Snow Hotel

Then it arrived – my 43rd birthday and the night we will be spending in the snow room at the snow hotel.

The morning we had breakfast at the restaurant and decided to have the Bubbly we had been saving from the cruise. We put it ‘on ice’ outside the cabin, made a toast and proceded to clear the cabin and re-pack our luggage as we will be flying out to Tromso the next morning early.

Lunch was wilderness toasties at Gabba again and then we settled into the ‘common area’ at the snow hotel to await the introduction/welcome at 5pm. I caught up on some sleep as the tablet did not charge the previous night and battery was very low.

At 5 we gathered in Gabba and after toasting our reindeer sausages in the fire and making burritos with provided potato-flour flatbreads we were introduced to the wild-life of the area (taxidermy examples around the restaurant) and also the history of the hotel.

Then we had a welcome drink at the ice bar – berry juice, before we could look around the hotel, check out our assigned rooms and collect a sleepingbag from the ‘warm room’ which also houses the bathrooms/showers and sauna. Sleeping bags deposited on our beds, we went up to the restaurant (2nd floor) for instructions on how to make the best of the night (how to wiggle into sleeping bag), what to do with your clothes to keep them from freezing etc.

A three course meal followed, but we did not drink much, keeping in mind that this could mean trips to the bathroom later.

When they announced that the icebar will be opened I had a vodka in an ice glass – just because its my birthday.  Bit of advice – those glasses are damned cold if you are not wearing gloves.

Eventually around 22:00 we decided it is time to hit the sleeping bags.

We were assigned room 12 – quite far from the bathroom – if you keep in mind that room 25 is next to the entrance to the warm room/bath room area. Our room was decorated with a fox on the wall and a plant sculpture at the foot of the bed. I was very worried that some time during the night I was going to kick over/damage said sculpture.

It was quite a mission getting into the sheet provided and then into the sleeping bag, but once you are in and cocooned it is quite warm. As the light in the room stays on permanently and there is no outside light it is quite disorientating as far as trying to tell what time of the night it is.

Eventually around 5 am I got up to use the bathroom and then we slept further till around 7 and hit the showers. The showers were heavenly and just the trick to bring you back to temperature.

After breakfast we were presented with a certificate to confirm that we made it through the night.

Soon it was time to follow our luggage to reception and catch a ride to the airport. Before this we made a last round through the husky area, said goodbye to Ozzy and checked on the puppies we met on the first day.

I am taking home a soft toy husky – his name – Ozzy of course.