The travel Gods smile, Hotel Artic Ilulisat

Lonely Planet lists Hotel Arctic as top end, with rooms from 1200 danish Krona ( about $300) a night, and says" this swish hotels has some of the most stylish rooms in Greenland" and its resteraunt "Ulo" offers innovative cuisine with wonderful views over the ice filled bay". And guess what, I stayed here for a night! And guesss what else, Air Greenland is paying!! This is the view from my room...

Spent all day from 10 at the airport, flight was due out at 12, they cancelled it at 3:30 and put all non locals up in various hotels. And I absolutely arsed it in to stay at Hotel Arctic. I had originally planned to maybe spend a night here if my money was going OK, but after the Nuuk soccer fiasco I decided not to.

It is soooo luxuiious after camping, and a week in a hostel ( which was good for a hostel, but still!) I'm especially drooling over the bed, as it ain't no Thermarest, or two inch thick foam matresses on plywood. And not sleeping in my sleeping bag means I can stretch my legs out, woohooo!!!

There are even cool Igloo style rooms right on the point.

I'm laughing myself silly because I spent the hours at the airport listinging to podcasts about being mindful and enjoying each moment as it comes, not living in the past or the future. I'm sure going to enjoy this moment!!!!

Had dinner last night, consisting of the flesh of every Arctic creature you can think of, and i tried it all. Whale, Musk Ox, Salmon, Mackeral, fish eggs in sushi, crab, and heaps of other fishy creature based dishes. I did feel a little throat tingly when I got back to the room, and though Holy Shit, now is not the time to develop a seafood allergy!! But it was probably just to much food.

Chatted to an Aussie girl on a Nordic Travel tour who was finding it really boring, and asked had I seen any icebergs falling off the glacier? I think she thought it would be like a David A documentary where the ice crashes and roars constantly.

So back to the airport for take 2.

Last day in Ilulisat, travel back south to Nuuk

My last day in Ilulissat was a rainy cold one, so I spent it resting and at the Art Gallery. Lots of really nice paintings, it’s amazing how little the place has changed in hundreds of years. And lots of carvings from walrus and whale teeth.

Had a good talk to a local guy who explained all the small ice in the water, that when it rains and is rough it breaks up the smaller icebergs into slushies! They are all worried that the size of the icebergs is getting smaller and smaller, everyone is very environmentally aware here. You have to pay for plastic bags, and most people just put their grocery shopping into back packs.

New big yacht in the harbour today, its owned by whoever owns Chelsea Football club ( hey Tom!). Either he is Russian, has sailed from Russia, or is going to Russia, I’m not sure as my Greenlandic hasn’t really taken off!!

Discovered yet another culinary delight at the supermarket ( where all good budget travellers hang out on wet days, non budget ones having TV’s in their room!). It’s called “Cowboy Toast”, and is frozen ready-made toasted sandwiches!!!! What a concept, who needs to go to all the hassle of getting out the bread, ham, cheese and even tomato, of buttering the bread, no, if you’re a cowboy you just grab some Cowboy Toast from the freezer and wack it straight onto the toaster grill!!

Am now flying back to Nuuk for a couple of nights. This will be good as when I was there before everything was closed (as it was the weekend). Apparently you can often see whales from the University, so I hope I get to spot some. I’ve been surprised at the lack of animals, apart from lots of birds. I guess the hunting and the dogs keep anything else away. Time to start buying some gifts, but that’s hard as whatever I buy I have to carry.

Greenlandic summers, or hiking in the freezing rain!

Not many photos today, as it was so cold and rainy that I didn’t want to stop and take my gloves off. Hiked from the front of the icefjord, along for about 2 hours and it was bitter.

I had all my wet weather gear on so was dry, but the icy rain is a bit hard on the face. And with lots of water running over them the rocks are very slippery. It’s just like in the Blue Mountains, you see people who come out to walk with no clue, carrying umbrellas, not wearing water proof gear, and I bet no food. I’m sure they get lots of issues with cold injured walkers here, even in summer.

For some reason the rain and cold has really set the dogs off, they are just constantly and loudly howling. Maybe they are excited as winter is coming and they will get let off the chain!

The ice was still beautiful, the sea much rougher, so lots of little bits churning around.

Everyone was in the hostel in the afternoon due to the rain, so very busy. There are some cool people here, a Dutch couple who are artists and have been filming and photographing the area as part of an art project where they are shipping a piece of iceberg back to Holland and it will be auctioned off; a few individual travellers from German, Costa Rica and Denmark, a group of retired Danish people, and two Swiss sisters who have the wildest long grey hair and hike for miles with huge packs.

The different gear people hike in is a hoot, the German guy, who has just been on a really big hard hike, gets around in grey thermals with knee length corduroy hiking pants over the top. He looks like a nerd, but you can tell from his massive calves that he could hike for days in those cord pants!! Funny no Americans, Brits or Canadian’s here, or Aussies, so I’m a bit of an anomaly.

Rest day from hiking, got a bit of Culture!!

Had a rest day from hiking today, so got some Culture instead by going to the museum!

It’s in the house of Knud rassmussen, the most famous Greenlandic explorer, who travelled in Greenland, Russia, Canada and Alaska and showed that all the Inuit people are one. It was a great museum, and I learnt a lot. Here are a few;

Greenlandic has no letter C (I wonder if that’s because they only have dogs and not cats)

Where I hike to see the icebergs (Sermermiut) has had people living there for 4000 years and there are still heaps of tools and stones showing houses, as well as graves, all through there. No-one is allowed to disturb it, and eventually it will be taken by the ice flow.

Sledge dogs are more environmentally friendly, and dog sledges do much less damage to plants than the snowmobiles. This sign (if you can read it) gives some great facts.

They are really worried that it will be a massive loss of culture if dogs die out. That’s why you can only have dogs here that were born and bred above the Arctic Circle, they don’t want to inbreed and lose the dogs ability to withstand cold.



They still wear traditional Greenlandic dress on National Days (hey Gracie, bet your glad you don’t live here!)

Also have an actual sod house that used to be lived in.

So have had a nice day, and even found some pamphlets in English!! Joy oh Joy! I’ve realised that I have an addiction (other than food, and now that I don’t drink) and that to words!! All the books in the hostel are in Danish!!

Some more walking tommorow as I only have the weekend, then back south to Nuuk, but I think it will be walking in the rain..oh well, it is Greenland

Hiking North to Rodebay

Headed on my hike today up the coast, north of the town. You can hike all the way up, 22 km, and catch a ferry back, but I’m in the difficult situation of hiking on my own and not knowing how well the trail is marked or how long it will take, so my plan is always to hike out as far as I feel safe, or till lunch, then return.

The trail passed the old town cemetery, which I’m fascinated with. They are in the most magnificent locations ( yes icefjord backdrop always) and have lovely big white wooden crosses. No names, because Greenlanders believe in Name Souls, so that when someone dies they recycle the name as quickly as possible and the soul then acts as a guardian to the newborn.

This hike was once again through the most beautiful orange, red and yellow foliage, over gray rocks, with the coast and its icebergs on my left. I saw no other hikers, and had a fabulous day.

Part of where I walked is the sledge trail in winter, but it just cuts across the water when it freezes. They still use sledges Ben when they hunt, or catch seals. It’s much cheaper, traditional, and better for hunting than a snowmobile.

Oh and I did mention, in blog or email, that I had been blessed by great weather. Well once again this was lovely cool and great for walking.

Came upon this amazing little pink house about 6 km from town, no road, you would just walk, or ski, or take your boat. Of course I made up a million stories about it in my head, that if I went over that someone would say “What took you so long?” and give me a cup of tea, or what if it was my house, and what would it be like here in winter when even the ocean is frozen.

Well I hiked till 1 pm, stopped at my planned saddle, between two higher peaks. I’m taking my topo map and trying to read it as I go, but I’m still not ready for no trail.

What I have with me ismy little Salomon pack which has turned out to be day hikes. I try to take apples, cheese etc, not cold meat like I would normally as the dogs like it!!!

Should have concentrated more in that Nav class Lindy!! Looking forward I could see where the hike went on, right to the peninsula on the end, and was tempted to keep going. I have these two warring voices in my head. One is “You can do it, you are just making excuses for yourself” and the other is “Imagine if I had to get rescued, everyone would be so mad at me!!!”.

So I stuck with the plan and turned for home, very happy with how serene it was. About 2 minutes latter I was in full wet weather gear, and walked to 7 km home in pelting rain! Boy does it know how to send down cold, icy rain in Greenland!! But I hear its doing the same at Greghamstown! Arrived home safe and dry, very glad I had packed for bad weather!

Hiking to the front of the Icefjord, iluisat

Today began very foggy, so I had a little wander around the harbour. Every family in Ilulisat has at least one boat, so it’s really busy, plus there are passenger and tourist ferries, and Arctic exploration vessels as well. Oh and of course, icebergs

As I wandered around the harbour front I got followed by 3 young sledge dogs, they must have been nearly 6 months old (which is when they have to get tied up). I’m quiet afraid of dogs that I don’t know, and I’m sure dogs know that. Anyway all good, but I must say that it adds to the anxiety level somewhat!! All the places I have been to have the loveliest Churches, all in beautiful locations, this is the view from the Zionist church....

Then off on my hike, past a residential part of town, all the houses are colourful, but the newer style is now apartment blocks. As its summer everyone flat out repainting, and redoing the insulation rubber on the roofs, as well as carpentry work. It’s interesting, when school and daycare close it’s the Dads who pick up the kids. And you see lots of old people walking around, always with a younger person helping them. The feeling here is very much that everyone in the community contributes, and they seem to take great care of old and young.

My hike today was only a few kms, and took only a couple of hours walking. It allowed me to see the Icefjord from the front, where the trapped icebergs come off into the ocean

The grounds you walk over is just rough stone, and very pretty sub arctic plants, but it’s easy to lose your bearing’s. Luckily the local hiking club has marked heaps of trails. You get really close to the ice, and it is awesome. You can’t help but just sit and look at it, heaps of different colours and shapes, and constant creaking and cracking.

It’s humbling to think of how old it is and how far these actual chunks have come, slowly, down the fjord as part of the glacier. I’m also finding it amazingly peaceful, and have no inclination at the moment to partake in any of the numerous group tours you can go on. Though I will probably go on a ferry ride before I leave.

I’m also really enjoying the hiking here, and there are more trails, from 1 km to 30km, than you could possibly walk. Greenland is looking like the only country in the world where I will have eaten a packed of Peanut M & M’s everyday that I was there. Thank God they have the universal packaging so that I can always find them! And thanks to Ariel and Brig I was able to buy some lovely bacon for brecky.

The enormity of the whole thing is hard to fit in a picture, and hard to get into your mind. I have great admiration for the local people who live here, as it’s such a cold environment even in summer. But I must say everyone still wears North Face and Adidas, Salomon and Columbia gear, it’s hard to find local stuff. That’s sort of nice though, as nothing is written in English (imagine me, I can’t even read the tourist brochures!!)

hiking to the icefjorrd, ilulisat

Had a sleep in today, then did about a 3 hour hike to the Icefjord. Its cold today, about 3 degrees, and cloudy. On my way out of town I did the usual backyard browsing, saw this cute little sledge dog puppy asleep on its sledge!!! And Billy youshould be glad you don't have to feed all these dogs, as each family has about 15 adults!!!

The walk started through a nice valley, really pretty and fragile sub arctic vegetation, so on boardwalk.

The you start to see it, this amazing frozen icefjord.

Its hard to describe how massive it is. Everyone is sort of awed and talks in whispers.

Its really quiet, except for what sounds like cannons going off far away, thats the ice creaking, and occasional really loud thunderclaps, thats ice falling off!

Sat for ages, just looking, its hard to describe how majestic it is. Moosey and I didnt even feel the need to talk....

So I'm just blown away!
On the food front, am now enjoying a Musk Ox burger for dinner...yummy!

Tommorow Ill do a much longer walk along the fjord. They sell tours for everything here but you dont need to buy them, you can just go on your own.

Flying to ilulisat, I'm above the arctic circle

Got up really early for my flight, then spent the morning waiting as the plane was delayed by bad weather. Not so bad, except that their were lots of flights, and all the announcements were in 2 languages, Greenlandic and Danish! I couldn't understand a word! Ariel, can you get mum to look up some danish words and email them to me? I'd really like to know how to say ham and bacon!

Then when we were in the air it was magnificent, mountains, fjords, and the sea with icebergs

and glaciers...

After about one and a half hours, we crossed the Arctic Circle and came to the icefjord at Ilulisat. I've come here because the area is UNESCO world heritage listed, had been an inuit settlement since 2000 BC and has lots of hiking and other boat trips you can do. The Icefjord is amazing..

All these little chunks of ice breaking off are massive icebergs. You are not allowed to walk on any of the beaches when hiking because if an iceberg rolls it causes a tidal surge and people ( tourists) get washed away! The icebergs are visible from everyone window, the day care, the hospital where I got this shot with moosie (much to the amusement of a nice nurse going on shift!). Its cold here so I'm wearing my North Face down jacket under my rain jacket, and thermals, so no "oh shes got fat on holidays" emails yet please!

Did my usual walk around town and looked in peoples yards, which is  a favourite passtime. I can imagine the mum saying get those bloody skidoos out from under my feet, or a The Castle scenario of moving the Cortina to get to the Torana..

And what to say about these boats...

And everywhere the sledge dogs..

3,500 dogs and 4,500 people live in Ilulisat. The dogs are in designated areas, and they howl all the time, so its a bit eerie. I didnt camp because of the cold, and also because some of the dogs are wild or bad, and they go through tents looking for food.

Sleeps a bit hard, as the sun rises at 4 and sets at 11, but it never really gets dark properly!!
Some hiking tommorow I hope..

hiking aroun Little Marlene, Nuuk, and 'are we there yet?'

I'm laying on my hotel bed, rubbing very tired feet, after a hike that was longer than expected.

The day started really foggy, and I was despondent! No hiking, and its Sunday, so no shops open!  I had a walk around. Its really very pretty, colourful wooden buildings,

 The harbour

And Beth and Lucy, guess what I found?  Santas Post Office!  This is a picture of it..

I was so sad about no hike, that I ate all my peanut M and M's while reading, then the sun came out! 

 So off I went. As its Sunday no buses, so I had to walk about an hour (4km) to get to the start.

It was a beatiful sunny day, about 10 degrees

Headed up past a lake

over hill and dale (though they wouldn't call it a dale, they'd call it something with way more constenants in it than dale).

past more lovely lakes and streams

then swung east and got views of the harbour with icebergs.

The whole hike was about 5 hours, and yes I did start to get a bit worried as I crested ridge after ridge. Jode Helen and Lindy you've walked with me so you know how good I am at going off the track.  But then ran into people picking blueberries in the wild. Heaps of people!

So fly north to Ilulissat tommorow, above the Artic Circle, in an area known as Disko Bay!!!

Flying to Greenland, and Nuuk wins the soccer!!

I am in a hotel room in Nuuk, Greenlands tiny capital, after the most spectacular 3 hour flight. Why am I in a hotel room, because bugger me Nuuk won the soccer grandfinal tonight, as we landed, and I decided it was not safe to camp with pissed soccer fans driving everywhere, honking horns and chanting!! Soccer sure is the world game Tom!!

Flew for the first hour over water, then got to see mountains with snow on top emerge.

I thought the sea was rough, with lots of icecaps , till I realised they were Icebergs!!!

Then flew for 1/5 hours over just ice and snow, absolutly amazing! Like the biggest pavlova top that you've ever seen, with the most bright blue frozen lakes from time to time.

I was sitting next to a nice young guy who is studying in Nuuk to be a policeman. He thought it was funny me clicking photos out the window ( at least I think he did as he spoke Danish, with some broken English, and me I just speak Australian! ) Yep thats right, I'm now in a country with another language, new money, and new phone system, as Greenland is a Danish colony.

Nuuk came into view with its beautiful fjords, and massive cliffs.

The town is quiet cute ( apart from the pissed soccer players). Hike tommorow, can't wait!!

And this is the view from my hotel window.  Yet again those bright colours!

So where exaclty am I? If Greenland is a long triangle I've flow across to the eastern side about one third of the way up from the bottom, and I'm still below the Artic Circle. I'm moving between stark terror and giggling excitement, so its all good, if a little exhausting!