When I saw the Aurora

So what’s your worst fear? I have many, but driving and cold weather probably dominate the top of the list. Hopefully someday robots will take over or I would make one, but somehow I do survive without driving.  But every year from November to February, I live a nightmare, mad increasingly more nightmarish by biometrics in a digitized world. As far as I remember, I would shed skin in winter, a condition made far worse, by my mother’s dream to watch me play mridangam , my hands would literally bleed and I would curse and wait for my beloved summer. Then I grew up, internet happened, and somehow somewhere my eyes fell on the pics of Aurora, a natural phenomenon which is visible in the poles. I was smitten and had to see her. But wait, the damn thing is visible only in the poles. Uh Oh, yep, dastardly cold weather.

Damn!! But, it had to be done, I had to face up to my worst nightmare.  And with lots of courage and planning, and not so little help from my cousin Priya, it was decided, we would make the journey.

By quirk of fate we decided we would do it in February, and later my research on the science of Aurora, also suggested, Feb would be a good time. Aurora is linked to the solar activity, though it is visible in both the poles, the chance is better in the North Pole.  A. South pole is inhospitable and b. when it is winter in north pole , the earth is closest to the sun. So just after we enter the constellation of Capricorn, or Makar Snakranti, is probably a good time. The sun follows a 11 year cycle, so as per my calculation, I had overshot the best time to see aurora by a couple of years, but all this dawned on me only after the trip was paid for.

But we digress, the first obstacle was to get a visa. After nearly endless documentation, I booked my date with the VFS center in Pune.

As the day of reckoning approached, my heart beat increased and I was constantly chanting hanuman chalisa. Why you may ask. Well, I had to submit my finger prints. In the month of January, my finger tips are as bald as my head. When I proceeded to submit my finger prints, the reader was all read. My finger prints are illegible, I knew my handwriting was bad, but my finger prints, damn! I just can’t catch a break. After a wait for a couple of hours, I was made to sign a document, as to why my finger prints could not be read. Now, I was scared. You, need to have an itinerary, before you get your visa. Details of where you stay, blah blah. Oh god! Now, I am back to being a theist. After 10 days of anxious wait, I finally got my visa. Yay, I am all set. Next step shopping, for clothes, which would keep me alive for 2 weeks, and not sure when I am going to use again. I headed to a shop called Meher in Pune, which apparently specializes in all things wintry, and then for lack of enough research, shoes from woodland.

Now all set, I finally set for my tryst with the Aurora, on the evening of February of 16^th 2017. A long flight from 4am in Mumbai, then to Doha and then finally I landed in Oslo. I was not prepared for what I was about to see. There was only colour, my eyes could see, WHITE. I had never seen snow in my life. Forget so much snow. But, I was still anxious, there was a little thing called immigration, where to my great horror they would again scan my finger prints. SHIT. There I go being a theist again. Rohit, you hypocrite. A little bathroom break, meant I was the last in the line. Finally I reached the counter, I tried to put on my best behavior and best smile possible. The office asked me some question, I hoped against hope he would not make me scan, but nope, out came that cruel, red devil, called finger print scanner. Finger one, nope, two three, four nope. Now, my heart is really racing. He asks me to show my hand. Says try your left thumb. Yay, Yippie-Ki-Yay, It worked. Thank god, it worked. I just burst into the airport dancing in my hearts. Norway hear, I come. I reached the baggage belt, it read last bag on the belt. Wow!!!. I collected my bag, boarded a bus, and by the time, I reached my hotel It was 3:30am. A helpful thata showed me the way to my hotel, from the bus stop.

As I waited for my cousin Priya and my Jiju Karthik to join from London, I decided to move around and investigate the area. The sunset was amongst the most spectacular scenes, I had ever see. The road looked like a giant black forrest cake.

By the time Priya came, it was late and the hotel’s restaurant had closed. The nearby McD did not have anything remotely vegetarian, but thankfully I was loaded, with Theplas and I survived the night. The next couple of days in Oslo, were spent sight seeing. It was stunning to sea an entire sea absolutely frozen. The highlights were the absolutely stunning park, full of statues, and snow. After an hour we had to abandon as our feet could no longer bear the cold.

The sight from the top of HolmenKollen was absolutely stunning.

Day 3, we are off to Tromso. We reached a little late into the night again. Now, Tromso is a very small town, my office campus is probably bigger. We met an Hindi speaking Norwegian at the hotel reception, she could speak better Hindi than I could speak Tamil( Her Hindi was definitely better than Karthiks’s).

Day 4:  We move around Tromso, not much to do. We head of to some chapel, only to find it is closed. Walk back and experience the first snow storm of our lives. I thought we were screwed. Somehow made it back. Thanks to some hot coffee and whisky we were all set. This being a Monday, it was meat free dinners at our hotel. Yay!!

Day 5: We leave our hotel and head for Reindeer Sledge. We meet the Sami people, aboriginals, who are Reindeer herders. Their attire reminded me of elves.

From there we were off to the place where we would see the Aurora. We had to cross a Fijord. The boat was huge, looked like a cruise. It’s late, and too cold and cloudy for Aurora. After some snow shoe trek and dinner, we were dead tired and Zzzzzzzzz.

Day 6: It’s snow mobile time. I tried my hand, but after some time, my spectacles, where completely frosted and could not see a damn thing. I had to ditch it and ride with my guide. L. But still was fun. Next, was some cross country skiing. Damn that’s the most physically exhausting thing I have ever done. In 5 minutes I was sweating  in -15 temperature. After numerous falls and  twisting my knee, I finally gave up. But the day was to get better, we finally saw the Aurora. Yippie-Ki-Yay!!!!. We then headed to the Lavvu. We were excited, a fire place. We were told when the fire gets going, the snow from the roof melts, and we would see stars from our beds. Lies damn lies. Getting the fire in the fire place is one difficult task. After hours of putting logs into the fire place and the snow showing no signs of melting, we finally resigned to our fate, and slept. But in between we did again see the aurora and a gazillion stars

Day 7: We head back to the golf course, which was covered in atleast 5 feet of snow. This is the same place where we did Reindeer sledge. This time it was the turn of Husky’s. Beautiful animals. I am scared shit of dogs usually. But unusually I was calm today. They just love to run. After a long ride and just about avoiding getting frozen we head back to the hotel.

Day 8: It’s snow snow all over. We are worried, how will our flight take off. There was just about 3 hours’ time gap between our connecting flights to our respective destinations. But amazingly, the flight takes off in time. At the Oslo airport, there is more drama, The QA guys ask me to take a different flight and go to Copenhagem. They even offer me money. I refuse. I am scared shit of submitting my finger prints again. They relent.( I had a single entry visa, not sure I would have been allowed entry if I had agreed. It hit me later). After passport control and all I am finally headed to Doha, where I meet my buddy Ramana after ages.

Day 9: Roam around Doha and finally fly back to home sweet home.

I had fun, it was nice to see places, not so crowded. Impressed with the engineering in Norway, and the public transport. Apparently is the happiest place in the planet, it shows. But now it’s back to the daily grind