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All of you that have participated during the years have memories, and maybe some pictures. This is a chance to share them with us. We would really appreciate if you, as a guest from earlier years would contribute. Short stories, comments or pictures, please e-mail them to us. info@pathfinderlapland.se Read what our guests think about their experience Poem by Jennifer L. Howse, New York, US. (Click to view) "
Before embarking on this great adventure, a myriad of questions crossed
my mind. What will it be like to endure the freezing temperature of the
arctic? How will the group dynamics play out in an oversized tent? Will
the reindeer react adversely to my lack of herding skills? These
questions will never produce the same answer, which allows for a new and
exciting experience every time. For those who long for consistency, rest
assured that your guides, the herdsmen, will be dignified and present,
using their knowledge, skill, hospitality and humor, to ensure you
are having an incredible journey. May the excursion you choose become a
moment in time encased in your heart forever, as it is for me. "Partir
camper en Laponie en plein hiver, quelle étrange idée". C'est ce
que tous mes amis ont pensé.Mais quand, de retour, nous leur avons
raconté notre voyage, lorsqu'ils ont vu les photos, j'ai bien vu dans
leuryeux une lueur d'envie. Envie de vivre une aventure inoubliable,
dans une nature sauvage avec des gens passionnants. Nous avons
affronté le grand froid, sur des traineaux à rennes ou des traineaux
à chiens et la nuit sous la tente.Des conditions extrèmes qui n'ont
pas entamé notre enthousiasme, car nous avons été choyés par des
cuisiniershors pair, des gens fiers de leur culture et de leurs
traditions." "Mid
winter Lapland is among the most attractive and exotic travel
destinations I have ever visited all around the World. Painfully
beautiful - with crisp, squeaking snow, incredible colours, Northern
lights shows in the sky, impressive mountain sceneries and snow-clad
forests. "Not
many can trace their culture back to where humans followed prey north as
the receding ice marked the end of the ice age. Few can boast of carving
a livelihood out of such a rugged, unforgiving but beautiful land by
mastering the art of managing huge reindeer herds. Their reward was
freedom from the endless wash of conquering armies that marched across
Europe stretching as far back in history as we know. "I
learned in school that the nomadic Saami people of Arctic Scandinavia
had been traveling across the mountains using domestic reindeer to carry
their equipment. They still do today...and what an amazing experience it
was! The reindeer carried the bulk of my gear and I only had to carry a
light backpack. We hiked across vast wilderness, slept in tents, ate
traditional fantastic meals and learned so much. Being this close to the
reindeer provided me with a unique insight into the relation between the
Saami, the reindeer and nature." "Our
summer reindeer trek in the mountains from Sweden to Norway was one of
the most exciting and enjoyable adventures we have ever been
on. The mountains were stunning and beautiful: I can
still see our tents nestled amid them; and can still remember awaking
early to sketch the reindeer; and even that first cold morning swim in
the mountain lake -- it being a particularly warm
summer. Hiking with the reindeer, holding the rope and
hearing the click-click of the reindeer's joints (a natural
sound) as it walked behind us , wending our way through rock
and bushes and over streams, was exhilirating and
somehow calming, as if this is the way things should still be -- so
close to and dependent upon nature. But even better,
to have such wonderful guides, who could explain to us the philosophy
and history of the Sami people , while we hiked and camped:
that was what made this adventure particularly worthwhile. We
can recommend it fully and wholeheartedly. " |
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