Five days to catch the Northern Lights
The next few days, we traveled to different places, most of the time far from everything. We discovered a beach open onto a vast lake, surrounded by mountains and snow. Then we went hiking, going up a really steep hill to end up on top of an old military bunker. It was a really fun experience to find a way into the bunker and try to figure out how big it was! After a few days of hoping to see Reindeer, we saw some cars parked on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere and we knew there was hope! Four reindeers were walking in the snow, and I fell like a little girl looking at them, almost expecting Santa to show up from behind the small mound.
Norway is known for its fjørds and lakes, and we obviously wanted to see some. We found this huge frozen lake after driving a few hours. Without checking the temperature before, we got out of the car and noticed it was colder than usual. We started to wonder how cold it was when my glasses started to freeze -literally- and I couldn't see through them. The temperature was down to -18°C! Of course the boys had to try to throw really heavy rocks from the top of a bridge onto the lake to see if anything happen. Spoiler: it didn't.
On our last evening in Tromsø, we drove back to the place where we went hiking in the morning because we knew it would be pitch black without any light pollution, aka the perfect spot to see the Northern Lights. As every day had been really sunny without a single cloud, there were high chances to see them. We walked for half an hour in the dark, using our phones as torches until we got high enough to not be bothered by the trees or anything else. We sat down, my camera in my hands and we looked at the sky. At first, nothing was happening except that it was full of stars. Until we saw the first aurora take shape in the sky. On camera, it looks bright green or purple, but unless you really focus your eyes on it, it will appear white with a subtle tint of green. It doesn't make it less magical, because when you see it move around the sky it seems unreal. As I mentionned earlier, my tripod broke so I had to lay in the snow under -20°C, without breathing, moving or shaking, to take the most defined and high quality photos of them. That night, my dream came true. We were lit by a full moon, saw a sky full of colourful waves, heard wolves howl, and went home completely frozen but smiling from the incredible show we've just witnessed.
I think that the best way to describe this trip to Norway is magical. Although we had a few hiccups along the way such as a broken tripod, a parking ticket and someone snoring and talking in their sleep, nothing could have tarnished the magical experience.
So if you're thinking of visiting Norway, or chasing the Northern Lights, just pack you bag and do it because it's an experience that you will never forget!
Our Airbnb : https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/11252075?location=Tromsø%2C%20Norvège&adults=4&source_impression_id=p3_1568013147_7m5VeYFhbdqIcZPC&guests=1
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