Sokos Vaakuna Rovaniemi

This is our frist of many night trains accross Europe.<br>We Leave Helsinki on the 9th and get into Rovaniemi very early on the 10th<br><br>We should have a fun packed Day in Rovaniemi. looking to do some arctic rally driving. and other male bonding activities.<br>

... s stopovers, I wanted to experience one longer stay, which means a few days, in the train. The feeling must be unique when you slowly pass several time zones, seeing how scenery changes through the window, while you don't have to, or actually you can't, hurry anywhere. Ok, maybe this picture is too romanticized and I'll just end up fighting boredom by drinking vodka by myself in the restaurant car, but after the trip I at least know a longer stay on a train feels like ...

... on the tracks around the cabin, in daylight and in the dark. Dan wasn't too keen on this at first, but after the first night, he was well away, enjoying all the fun.<br><br>During our time in Lapland we experienced a heavy snow storm, and unfortunately for us, we were racing through the Artic Circle towards a cave deep in a mountain where we all met Santa's elves. It was quite a scarey trip, however, it was well worth it. Lucy and Dan got to see the elf show ...

This is the furthest north that I have ever been in my life!!! So, we arrived in Rovaniemi in the early morning hours to as usual, bright sunshine. We stored our bags for the day and set out into the world to try and figure out how to get to the Arctic Circle and Santa's Grotto. It seems easy to do as there is a bus that takes you right there. We sat outside on the grass and waiting an hour for our bus to come. We then got on ...

at 11pm tonight, i decided i really needed to go for a walk. i had spent a contented, chill but focussed day reading for and writing my papers, but suddenly i realized i was feeling slightly ill and crosseyed, my body finally getting the message through to my mind that it needed fresh air and movement. sadly remembering that if i was at home in edmonton i would not have this freedom to walk alone unafraid so late at night, a truth ...

... do on this issue of primary importance is cut funding to federal programs aimed at reducing emissions, renege on our Kyoto commitments, and now introduce a bill that will do virtually nothing to stop climate warming. Please, Prime Minister Harper, the time for your government to start treating this issue with the respect it deserves is now. Yours Truly, Lisa Cockburn CC:Rona Ambrose Bill Graham Jack Layton Laurie Hawn John Godfrey Nathan Cullen

... at the far end from the station. The train we were taking was to be called the 'Santa Claus Express', so I guess everything had to be just so, and it was, no complaints. The weather was starting to really come in by the time the train was just leaving the station and by the next stop it was heavy drizzle, if there is such a thing? However the cover of night was fairly fast to join us and most heads were beginning to nod off.

... pub, to continue the festivities. apparantly green beer is a tradition that really hasn't caught on in the rest of the world, and most non-canadians were pretty horrified at the idea, but i think i done quasi and not so irish canadians proud :) it's one of the great things about being in a different country, you can take the cliched traditions of your home country and play them up way more than you ever would at home, and actually feel original doing it! much fun was had by all.

... read all those thick textbooks and first having to struggle with language comprehension and vocabulary... speaking of my classmates, th**e are 10 of us this year in the program, 4 canadians, from NFLD, Nunavut, Ontario and well, AB, 1 Finnish girl who spent the last 5 years studying in Ab**deen, Scotland; France, Britain and Russia are also represented, and a guy from *****ia arrives next week. It's a pretty int**esting mix of backgrounds and cultures, although a bit ...

... up to 30 km per hour with quite a few hairy turns dodging low branches, which added to the excitement. Beautiful scenery. For the rest of the day we wandered around the Arktikum museum and learnt about the native people and environment, very interesting. Ate some reindeer stew at Santa's grotto before catching the Santa Express train back to Helsinki.