Last minute preparations for Sweden

Tomorrow I leave for Sweden! I am very excited for this amazing opportunity and cannot thank my parenting partner, Michael, enough for helping me make this trip a reality. He will be taking care of the kids while I am off enjoying Sweden, and hopefully they will not destroy the house. Don’t feel too bad for him–when he goes off to perform in shows around the country, I am home alone with the kids for days too. This time, it’s my turn! Heh!

I still can’t believe I am leaving tomorrow! While I am in Sweden I will post short updates on Twitter and will post longer updates and photos here. I don’t plan to spend much time online during my visit so I may not post anything substantial until after I return home on 10 February.

One thing I was hoping to accomplish was to bring only one suitcase, which I was going to carry on with me. Unfortunately, there was just no way I could pack all of my gear for the Arctic part of my trip as carry on. My boots and parka alone took up most of my suitcase! I tried vacuum shrkining bags to make more room, but it just wasn’t enough space (and I packed pretty light otherwise). Yesterday I purchased a large totebag which I will have to check. It costs $45 each direction to check a bag, but my choices are limited at this point. I obviously need my gear for Abisko, but I also need clothes and such for Stockholm. * sigh! *

Here is a very quick Swedish lesson for you. When someone is about to travel, we say something such as “Bon Voyage!” or “Have a safe trip!” In Swedish, we say “trevlig resa!” (tree-of-LIG  ree–es-SAH)

Christina

Two weeks until Sweden!

In exactly two weeks I will already be in Sweden. I am beyond excited! I’m not even sure which part of the trip I’m most excited for—the northern lights? The huskies? The glogg? I just don’t know!

There is also a chance that one of my sisters will be coming with me, though it all depends on the outcome of a football game tomorrow. Basically, if her team (the Philadelphia Eagles) wins, they will advance to the Super Bowl and she probably won’t come with me since the Super Bowl (US football) occurs during the time when I will be in Sweden. If the Eagles lose tomorrow, there is a good chance she will come with me. I think that would be so much fun! We’ll see…

Anyway, here is my updated itinerary:
Friday, 2 February  —  Depart New York for Stockholm
Saturday, 3 February  —  Stockholm
Sunday, 4 February  —  Stockholm  //  fly to Kiruna // transfer to Abisko
Monday, 5 February  —  Abisko (part of the day in Narvik, Norway)
Tuesday, 6 February —  Abisko
Wednesday, 7 February   —  Abisko  // fly to Stockholm
Thursday, 8 February  —  Stockholm
Friday, 9 February   —  Depart Stockholm for New York

UPDATE: The Philadelphia Eagles won the game yesterday. They will be in the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots on Sunday, 4 February 2018. As a result, my sister will not be traveling with me. Boo!!! We are going to plan another trip together somewhere later in the year. So this year during the Super Bowl, I will be in the Arctic! Far, far–FAR away from the insanity that will exist here in the Philadelphia region. I’m honestly kind of happy about that because I’m really not much of a football fan (American football). “Go Eagles!”

How to stay warm north of the Arctic Circle. In February.

I will be visiting Sweden in a few weeks—right in the middle of winter.

I will spend a few days in Stockholm, and will also travel north to Abisko National Park where I hope to see the northern lights. This part of Sweden is north of the Arctic Circle, and extremely cold during winter. I am the kind of person that is always cold and dislikes being uncomfortable, so for me to travel to the arctic—in the winter—is the joke of many who know me. I see it as a great opportunity to push myself, and to step outside of my [literal] comfort zone. I am honestly looking forward to the challenge.

Preparation is the key to any visit to an extreme climate, especially cold ones. Thankfully, I am one of those people who reads a lot and likes to compile lists for everything. Over the past month, I’ve collected lots of great products and other things related to traveling in Sweden, and in Swedish Lapland.

While in Sweden I plan to spend a lot of time outdoors, even at night. The majority of my three nights in Abisko will be spent outdoors searching for the northern lights, trekking through the snow, and hopefully not freezing to death. Thankfully, I’ve found quality products that will protect me from the cold, keep me safe and comfortable while outdoors in the Arctic.

So how do you stay warm in the Arctic in winter? Probably the most important thing I can suggest to anyone trying to stay warm in an extreme climate is to layer. Layering is vital to keeping your body warm in the Arctic. The materials you select for each of your layers is also extremely important. For example, cotton is one of the worst materials for the Arctic. It absorbs moisture and remains wet, which makes you feel colder especially if you use it as your base layer (the layer that touches your skin). I suggest avoiding cotton blends as well. Some of the best materials you can use for all of your layers include merino wool, polyester, thinsulate, and other synthetic fillers. I am not a fan of down feathers for a variety of reasons, but mostly because I think it is unnecessarily cruel, especially when there are so many other options. (click here for some cruelty free outerwear options)

You do not need to purchase expensive products to stay warm and comfortable; even inexpensive polyester and polyester blend items can offer excellent warmth when properly layered. I have planned a mix of products for my upcoming visit—from very inexpensive (a few dollars) to somewhat expensive (a few hundred dollars).

I spent the most money on my boots, which are made by Baffin, and offer excellent protection from cold temperatures. The boots I selected are also made of all man-made materials which is very important to me (I do not use leather or other animal products in any way.) Baffin boots were a logical choice for me because my feet are always cold, and if my feet are cold I will be uncomfortable and cranky. So high quality boots were an absolute must for me. The good news is I can use these boots at home in New Jersey as well, or for our ski trips. I’ve already used them a few times and they are exceptionally warm and comfortable. I also purchased high quality winter socks that come up to just below my knees (remember not cotton). I chose these socks, which are not made of any wool (because I don’t use animal products). I tried them out with my Baffin boots during a recent snowstorm here in New Jersey, and felt very comfortable. I will let you know how they work in the Arctic temperatures. (by the way, these are some of my favorite regular socks for non-Arctic temperatures. So comfortable and cute!)

My outer layer is a moderately priced parka (around $150) that has excellent online reviews from verified buyers. I’ve already worn it a few times here in New Jersey (we recently had a few days of snow with -1 F to 15 F temperatures) and found it to be warm and comfortable. My only complaint is I ordered my outer layer one size larger than normal because of all of the additional layers I will be wearing underneath in Sweden. I definitely suggest that you keep this in mind when selecting your outer layer. Here in New Jersey it’s just too big, but I will be able to use it for skiing and other winter sports when I return to the US.

For an excellent guide to the layers and links to recommended products, many of which I also use, please visit the Arctic Clothing Guide. This guide was written about northern Norway, but the conditions will be very similar north of the Arctic Circle in Sweden, Finland, Russia, etc.

I will post more in the upcoming weeks, and after my visit to Sweden, I will share what products worked best, and also share tips for ways I could have improved my warmth, comfort, etc.

Christina

Reservations made & paid!

 

Today I purchased my airline tickets, and made hotel reservations for my upcoming trip to Sweden. I am very excited! I depart on 2 February 2018.

This trip is very special to me, because I only recently learned about my Swedish heritage. It’s a very long story, but basically–in September 2017, I discovered that I am adopted after finding a DNA match on Ancestry.com with one of my three full biological sisters. Until September 2017, I never knew I was adopted because my adoptive parents selfishly kept this vital information from me. I was 40 years old at the time, so it was a very shocking and life-changing experience. One of the other things I learned from my DNA is that I am predominantly English, German and Swedish (I was raised believing I was Italian, Greek and Ukrainian). I’ve been to England and Germany multiple times, but I’ve never visited Sweden. I’ve always wanted to visit Scandinavia,  but never had a good excuse to do so–until now!

On this adventure, I will be traveling alone by choice. I have three young children, and there is no way I could bring them on this trip with me and enjoy it; it just wouldn’t happen. My oldest child is eight years old and my youngest just turned three. I can honestly say that in the past eight years, I’ve not slept straight through the night once–that is not an exaggeration. I am looking forward to the solitude and (relative) quiet this adventure will bring. Honestly, I need this adventure to reignite the parts of me that burned out from the chaos & events of 2017.

My visit will be brief–just one week. I depart from New York on Friday night, and arrive in Stockholm the following morning. After a few days in the city, I will fly north to Kiruna, where I will drive to a guesthouse in Abisko for three nights. This is approximately 120 miles north of the Arctic circle. Many who know me will find this funny, because I am always cold, yet I’m choosing to go there in the middle of winter. What can I say, I like challenges! Ha! Anyway, Abisko is where I will (hopefully) see the northern lights–I am beyond excited for this experience. I can’t imagine what it will be like to see them in person. I am also excited for the opportunity to meet other travelers and locals, and make new friends. The guesthouse in Abisko (feels weird to call it a “hotel”) also has Huskies, so I’m really looking forward to meeting them and hopefully getting lots of doggie kisses from them. Next, I will fly back to Stockholm for the remainder of my visit. I really wanted to take the overnight train to or from Abisko, but since my visit isn’t that long, I didn’t feel like I had enough time to dedicate to the 14-16 hour train ride. I really wanted to do it… Maybe next time!

Some of the things I’m most looking forward to in Stockholm include sailing with great views of the city with Swedish adult beverages (including glogg), a private tour of the city, visiting the Nobel museum, Stockholm city hall, dining at a few notable vegetarian restaurants in the city, and of course, the ABBA museum. Technically, it’s called ABBA The Museum (visit site). How could I visit Stockholm and not go there?! Ha! The museum also offers classes for children and adults, and even has their own app. During my visit, there will also be a temporary exhibit about guitars.

Anyway, this entire site will be dedicated to my trip, and other things related to traveling in Sweden and nearby destinations. This is also where I will share my photos from Sweden. I hope you will enjoy!

Christina