Varanger, Norway 150305-150311
click photo to view with Lightbox
©
For maps see blogpost Varanger
To start with it was a beautiful road, now and then close to rivers and the arctic sea.
The sun came out occasionally and we made a stop at a frozen river with some water still flowing down a small fall.
When arriving at Varangerbotn we took a lunch break. And then continued inland due north west. We made a few photo stops and once we did see moose. A cow and half grown calf.
31 km from Båtsfjord the road was closed due to snowy condition. There was a road barrier over the road. No passing permitted until they cleared the road of snow. It was very windy and slippery and traffic had to wait to go in a caravan behind a truck with a snow blower the rest of the way. So we had to wait 1.5h before we could continue and then it was already dark. There was some piles of snow outside the house with the waiting room. The light from the room lit it up and I took some shots. People wondering why I shot them. But what I saw was not piles of snow, I saw this: Watching.
When the truck arrived it did not take long before we reached Båtsfjord. We arrived at the hotel around 18.00h. Got our rooms and took a quick shower before dinner was served at 19.00h.
I got to bed rather early as we were to meet again at 05.00h to go to the first session in hide.
click photo to view with Lightbox
©
For maps see blogpost Varanger
I did sleep
on a couch but woke up because of cold drafts from a corridor so I had to move. But I got some
sleep anyway. In the morning, after checking in, I met with my travel guide and
fellow travellers. Lots of planes was cancelled due to the Norwegian pilots strike. see image of scedule reflected in airport, but we was airborne according to schedule. It took two hours to get to
Kirkenes. But in a way the trip was a disappointment. I had expected to see
the mountain range but we travelled over Sweden and low country. I did not see
mountains until we
got very close to Kirkenes.
got very close to Kirkenes.
Image to the left, Varanger from above a few min before landing.
After we
picked up the rented cars we took off to Båtsfjord.
To start with it was a beautiful road, now and then close to rivers and the arctic sea.
The sun came out occasionally and we made a stop at a frozen river with some water still flowing down a small fall.
When arriving at Varangerbotn we took a lunch break. And then continued inland due north west. We made a few photo stops and once we did see moose. A cow and half grown calf.
31 km from Båtsfjord the road was closed due to snowy condition. There was a road barrier over the road. No passing permitted until they cleared the road of snow. It was very windy and slippery and traffic had to wait to go in a caravan behind a truck with a snow blower the rest of the way. So we had to wait 1.5h before we could continue and then it was already dark. There was some piles of snow outside the house with the waiting room. The light from the room lit it up and I took some shots. People wondering why I shot them. But what I saw was not piles of snow, I saw this: Watching.
When the truck arrived it did not take long before we reached Båtsfjord. We arrived at the hotel around 18.00h. Got our rooms and took a quick shower before dinner was served at 19.00h.
After
dinner we had an info meeting and was given our warm overalls to use in the hide. Well, that was kind of fun. You really feel clumsy in that suit. But it turned out to be great. Then we were all very tired and forgot we was about to check for aurora.
I got to bed rather early as we were to meet again at 05.00h to go to the first session in hide.
Winter in Varanger
Varanger on NF Photo NF Birds around the world
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What an adventure you had!
ReplyDeleteSky Filtered through Trees
Yes it looks like quite an adventure. Even getting there sounds like an adventure with the pilot's strike going on. It looks like a snowy winterland.
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