Kiruna, Lapland, Sweden
Much as I tried to fight it, Sunday was a write off. A 12pm train to Kiruna, then a 4pm hostel open time meant I couldn't do a lot. Kiruna being a grotty mining town didn't inspire either. The reason it's grotty though is that they're going to knock the whole town down soon - the whole place is slowly subsiding because the mine goes underneath it - and rebuild a couple of miles away!
Monday however was a lot more productive (can/should travelling be productive?!) as I set out on the bike (route). First stop, Ice Hotel - a unique and famous hotel made completely of ice, beds 'n all. The irony is that with it being summer there was nothing to see but a big patch of gravel where it had melted into the river, and the factory where they were creating next years version.
Next stop, Esrange Space Centre. Located a long long way from the rest of Europe, the European Space Agency send rockets and science balloons up from Esrange, though there's no launches for a few weeks. The site was 15 miles down a dead end road, and the address not published (though easily Googled), and once at the gates that's it, no entry to the public. All you could see was a rocket on display, and a view down into the valley of all sorts of odd looking buildings needed for space launches. A tiny bit exciting nonetheless and like a James Bond set.
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Back in Kiruna that afternoon, I did the only thing the town has to offer - a trip down the iron ore mine - the biggest in Europe and completely underground. Now, when the bus got to the entrance, I thought we were going to get off and get in a lift. Instead, we drove to a tunnel and immediately started going down and down a steep hill right into the mountain; proper exciting. The driver wasn't hanging around either; there was even a speed camera that told us that. Next thing we know his wingmirror hits the side of the tunnel, then swings round and bang, shatters the bus window! Only added to the drama. We eventually descended nearly half a vertical mile to the exhibition area in a disused tunnel, though the working mine is nearly a mile underground. This bit was interesting enough, but a bit sterile and regimented. I wanted to see trucks and explosions not corporate propaganda videos and old pickaxes. Ah well, health and safety wins again.
The mine for many years has been the backbone of the Swedish economy and is sensibly owned by the government (unlike the UK where every other country owns our resources!), and supplied the steel mill I visited last week, so I've now seen the full chain of steelmaking. Dull to most, but having worked a lot with the stuff - fascinating to me.
Today is a bit of a come down in comparison - taking the train south to the city of Luleå, leaving the arctic circle on the way. Whilst I seem to be getting more able to plan, find things and overcome problems as I travel, unfortunately I'm still leaving some things to the last minute such as booking accommodation. Consequently I got to Luleå to find all four hostels fully booked with students, who have started term and yet to get houses. New challenge - learn to stop procrastinating!
Anyways, I've skipped the town and hopped on another 14 hour sleeper train, down to the capital - Stockholm. And just as I arrive, so will a certain US President. Could be an interesting couple of days!
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