8 September 2021 Winter is Coming...Kirkenes, Norway

Well, to quote one of my favorite series, Game of Thrones, "Winter is Coming." While I'm not so worried about the approach of the White Walkers from across the Wall, I noticed a distinct change in the weather as soon as I arrived in Kirkenes. Suddenly I was underdressed in a t-shirt, even with a fleece. Let the layering begin.

Kirkenes is a town about 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle and about 8 miles from the Russian border. Norway "wraps around" Sweden and Finland, and driving west through Finland means turning clocks ahead by an hour, rather than behind. The town was the site of both German and Russian occupation during WWII, and there is an underground bunker (not open today) where the residents sheltered from air raids. It is a jumping off/turn around point for Arctic sightseeing cruises and is known for its Snowhotel (outside of town), king crab fishing, northern lights viewing, and outdoor exploration.

The passengers on the plane were a mix of trekkers, military personnel, locals, dockworkers, and a few scientists. Everyone had lots of luggage and was outfitted for the outdoors. The airport has 2 gates - an arrivals and a departures.

The shuttle bus to the hotel ran on well-paved roads through sub-arctic low hills, lakes, and a mixture of tundra (low plants and grasses, less precipitation) and taiga (some evergreen and other trees, more precipitation) biomes.

At the hotel, I overheard American accents and finally found people from the expedition. I was the only one from our ship at my quarantine hotel, so these are the first of my new colleagues I've met face-to-face. So far, so good. (Otherwise, it will be a long 6 weeks.) Many of us are staying at the Thon Hotel - a common hotel chain in Norway. I stayed in one in Oslo, but unlike most "city" buildings, this one actually sits out over the bay on pilings.

Kirkenes has a population of about 6000 including the surrounding region. Most residents are Norwegian, but there is a significant Sami (indigenous peoples from Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia) and Russian population. In addition to tourism, the city is poised to become even more of a major shipping route between Europe and China, shortening the distance traveled (through the Suez Canal) by more than 40%. Because of global warming, the route through the Barents Sea is expected to remain ice free for much of the year.

The area is stark, but beautiful. The light continually changes and makes colors seem more vibrant.

Ok. True confession time in the "weird quirk" department. As my family knows, whenever we go to an ocean, I have to both touch and taste it - I have no idea when and where I started this habit. Today was no different. I managed to find access to the water and to dip my fingers in - yes, it's salt water, and no, I didn't even fall in (something I've certainly done before).

I am hoping to video conference in with my classes today to say goodbye. We load and board the ship tomorrow. The ship is scheduled to leave at midnight on Friday morning. Future journals will be at the whim of the "Internet Deities." Thanks for reading.