Arrival in Solia
Arrived last night alone to Solia - just outside Kirkenes - where Tom Frode, our chief guide, has booked cabins for the humans, space for the dogs. Temp 8 degrees below. Owners kind, hard-working couple who give me a great supper, reindeer steak, Lingon berries,spuds and carrots. One of the last normal meals. Good to have some hours alone before the team come in. Think of Nelly and the boys, Leigh, too who had a habit of reminding me that this trip could be harder than I imagined!. Must thank Axel, my 4 yr old grandson, for sending me a Dragon’s Tooth (painted by him) as a good luck charm. Test cameras, satellite phone. Cold clear night. Tom and computer whiz-kid Lars, looking like a scarecrow with the stuffing coming out, rattle in at 3.30am from Tromso with the dogs, sleds, and back-up truck. They’ll need to catch up on sleep today, but we’re all working by 9.30am.
Testing the computers and preparing this, our first diary message. When we get the dogs out of their mobile kennels we’ll include photos I hope! For the moment they’re all (32 of them) quiet, curled up on straw, two to a box on the trailer. When I pass, a black nose pokes out through the grill here and there with a snuffle, a gentle growl of interest. Tom for all his experience has never done a trip like this. The logistics have been complex, coordinating meetings with nomads is almost a contradiction in terms, so we’re both keeping our fingers crossed.’ That’s all for the moment.