up really early to catch a 6:30 train which we almost missed coz I was stupid and left my coat behind. It was 6:15am and we still hadnt caught a bus to take us to the train station which would normally take 20mins. I was very stressed. At 6:19 the bus pulled up at the train station and Cloe and I ran like crazy!!! We knocked over a family with little kids on the way, but we had to get this train. When we got on the train we couldnt breath, coz the air was so cold outside and we just ran like there was no tomorrow. It was horrible. We found our seats and our 8 hour train ride to Rovaniemi began. It was quite fun. I slept for the most of it then Cloe and I played cards for 2 hours straight.
The train stoped in Oulu and we had to change trains. When we got of the train it was soooooo COLD that we struggled to breath. We couldnt stay outside for long and got on the next train very quickly.
We got to Rovaniemi at about 3pm and it was dark. We found a map of the town and then walked to our acomodation. Which was rather difficult with all our bags, the snow and the cold. We think it was about -22. It wasnt all that fun, but we found our hotel and were happy.
Later that night we met up with one of my friends from Clavis who lives in Rovaniemi. He showed us around the town which was really nice of him and we are very greatful.

Tuesday 29th December
We took a bus from Rovaniemi to Kilpisjarvi which took another 8 hours. This was an amazing bus ride. The bus service works as the post deliverer as well as a passanger bus. So the bus would stop, and the bus driver would through the mail into a box outside. The last 3 hours of the journey it was only Cloe, Naomi and me. Hallvard picked us up in Kilpis and took us to his home. It was very nice of him and his dad to do this. It was another 2 hours to Tromsø from Kilpis.

Wednesday 30th December
Checked out tromsø, got cold then warm then cold then warm all day. Cloe, Naomi and I cooked dinner for Hallvards family.

Thursday 31st December
Hallvard took Naomi, Cloe, and me cross country skiing. I dont think he quite understood what it would be like to take 3 australians cross country skiing. We fell over a million times, well I did at least. But the more falls the better right? i think so anyway so I gave it my all and got a lot of sores? By the end I was sick of falling on my knees coz they hurst so much.
That night we went to the to of one of the mountains in tromsø. It was AMAZING!! SO AMAZING!! I have never seen anything like it. To watch a town celebrate New Years from the top of a mountain. Here fire works are legal so everyone and there neighbours were letting off fireworks. The town was lit up like it was in fire. So amazing and cold. When 12 came we got to stand right under the really big fire works it looked like fire was falling on the town. It was soooo Coool!!!

Friday 1st January
After sleeping in and packing our bags Hallvards family took Naomi, Cloe and me to there little holiday house on a small island more north than Tromsø. It was sooooo Cold. We borrowed jump suits from the family so we could go outside and not freeze. That night we had a bon fire. I didnt think fire could burn with the air so cold. It was funominal!! We stood by the fire and talked.

Saturday 2nd January
After getting up and having a nice breakfast Cloe Naomi Hallvard and I went and played in the snow. We climbed up a hill near the house and then slid down on plastic bags. there was soo much snow that we couldnt slide very well and were often up to our knees in snow. It was very difficult to climb up. We were outside for 1 hour and a half but we were so exhuasted from the cold that it felt like wed been outside ALL day. Later that day we left the island and came back to Tromsø. We were all so tired from the snow. But is was such and amazing experience I wouldnt change it for anything.

Sunday 3rd January
Hallvard thought it would be fun to take us three Australians camping in the snow. Cloe, Naomi and I all really struggled at times. It was really hard to put up the tent which made the expericence not so nice. There were about 10 of us helping and I was wondering how we would all fit in the tent then slowly started realising that everyone was leaving and it was just Hallvard, Maria (Halls good friend) and us three that were staying. Cloe, Naomi and I were all a bit worried that all the other Norwegians had left. We think they knew something we didnt. This was a very tough experience and am glad that I did it but I will admit that it was very difficult at times. The tent called a Lavvu made of special warm stuff didnt have a floor so we layed reindeer skins on the snow and sat on them. We had a wood stove thing to keep us warm. It really was very cozy inside the tent with the fire burning. It was great fun, we played cards and talked and laughed until we fell asleep. It so much nicer sleeping on the snow rather than the hard ground coz you could move the bumps so suit how you wanted you body. It was nice.

Sunday 4th January
Waking up was nice but cold. At 10:30am we all woke up and had run out of wood for the fire, so everything was just going to get colder and colder. I didnt like the thought of this. Maria was still sleeping and she was the only one who knew how to use the cooker thing. So me and Mr Hall wen and played in the snow. We climbed up the mountains around the tent and found a hurd of Reindeer. This was super cool!!!! Standing on top of the mountain was amazing coz we were on an island and could see the sea on both sides. The view was amazing. It was extremely difficult climbing up the mountain in the snow and would often fall litterally waist deep in the snow and it was extremelly difficult to climb out of the hole. I had to crawl on all fours and all the snow would go up my sleeves and because it was so cold it would burn my skin. It wasnt very nice. But it was extremely nice to get to the top and see the reindeer and the view.

We and all now back in Hallvards house and waiting for the pizza to cook for dinner. Its so warm and cozy I dont want to leave. I am so happy for everything Ive done. It has honestly been the most amazing experience ever and I have only had the energy to write half of it.

I must stop writing now coz i think dinner is almost ready. I am soooo Happy right now. It is so nice and amazing to be here!!!