Dog's Life 2

Let it snow, let it snow

Since I've been back from Rjukan we have had plenty of snow, which makes sledding 'interesting' and gives you a nice snow face pack.  

Between flurries and dashing after the needs of tourists, I took a few shots of the place, some taken from the back of the sled (my passengers snug in their reindeer skins and blissfully unaware!).  Guiding is fun, but hours here are long and ardous. We seem to work 15 h days - not easy.  But hey, it is Norway In Winter.  A great place to be, knackered out or not!

Tromso in the far distance, beyond this team (photo above: click on the image to see it!). 

The drive home...

Rjukan Ice

In deepest South Norway there is a dark, cold world class ice climbing venue called Rjukan. I was there recently for a week with London Mile End climbing club and Junior (?!) SMC Cronies.  It is one mad icey playground, and although not climbing world class level myself (well, only in my head), I was more than content to see myself and others up some more modest routes  (mind you there was some crazy Mixed top-route action, not by me, but by enthusiastic others [one of whom later concussed himself snowboarding - need I say more?]).  Rjukan's many gorge locations provide routes, of all variety.  We had tropical conditions of plus 3-5C which was all good. Considering Feb average temp is minus 6C we were dead lucky. The routes were mostly in good nick, and we all battered ourselves.  I lead my first ice route, and learnt a heap; now I have opened this Pandoras Box of Ice I hope to climb more in Tromso area.

Thanks for the gear loans, Trev., Jane and Al., and Tore.  And for The Boys for putting up with a gal in their hut all week! 

So here are some shots: apologies but I know not how to rotate pics using the newly purchased Mac. computer (ahem).... so all the funky vertical scary ice pics have had to be left out (most of these are in my head anyways).  Hope these horizontal shots do the place justice! (the one vertical one was not rotated by me - thanks Jaap, for the uphill perspective).

Dog's Life

Hello Norway

Well, I have arrived. Tromso, Norway.  Here for a spell at least, and hopefully a wee while.  Those who know me in more recent years will know that I am wanting to spend a little more time in fewer places…  I had my needs though: mountains, sea, snow, sun/less rain, wildlife, trees, people… Yes, I am a fussy thing! Well, Tromso seems to fit the bill so far, although at 600km north of the Arctic Circle, the sun is a bit slow to come up still.  We have plenty of daylight (8-15h) but sun for only a short while still.  It’s OK by me though.  More than.

My work is ‘dog-handler’, and I work at Villmarkssenter (see http://www.villmarkssenter.no for more).  There are a varied tasks to this role: feeding the 250 odd sled-dogs (noisy! and messy), cleaning frozen poop (less messy), tending to the tourists needs…. and lastly (not by any means least) is charging off in a flurry of snow with a team of dogs. The noise of all the dogs shouting “pick me... pick ME... PICK ME!” as you unclip dogs from their kennels and harness the teams to their sleds is ear-splitting.  As is the frenzied barking when you career off! It’s wonderful.

Oh, and I forgot my Marmite this time, which is a crying shame…  If anyone fancies popping a jar of the stuff in the post - 'thousand thanks' (as the Norwegians say).  If you haven't the stamina to ParcelForce a glass jar of goopy, sticky, brown, salty, evil-smelling lifeblood to me then postcards also fine ;).  So, for those carte postales to decorate my otherwise rather undecorated room, my snailmail address here is: Tromso Villmarkssenter, 9100 Kvaloysletta.

But - in case you are thinking of it - no thank you, NZ buddies, VEGEMITE will just not do at all! ….Sacriledge!  (As I was saying, I am a fussy beggar!)