into the forest

The train is standing. Dark.
People walk noisily somewhere. An announcement that the train is broken, the matter is being investigated. Toilets don’t work. We’ll arrive in Rovaniemi with 50 minutes delay.
Rovaniemi hits with 23 degrees below zero. People can wait for the cars in a small house until everybody rushes out for some reason. Just to come back in one by one. We get the car, look for coffee and breakfast. These are available after 9.
We turn towards Pyhä-Luosto. Swiftly cross the Arctic Circle. Surroundings are nicely frosty, birches like lace, snow-covered fir branches pressed against the trunk. In the footsteps of tree carrying trucks snow chases after its tail. Temperature fluctuates between 23 and 30.
From Pyhä-Luosto information centre we get the key for the forest hut, a map, coffee and burger. We add layers and drive the car to a roadside parking lot. Backpacks on our backs, skies on and off we go. First half a kilometer along the big road, next five on a forest trail. Someone has been driving a snowmobile, someone has walked with snowshoes and an animal has left some poo. Sky takes on different colors. Air stands still, even wind is frozen. The only sound is the skis squeaking on the snow. Further away are naked hillocks in white fog. Signposts show snow in every direction.
The forest cabin is frozen and cold. Kalle starts to make firewood. I look for some tools and make a hole in the ice. Enchanting light above the lake.
Fireplace and stove bring above zero temperatures. Tea, soup. Sitting, watching the flames. Already possible to remove gloves. Its getting dark outside. In the evening Kalle entertains us with pasta.
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to Finland
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wandering around

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