At the Lavvu Arctic Camp we share with you the concept of dwelling in the Arctic being a real person in a real environment, and not simply a ‘consumer abroad.
We live in a society where images are literally overwhelming us. It is a media bombing. I think that returning to tales, to telling people stories, to becoming, each of us again, a storyteller can change our perception of life and can move us to a better understanding of the real world and how we should behave in it.
At the Lavvu Arctic Camp we offer you excursions during which you will be guided and inspired by some of the best guides of Norway. Our team includes Marianne Skjøthaug and Arne Karlstrøm, two of the most experienced mushers and sleddog guides of Scandinavia. Marianne was Sleddog World Champion in 2011 and Arne is a veteran, having participated more than 20 times at Finnmarksløpet, a 1000 km Arctic race which is truly one of the most challenging competitions on the planet.
Also on our team is Tore Karlstrøm, a climbing and ski guide born in Lanfjordbotn. Tore guides you in full safety on ski excursions on the mountains and glaciers, as well as on a multitude of other unique outdoor adventures such as kayaking trips in the fjords. We also offer kiting and sailing experiences for which you will be provided with experienced instructors and guides.
I myself was born and grew up in the Alps, spending more than 200 days a year on the glaciers. Inspired by a lifelong passion for water, I also have sailed and rowed thousands of miles. I will be happy to share with you all my experiences of a life spent sailing, rowing and skiing, all the while teaching you how to feel safe and comfortable in the Arctic and on the water.
January 16th Clear Sky, strong wind from SW, -16
A wonderful warming dinner in Lanfjordbotn with Arne and Marianne, the owner with Tore, of the hytte which will be our base for the Lavvu Arctic Camp. After 9 days on the road across Europe and a snowy Scandinavia that’s was the bet wellcome for us. Many friends hosting us along the route. Amazing hospitality from Alex and Natalie in Goch, the best pulk maker in the world, then, in Schüttorf, Sonia and Günther Schulte spoiled us, and amazed by the beauty of their life, home and their daughter we loved our days in Hällne, Sweden, with Anna and Oliver, who designs and makes some of the most beautiful lamps one can’t imagine, recycling with love and creativity old materials: tridimensional poetry. Then driving along the endless white highways.
January 24th, clouds, -22, wind from N
We did a lot of work. Sandro is fantastic.
I don’t know how could I’ve done it without him. A great friend, withstanding my reproaches and my moody moments. Chopping birches, a gift of god in this climates, we pray for the gift every time we must use our axes or saw. We need them for the Lavvu. The smaller ones are up, with the Gstove, so sturdy and beautifully built.
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We are working hard to finish the camp before our first visitors.
Very soon will host also a remarkable woman, Gina Johansen, a Swedish athlete who will ski for 2000 km from Nordkapp to South Sweden, alone and unsupported. We share the same pulka maker, Acapulka.
So, stay tuned and Be water.. we’ll Be snow!
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February 3rd, -4, sleet, no wind
Two friends arrived our Camp, Kwang from Thailand and Gina from Sweden, even if actually she’s living in Sidney. We spent 4 days with Gina JOHANSEN,
Sweden. A tough project. I know a little bit about it having skied a good portion of the itinerary she will do in the opposite direction. We spent many hours discussing about her equipment, her motivations and many other things. She is so open and serene. An inspiring example for many. On our FB page clicking above in this page you will find link to her trip web site.
We will follow her. The Lavvus are ready and the warmth that the stove is creating is incredible. Expecially with the ecofan, a fanwhich generates its own energy form a thermogenerator, a plaque called the Peltier plaque, from the name of its inventor.
We thanks so much Robin Sveen from Gstove, the founder of it, who sent us three ecofan.
And some accessories too including some very good coffee. Tusen takk Robin!
Kwang came from Bangkok and passed from +32 Celsius to -20 in a few days. She is doing great. She brought us some joy and clean, civil and good manners,and good meals, a little bit forgotten during the camp preparation by Sandro and me. Too busy to behave like Homo sapiens.
The community around us is extraordinarily warm and prone to help us. Marianne, Arne, Randi, Noa, Emma and all are all so nice to us. It is really a joy to live here and we will try to make ourselves useful.
The weather has been so nice to us also. Cold but so dry, clear skies and northern lights.
Working without storms or snowfalls is much easier.
We are ready now and the first real guests will arrive on February the 8th from Mallorca.
Bewater my friends or be snow!
Nicola Zago and the FabLab Verona made this brass masterpiece to impress with fire the logo designed by Pati De Ross. I thank them all. I kept marking every wooden thing like an obsessed cowboy..
February 18th, Clear Sky, -16 Celsius
The camp hosted two dear friends from Mallorca: Sebastià Vidal, boatbuilder and Sebastià Amengual Rossellò.
Happy days and sun. Always sun and clear skies. The Arctic is amazing here. Sunsets and Northern Lights are spoiling us.
The Camp is ready and we are waiting for other guests.
In the least days I’ve been quite grumpy and I behaved like an old asshole with Kwang and Sandro who, as always, worked so hard and well. I am not very good in teamworking and I feel better when alone but I try, without succes, to involve other persons in the project as part of the project. My head is crazy and beyond two persons I start to feel the overcrowding of the working space. So I am short circuiting.
I apologize for my behaving and I thank so deeply Sandro for his incredible and fundamental help, and Kwang for smiling always and trying to withstand with my mood and behaving. She brought in the Camp joy and love, and good food. I’ll miss them a lot and they won’t miss me for sure,
Jean Moreau was singing..Each man kills the things he loves..in Querelle de Brest di Werner Fassbinder.
I should add the word stupid before man. Or crazy.
Days are longer and sun finally kissed the camp.
March 11th, cloudy -8C
First of all I would like to introduce you a new member of the crew at the Camp: Bonnie, a beautiful Alaskan Husky, eight years old, who need some rest after so many days pulling a sled.
Peter, one of the member of the Langfjordbotn community asked me if I could look after her and I has been happy to say yes. I love dogs and spent most of my life with them. She is now looking at me curiously and wondering who I am. She is so calm and sweet.
The life a t the camp allows me some free days after the wonderful days with Katy, Ilona and Thomas
They made my time so full and rich of love. Better guests I couldn’t ask! I think they had good time and they were so lucky with the weather. Almost everyday was sunny and so dry. In the cabin is always 25%/30% humidity. Like in the desert.
In the previous post I forgot to mention a special visit, totally unexpected.
Tim from Taiwan, a biker who made something like 23.000 km to get here, including being beaten in Tagikistan, a forced rest of 96 days, in jail in Canada, for stupid border formalities and amenities like that..Incredible tough man. It was 10pm, snowing hard, dark, when I got a call from a Finnish mobile number. No answer.. I called back and a tired voice told me: ai am here, I am Tim from Taiwan. I went to the car and found him pedaling his 60kg bike. He got off and was wet and frozen, skippering on the ice underneath the fresh snow. It was hard to push up to the cabin his bike. He drunk 4 liters of water, he came from Alta 80km and took 7 and half hours to get here. Wet and freezing temperatures are not good together. Hypothermia is behind the corner and is not nice at night during a snow storm along the E6 in the Arctic. Not a lot of people around at night. After two days sleeping and eating he left to Tromsø. Good luck Tim, your incredible adventure will stay with me.
I had a chance to help Arne Karlstrøm and his team to prepare the food for the Finnmarksløpet, the third longest dog race on the planet. One thing I learned once more: these dogs are eating better than me. Raw salmon and first quality mackerel. And other snacks to provide them the 12000 calories a day to run for 1200 km in 5/6 days. They are athletes and the mushers must be the same today. The departure from Alta is an incredible event.
I am alone with Bonnie now, I enjoy the beauty, my time, I read, work, read a lot and in my plans there is the construction of a barrel sauna. Birds are coming to eat every morning at the little feeder I built and the one Katy lovely made for them. It is a pleasure to observe their dances.
Northern lights were amazing as usual and Thomas had one of the best for his birthday. Also the last night they were gifted and Arctic nature decided for a special show.
Days are longer and longer. Light comes around 5am and lasts till 6pm. Just less than 8 weeks ago it was a mere 3 and a half hours.
We had -22 Celsius but now is getting warmer.
Finally we tried seaweeds from Gitte. Delicious!
Randi prepared for us wonderful dinners at her Cafe, the real meeting point of this community.
Also a unexpected and emotionally deep surprise was the meeting of many students from Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Greek, Norway and Italy in the local hall. Food, music and good vibes shared among creative and special persons willing to live without borders, a non sense in a world of good humans.
Like Thor Heyerdahl, the famous Norwegian explorer, and free man said..Borders?? I never encountered them but I know they exist in some men’s head.
Enjoy life.