A very early (5:30am) start to ensure we made our flights, almost falling for the hairbrained scheme of dropping our bags at the terminal (some 900m walk from the hotel...doesn't sound much but doing it 3 times before 7:15am would have been stupid...one of those "I think I need to rethink the plan for the morning" moments just as I nodded off to sleep last night, glad I did sort of thing). Buffet breakfast then off to Terminal 2 we went at 6:25am.

Happily for us, it was still before things got busy at the terminal and we dropped our bags no problem. Nervously though, the connecting flight in Helsinki was due to leave 35 minutes after the landing of the flight from Stockholm. Hmm... Anyway, we cleared security (but both of us committed the crime of having 250mL water bottles in carry on...oops). It's always a challenge. Leave later and then get caught in a queue and be uber stressed, or leave slightly earlier and find yourself sitting around for ages.

Having anxiously watched the earlier flights all leave slightly after scheduled time, and with a tight connection looming (why do I book them like this???), we were pleased to be called for boarding close to time and we left in good time to get to Helsinki at the allocated time. Looking at flight updates for the second flight, I was moderately pleased that it was already delayed by 20 minutes. Slight nervous pang as one of the Rovaniemi flights from Helsinki the day before was cancelled, and a "delay" is usually the code if a flight is going to be cancelled.

Anyway, landed in Helsinki very close to time. I think this pilot was actually very good. Quite a fast taxi on the tarmac in Stockholm and an assertive descent and landing. So, into Finland we went. Passing over the country, it is obvious that it is the land of the lakes! The flight to Rovaniemi was good too and we landed, only 15 minutes after schedule (the plane we were in was delayed earlier in the day). Bronnie ordered an uber (we had spotted our bags being loaded in Helsinki out the window too) and Amir in a red skoda appeared. Snow everywhere...great scenes.

We found the K-mart where our key pickup was located and somehow managed to find the right building. A great apartment (well played BJON again) and we sat down for a rest.

With the forecast not too cold, we considered trying to cancel our winter clothing rental. However, as we walked the 1.5km into town at 3pm, in the snow/sleet/wind/rain in our own clothes, a reconsider was on the cards. With temp only 2C, we thought that we might not need the warmth too much, so went out not overly dressed...

Arrival at winterent and a few minutes (well probably 25 minutes, unaware of the growing line outside the changeroom in the shop, sorry about that it was quiet when we arrived) later we ventured out again to try and find the pick up point for our dinner and ice hotel tour.

Not easy. Wind, rain, snow, ice, dark and street signs in a language that is tricky made google maps less than simple! Yipes. Combine that with some confusion about whether pick up time is 4:25pm or 4:50pm...but, after fully testing the waterproof nature of our hired clothes, the bus arrived. A 30 minute ride in conditions that would have tested the driver I reckon and we arrived. Very difficult to work out which "group" we were in, but we were shown to a table...fully equipped with ice seats, ice table, inside a full snow hotel (no wood, no steel, just electrical cabling for the lighting.

The temperature inside was a constant minus 7C! The decision NOT to cancel the winter clothing greatly appreciated. Yummy dinner (it had been a while since breakfast) and who knows what the actual time was (weird when it gets dark at 3pm) and a tour/explore of the ice hotel, plus a tasty Finland liqueur called "tar" (yep it was phenolic) for Tim and a blueberry liqueur for Bronnie, and a ride back to town at 9:30pm.

The ice hotel is built each November from scratch. The solid ice is cut in chunks from the local lake in March and stored (who knows where over the summer months). The furniture in the hotel and some of the ornaments are made from these. The snow that most of the hotel and each of the themed rooms that are carved by international snow sculpture artists is made by snow cannon that is scooped up and pressed into giant cubes before being stacked on top of each other and carved into the desired geometry. It takes 20 people working 12 hour days, 6days a week for 6 weeks to get it done. On the tour, I got to briefly experience a snow sauna and we had fun too in the ice bar, but didn't have a "shot" in an ice glass where it was a big feature to be able to throw the glass at the wall. The ice chapel was nice too. A few too many inconsiderable fellow tourists for our liking at times. It was slightly surreal when coming out of the hotel that the outside temperature was 0C and it actually felt warm. Like coming into a town and slowing to 60kmh and it feels slow.

A much less snowy walk back to our accommodation and a well earned sleep after what was an epic day. Phwoar. And tomorrow, we meet Santa :)