Finland - Rovaniemi

After exploring the charming Oslo, it was time to continue on my journey towards my big goal: to chase the aurora borealis.

However, before embarking on this journey, I had to fulfill another wish. To visit Santa Claus’s city. Everything had been planned in advance, and every detail seemed to be under control. However, as happens in many good adventures, not everything went as expected.

The journey to Rovaniemi ended up turning into a real saga.

A troubled start: chaos to the airport.

I woke up very early, ready to catch the train to the airport. I was excited and a little anxious, because I knew that, from then on, the journey would gain a new rhythm. As soon as I arrived at the central station, I noticed that the train was about 10 minutes late. Up until then, nothing to really worry about.

However, a few minutes before we arrived at the airport, the train simply stopped. We stayed there for about 30 minutes. At that moment, the mood was already starting to change. Although I still had a good margin of time, apprehension began to set in, especially since some people were already missing their flights.

Shortly after, the official announcement came: the train would return to Lillestrøm station and, from there, the taxi company would provide taxis. From that moment on, chaos ensued. There were a lot of people at the station, little information available and almost no organization. After about 20 minutes of waiting, pushing and shoving and a lot of confusion, I finally managed to get a voucher along with three other people.

We headed towards the station exit, where the situation only got worse. People spoke Norwegian and, to make matters worse, almost no one could communicate in English. Taxis were few and far between. At one point, one of the people in my group simply ran away without giving any explanation. And there I went, pulling my suitcase through the crowd.

When we got to the parking lot, we saw a van about to leave, and everyone wanted to get in. After a series of discussions and attempts, I managed to convince the driver that the three people on my voucher were already on board. With that, I was the last one to board. Finally, after more than an hour and a half of delay, we were on our way to the airport. Those 25 minutes seemed like the longest of the trip so far.

A delayed flight, a tight connection and… another scare.

Already almost resigned to the idea of ​​having missed the flight, I went to the check-in desk to confirm. To my surprise, I discovered that the plane was also delayed. The reason was the accumulation of ice at Helsinki airport. On the one hand, this was fortunate. On the other hand, a new concern arose: the risk of missing the connection to Rovaniemi.

The flight that was originally supposed to leave at 8:00 a.m. took off only at 9:30 a.m. Considering the schedule, if everything went perfectly well, I would have less than 40 minutes to make the connection. When the plane landed, there were only 30 minutes left, and I ran like a madman through the airport. In the end, it worked out. I was the last passenger to board. What a relief! However, as you can imagine, the story wasn’t over yet.

The saga of the lost suitcase.

Upon arriving in Rovaniemi, I went straight to the baggage claim, hoping to put an end to that turbulent day. However, the news that awaited me seemed to complete the cycle of challenges: my suitcase had not been checked in. I went to the service desk, filled out the necessary documentation and was informed that it would be delivered the following day. I took a deep breath and went to rest, hoping that everything would be resolved soon.

However, the next day, the suitcase did not arrive. Given this, I decided to go to the airport in person to look for it. Upon arrival, I realized that the situation was even more complicated than I had imagined. There were very few staff available and, to make matters worse, the baggage claim area was inside the arrivals area — where access is restricted.

I waited near the door and, luckily, when someone left, I managed to flag down an employee. She understood my request and came to greet me at the door. A few minutes later, I had my suitcase in my hands. What a relief! Thank goodness, just in case, I always carry a backpack with the essentials for two days — after all, facing -15°C without appropriate clothing would be a real nightmare.

Finally, Rovaniemi!

After this marathon, I was finally able to enjoy the city of Rovaniemi. Located in northern Finland, right in the heart of the Arctic Circle, the city looks like something out of a fairy tale. In addition to being known as the official residence of Santa Claus, it offers snow-covered landscapes, Lappish culture and, of course, magical experiences.

One of the most impressive phenomena in the region is the polar night. Above the Arctic Circle between November 26 and January 11, the sun simply does not rise. That’s right, during this period, the world seems to plunge into an eternal twilight.