Morning skiing, afternoon husky sledding. Not a bad way to spend a Thursday.
We got a couple of hours on the slopes first thing — conditions were great as usual with a sprinkling of fresh powder, so we visited the Alpine Training Park and messed about on the edges of the pistes. Alex is really taking the off piste to heart, and regularly detours between the trees.
A prompt lunch at our favourite Restaurant Horizont, before heading back to the hotel to get ready for the afternoon.
We’re back with Lapland Safaris and had kept our gear from the other day. So after suiting up, we wait in reception for our transfer down to the meeting point.
We watch the winter Olympics on the tv, the men’s 50km cross-country skiing, while the rest of the party get ready. There are three Norwegians leading by a mile, they are absolute machines! Slightly more graceful than our effort yesterday!
Once everyone was ready, we piled onto a coach for a short ride out of town to the husky farm.
We were greeted by the toothless smile of our charismatic guide, who started by giving us the usual safety briefing. The briefing made it out like we’d be piloting a pack of rabid wolves who might break loose and make a bolt for it at any time, so we’re slightly apprehensive as to how we’ll get on.
The reality couldn’t have been more different, they were the friendliest animals who just love to run, regularly giving us the side-eye when we had to brake to avoid running into the sled in front!
You ride in pairs on each sled — one person in the basket, one driving from the runners at the back — and the dogs do the rest. The moment the brakes come off they’re off, absolutely flying through the forest trails. You hold on and shift your weight to steer.
I took the first turn, with Alex in the basket and we then swapped half way through.
The dogs were brilliant — all hugely friendly, and real characters. They were scooping up snow in their mouths as they ran to cool down and get a drink.
We returned to the start and got to meet and pet the dogs, who were clearly having a great time rolling in the snow, to cool down I assume.
After we’d handed the sled back and the dogs were back in their pens, we went into the hut for some hot berry juice and to hear stories about the dogs. Apparently the 10km we travelled today was really just a warm-up and they’re capable of 200km with the proper training. The huskies we’ve been with today are Alaskan huskies and they’re able to tolerate -40c, but that is nothing compared to one of their Siberian dogs who can tolerate -70c!
Once we’d warmed up, we went back outside to see the dogs in their pens. They each had a low kennel, but otherwise lived outside all winter!
Afterwards, we said goodbye to our guides and the dogs and headed back to the coach, and then back to town.
We handed back our suits and transferred back to the hotel before getting ready for dinner.
It’s our last night, so we’ve booked a nice steak restaurant in town as a treat. The steak is very good, the wine was just amazing, Torres Purgatory, and we all had a lovely time.
One day left. Going to make the most of it.