I’m on my way to Jokkmokk on an overnight train for this year’s ski trip.

I’m trying out a new travel company this time, which I’m both looking forward to but also a bit anxious about. I’ve mostly been doing my ski trip with the same guide and the same group, so it’s only nominally a company and mostly just a group of friends by now, and we always have a great time. I strayed from that group once, with STF, and was rather disappointed with the outcome. (The group was too large, some of the people rather annoying, and the guide was clearly not very enthusiastic about being there.) It’s taken me some years to work up the courage to try again.

This opens up some new possibilities, though. This year’s ski trip will take place in Padjelanta national park, which is rather remote. It’s not like in the Norwegian mountains where you can step off the train and be at a DNT hut after 5 minutes of walking (or skiing). This is a train ride + a bus ride + a minivan ride + a snowmobile ride and THEN we can start skiing. Arranging this on my own without local ground support would have been impossible.