Adventures in the Valley

Today marks one month of my journey! As quickly as it has gone it also feels as if I have been on the road for many months now. I struggle with finding the energy to keep up with this blog, not that I don't want to, but I do enjoy sleep :) And I blame my exhaustion on "The Illness"!! I am quite certain that everyone is sick and tired (yes, pun intended) of hearing me complain about being sick, but this blog is about me and my travels so deal with it!

I had a few days of a raging headache that turned into a relapse of stomach pain that I am still trying to work through today. As existential as this might sound, I HOPE that there is some glorious lesson that arises from this bug.

For the few days I was back on my feet I got a healthy dose of dog time in. One day off, we took two teams out just for training, and of course not without any hiccups. My team decided they didn't want to run on the icy road and took me plunging into the ditch which was actually a hillside leading to the river. There are fantastic battle scares on my knees that help remind me of this run. Despite that, on the way home I had to remind myself where I was and what I was doing. Me. I am running dogs in the North of Norway!

Post falling into river event

"The far reaches of Northern Norway", one must think, "I bet there is a ton of snow and it's really cold!"
O be fooled wise one, we are STILL waiting on snow and continually get a pathetic powdering on the ground. Supposedly there is a lot of snow normally at this time of year, but not this year! We still are using carts, dreamily looking at the shed of sleds that maybe one day before summer will get some use!

This post is all about selfishness tonight, so I will be patting myself on the back and saying that I took my first tourist out on a cart. I feel like I have climbed the ladder of dog sledding professionalism and earned myself a gold bone.

My first tourist!

Aside from dogs it has been nice mulling around and settling back into normal life. Two days ago we went for a nice long hike back in the Lyngen Alps. Always feels good to get your blood flowing even if it means putting stress on the pain you already have, and I am one hundred percent sincere.

Looking back down into our valley

Some nights as I am laying in bed reflecting on my day and my trip I get a surge of excitement and fright. Working with this business I have met so many different people from around the world and learned a lot about different cultures and I find myself taking some of these experiences for-granted.I have to remind myself where I am! The fright comes when I daydream about home. I. Am. So. Far. Away. I can't really seem to grasp the reality of the location on the globe I am currently residing at.

The city I am residing outside of is the northern most city on the map: Tromsø

Guys...I am far away from home. I will not deny that there is a thrill of being so far away but to complete the feeling is that hint of fear.

I have been trying to force myself to take it all in, every iota of every day because that is what I am here for! To grow some roots in the country and really get to know this place. The sickness put a damper on that; when I feel crappy all I can do is fantasize about home. Be here now.

On that note, the wind it swirling around some snowflakes outside my window so MAYBE, just maybe there is snow coming our way!

Closing out with another good day at the office