Open invitation arctic meet 2017

[dewi]

I'll wait and see what the ferry is going to be, but at 27 hours, is it going to be worth it, maybe ? without looking at my earlier post I think it's 'only' 10 hours more than the road trip to more or less the same point, we all get there refreshed, and then the push, snow tyres on a minibus, might have fun explaining that to the hire company lol

The question shouldn't be is it worth it to be 27 hours on a ferry... the question should be... is there a bar?!

Its one of those things really... we're a group of blokes wandering off into a hostile environment for a few days with the hope that we'll all come back again... few hours on a boat to have a natter and a laugh before we venture into the cold might be fun.

Nowt better than a road trip... only topped by a boat trip. Looking at the flights, it's 14 hours and then you have to add the few hours of booking in before the flight (is it 2 or 3 now?) and at least an hour or two at the other end trying to get Dave through customs... then how many hours on a bus? 5 or 6? Doesn't matter how you look at it... there is no quick way to get there... might as well have a ruddy good laugh on the journey Less squashed in a mini bus and on a boat as well for those of us who need the leg room... as we established, Dave is at least a foot taller than the rest of us... think of him squashed into a plane for 14 hours. Grumpy Dave at the other end!

 

[TinkyPete]

I have found this one for flights over our dates:

https://www.expedia.co.uk/Flights-Search?trip=roundtrip&leg1=from%3ABirmingham%2C+England%2C+UK+%28BHX-All+Airports%29%2Cto%3AKiruna%2C+Sweden+%28KRN%29%2Cdeparture%3A23%2F01%2F2017TANYT&leg2=from%3AKiruna%2C+Sweden+%28KRN%29%2Cto%3ABirmingham%2C+England%2C+UK+%28BHX-All+Airports%29%2Cdeparture%3A03%2F02%2F2017TANYT&passengers=children%3A0%2Cadults%3A1%2Cseniors%3A0%2Cinfantinlap%3AY&options=cabinclass%3Aeconomy%2Cnopenalty%3AN%2Csortby%3Aprice&mode=search


so that is around £230 return and with the extra £58 for the second bag is more reasonable, with two stop over is Copenhangen and Stockholm. Just to bring us back to flights I looked at SAS (at the SAS website) flights from Brum and they could do the monday but it was alot cheaper for tuesday direct but could not do the friday but following monday 6th was cheap too.

 

[Dave]

Never go out drinking with Dewi. You'll have a right laugh, but he'll never let you live it down. The man does not possess a liver.

Im thinking plane tbh.

I can just see us getting so stuck in a minivan, and it turning into a proper survival situation...

[I hope we dont end up messing Greger about.]

 

[bopdude]

I have found this one for flights over our dates:

https://www.expedia.co.uk/Flights-Search?trip=roundtrip&leg1=from%3ABirmingham%2C+England%2C+UK+%28BHX-All+Airports%29%2Cto%3AKiruna%2C+Sweden+%28KRN%29%2Cdeparture%3A23%2F01%2F2017TANYT&leg2=from%3AKiruna%2C+Sweden+%28KRN%29%2Cto%3ABirmingham%2C+England%2C+UK+%28BHX-All+Airports%29%2Cdeparture%3A03%2F02%2F2017TANYT&passengers=children%3A0%2Cadults%3A1%2Cseniors%3A0%2Cinfantinlap%3AY&options=cabinclass%3Aeconomy%2Cnopenalty%3AN%2Csortby%3Aprice&mode=search


so that is around £230 return and with the extra £58 for the second bag is more reasonable, with two stop over is Copenhangen and Stockholm. Just to bring us back to flights I looked at SAS (at the SAS website) flights from Brum and they could do the monday but it was alot cheaper for tuesday direct but could not do the friday but following monday 6th was cheap too.

As Dave just said, flights ARE the sensible option, those prices look good Pete the extra luggage is steep, isn't it ? , the dates are flexible within reason so that looks good :You_Rock_

 

[TinkyPete]

most extra baggage is normally between £45-70, so at 58 isn't that bad and the first of 23kg is free and so is carry on and they allow 10kg for that. so total baggage could be 56Kg for £58 not bad overall.

 

[bopdude]

Ah, OK, I bow to the previous great knowledge of the collective, we are Borg

 

[dewi]

Never go out drinking with Dewi. You'll have a right laugh, but he'll never let you live it down. The man does not possess a liver.

Im thinking plane tbh.

I can just see us getting so stuck in a minivan, and it turning into a proper survival situation...

[I hope we dont end up messing Greger about.]

A proper survival situation? Sold!

In all seriousness, the flights may be a tad cheaper... but its a boring way to travel and saps all the adventure out of it.

I'll go with the majority.

All I'm saying is that the trip is going to take a long time no matter how we travel... we're all going to be making our own way to airports and sitting around waiting for hours with over priced snacks (and beer)... we'll be lugging bags on and off public transport, and the majority of the journey will be in a cramped seat listening to the inevitable snoring and farting of other passengers.

Alternative is a spacious adventure across various countries, a knees up on the ferry and no lugging about baggage or worrying about how to cart bulky items through an airport.

My attitude is that trips like this will never go exactly as you plan them, even with the best will in the world... so you may as well enjoy it and what happens... well, it just happens. We're not going to be going in some old riggy vehicle... it'll have break down cover, and be a fairly new if not new bus. And a journey across the countries... you never know what you're going to see... we might find some amazing market out in the middle of nowhere... a farm shop.... or as I saw on a road trip in America, the world's largest tea pot!

 

[SGL70]

:l
[I hope we dont end up messing Greger about.]

Nah....if I can help in any way, it's fine. If not, well that's fine too. Also, if I am able to strap on my skis to come see you all...that would be a most welcome bonus on my part.

Greger

 

[Dave]

Im happy to fly to Kiruna as per TinkyPetes link and suggestion.

But if so, we dont want a hellishly long 15 + hours one. The 8-9 hours with two stop overs included, at under £250 look the best.

[Obviously the airline take your luggage at Birmingham, and transfer it between planes themselves, so youre only lugging it off at Kiruna]

Then its the coolest bus ride in the world. The buses are like Greyhounds where the driver shoves your baggage in a compartment underneath.

First one to spot a moose wins..........

It might be difficult to find a flight where there are enough places available, so that we are all on the same flight. There seem to be only four spaces available on most of the links.

 

[bopdude]

Im happy to fly to Kiruna as per TinkyPetes link and suggestion.

But if so, we dont want a hellishly long 15 + hours one. The 8-9 hours with two stop overs included, at under £250 look the best.

[Obviously the airline take your luggage at Birmingham, and transfer it between planes themselves, so youre only lugging it off at Kiruna]

Then its the coolest bus ride in the world. The buses are like Greyhounds where the driver shoves your baggage in a compartment underneath.

First one to spot a moose wins..........

It might be difficult to find a flight where there are enough places available, so that we are all on the same flight. There seem to be only four spaces available on most of the links.

Ok, so if it's Kiruna (if) does that change plans for the camping area, as originally we would have 'just' walked out the airport doors into the wilderness type thing, what about supplies ?

 

[Dave]

There's grocery stores in Kiruna, and one in Porjus I think mate.

No doesnt change anything. We just get a bus from Kiruna instead of Lulea to Porjus. Then we get another Bus to Vietas from Porjus.

Same route.

 

[bopdude]

Ok good stuff, butterflies are doing cartwheels now lol

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[bopdude]

Just had a reply from the Ferry company, they don't do passengers any more but would take the minibus at approximately £450 So, that would mean someone doing the rounds about 3 days before to get the stuff to the port before we flew out, then it's still a 15 hour drive, looking like the flights ARE the way to go, sorry Dewi

 

[Andy BB]

Re Dewi's point about surprising "finds" during a road-trip, I was on the compacted snow road (A45?) heading to Jokkmokk when I saw a sign saying something about knives (not sure exactly what as I don't speak Swedish..) I turned off the main road onto a single lane dirt-track (at least I think it was as it was covered with about 6 inches of snow). A few kilometres later I arrived at a wooden bungalow to be greeted by Father Christmas (or at least someone who closely resembled him). He took me into his home and showed me to a workshop/display area where he had an amazing collection of sharps on show. I could have spent a large fortune, but instead spent a slightly smaller one on the most beautiful knife I've ever seen. Pics on post 9 of Wally to the Arctic... http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=136303

 

[bopdude]

Just read that thread, great stuff

 

[SGL70]

The discussion regarding a road trip did not only teach me the difference between tire and tyre, but it also cost me a new set (had to go check my current set)

Greger

 

[bopdude]

The discussion regarding a road trip did not only learn me the difference between tire and tyre, but it also cost me a new set (had to go check my current set)

Greger

Ah yes, the English language, some weird one's, some British don't / can't distinguish between, there, their, they're, that's just the start of it, crazy language lol, and at least you're safe on the roads again

 

[lannyman8]

So is it flights then??,? Or what????

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[bopdude]

So is it flights then??,? Or what????

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I would say so, just my opinion

 

[lannyman8]

Ok so this.

And this came yesterday

Got me a tent and snow melting 3l stainless pot...😆😆😆

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