Arctic Adventures by Caroline Chong, Accounts Director

We arrived to the chaos of Kiruna airport soon to be replaced by the calm of a ride on a sled to the Musher’s Lodge. 

After a warming meal we went outside to look around and it’s fair to say that I was nervous and excited.
 

We drew lots for jobs and mine turned out be the dreaded poop-scooping along with the lovely Claire on the first night at the cabin, and Aurora watch on the second night.

Harnessing the dogs

After a good night’s sleep we had our first training lesson on harnessing the dogs and driving the sleds.

We met the dogs, who were all lovely and friendly. We each had four dogs, one of mine (called Bono) was particularly mischievous and promptly decided to escape from his collar twice before we even started out! 

We set off and I thought  I was doing really well and started to relax – that was a mistake, next thing I knew I was on my bum in the snow!  It was an exciting and scary day followed by another meal and restful night’s sleep was had (by me anyway!)

Next morning it was time to tackle our chore- we had to scoop the poop after the dogs had had their breakfast! Let’s just say some was frozen and needed a little firmer chiselling....and some didn’t if you know what I mean!

We then set off on day two of our adventure. This time, yes you guessed it, I was in the 'falling off club' again – in my defence though it was a hill that looked a bit like a ski slope and I had made it until we were 10 mins from base camp!

We loved a cheeky beer in the sauna!

That night my doggy Bono – decided to escape from his collar again when he’d been put to bed. I think maybe he was lonely and came to camp out outside the Sauna waiting for us to come out and say hello – I like to think he’d taken a shine to me – wishful thinking perhaps!

I was supposed to be on Aurora watch that night, however the cloud had come over and so we didn’t have any luck.

The final day with the dogs came – I even managed to make it back to the Musher’s lodge without falling off the sled!  Although it had been a challenge for me both physically and mentally – I was still sad to leave the dogs, especially Bono.

Amanda, David, Caroline, Steve and Claire

As well as all of the above, one of my overriding memories will be of getting to know all of my Senior Team colleagues a lot better and realising what a fun-loving, adventurous and talented bunch of people they are!

I’m sure this will help with future challenges at Access Point. 

I was really glad and proud that I had taken part in the trip, and I will remember it for a long, long time to come.

Caroline and Bono

Arctic Adventures by Amanda Shaw, Resource Director

My Dog Blog

As soon as David first mentioned the trip I picked up on the dog sledding straight away.  I am such a dog lover that I forgot to be apprehensive about the sledding part which probably wasn’t a bad thing!

We met some of the dogs as soon as we arrived in Kiruna as our first surprise was that our transfer from the airport to the lodge was by dog sled.  We were chauffeur driven on this occasion, but it certainly gave us an insight into what was to come.

Most of the dogs didn’t look like the traditional husky you would expect.  I later found out that most of them are cross bred with speedier breeds such as German pointers and sometimes even greyhounds!  This is because Gaynor and Milos use the same dogs for racing as they do for tourism so speed is of the essence.

We each had our own team of dogs which we were introduced to the next morning and given instructions on how to handle and harness up to the sled.  The dogs are used to this type of handling so were generally well behaved when being harnessed, sometimes even lifting a paw to help.   

The dogs clearly love their job and get very excited at the prospect of setting off.  The noise as they sense it is nearly time to go is cacophonous to say the least.

Sledding in a line across a frozen lake

We rode in a line one behind the other and the teams were very good at following each other (most of the time, ask Julie about that one!). 

It was important if you fell off to try to remain in contact with the sled so the dogs didn’t run off.   This wasn’t the easiest of tasks and while some of us didn’t always manage to hang on we didn’t lose any dogs fortunately.

It wasn’t just on the sleds that we had contact with the dogs.  There were also jobs to be done before and after the riding to make sure the dogs were taken great care of.   

The two main jobs were feeding and checking the dogs feet as they can take a battering and develop cracks between the pads of their feet which need to be treated with iodine and zinc cream.  Some of the dogs with more sensitive feet wear little booties while out sledding for extra protection.

Hard at work feeding the dogs

As you can imagine feeding 44 dogs is quite time consuming but very rewarding.  I was lucky enough to be on ‘dog duty’ both days and it was very satisfying to watch the dogs hungrily devour their meal after working so hard for us during the day. 

Meals consisted of huge frozen blocks of meat,  consisting of mainly pork cut into chunks (I say cut, hacked with an axe would be more accurate), pieces of reindeer leftovers and dry food all mashed together in warm water.   

It didn’t look very appetising but the dogs obviously love it.  I regretted having porridge for breakfast after doing the morning feed though!

Contrary to the belief that working dogs need to be focused and not distracted by too much close human interaction we were not only allowed but positively encouraged to cuddle and make a fuss of the dogs. 

Almost ready to set off with Barney, Ossi, Boris and Feli

They love it and are surprisingly affectionate in return.  I didn’t need asking twice.  I couldn’t go past any of the dogs without giving them a fuss.  I even sang to them on the sled.

So it was with a heavy heart that I said goodbye to Barney, Ossi, Boris and Feli, my team who looked after me for 3 days.    

When I fell from the sled they stayed where they were, waiting for me to get back on instead of running away as we were told they would more than likely do.   

I like to think it was the singing but I think honestly they were just glad of the rest!

Falling in love!

 

An Ode To Kiruna

By the incredibly talented Amanda Shaw!

Manchester airport raring to go

With beer for breakfast (it’s the law don’t you know)

To embark on our journey of dog sledding fun

Our five day adventure had finally begun

The girls bags fit to burst, had we all brought enough?

Think Ste had forgotten to pack half his stuff

In Kiruna we landed, snow blinding our eyes

To be greeted by Gaynor with our first big surprise

A ride with the dogs straight away, what a thrill

But first to get togged up like Eskimo Bill

Then away to the lodge through the dark snowy track

We knew there and then there was no going back

Settled in the Lodge for a welcome hot meal

Moose chilli served up for a real Arctic feel

Instructions and jobs were given out to the team

No kick offs in sight, or so it would seem

 Off to the cabin with our own teams in tow

Within minutes Amanda was lying in snow

Arrived at the cabin with our bones still in tact

No frost bite, no rows and none of us sacked

The cabin was bathed in a candlelit glow

Warm drinks, roaring fire, ‘til David said “No,

This is far too inviting, you shouldn’t relax

Go out and do chores till you all break your backs”

 

By now we were starting to all feel at home

(‘Til Jacquie misplaced her backcombing comb)

Our spirits were high, not a shadow of doom

If Claire could find the filteration room!

Fishing in the ice sounded easy and fun

Holes drilled, five, fish caught, one

We feared we would starve, what were we do?

Thank goodness for Clara and her reindeer stew

 

We mastered the sledding but on the way home

Julie’s dogs seem to follow a map of their own

And while Jacquie got sidetracked adjusting her hat

Her dogs weren’t hanging around for chat

There was so much snow, the cold didn’t abate

But an ice cold beer in the sauna was great

A fantastic treat before our meal

And an Arctic roll to make us squeal

(Yes, even you boys, we heard you when we were feeding the dogs!)

 We set off on a trail one dark, starry night

What lay up ahead, was an igloo in sight?

A quiz about Sweden, who would be the winner?

Then into the igloo for some blindfolded dinner

And so it proceeded without any drama

‘Til David ate an egg and Dale a banana

The kicking off started as per Suzanne’s prediction

Who’d have thought a banana could cause this much friction!

The pair soon made up and were laughing until

They noticed things had gone downhill

With throats that were burning and eyes that were stinging

Ste and Jacquie eating fish that was proper minging!

An overnight stay was hard to resist

And to warm us all up we just had to get pissed

Around the camp fire we drank, laughed and sang

To any onlooker, a right happy gang

 Fast forward five hours there was less of the glee

We were all freezing cold and needed a wee

Morning came round, we reluctantly fled

Wandered dazed to the cabin and ready for bed

No time for a rest there was chores to be done

Milos has less mercy than Atilla the Hun

Poop duty for some on the day we were leaving

Adam was horrified, Dale was heaving

No dodging this task for our bearded twins

Poop had to be scooped and put in the bins

There were dogs to be harnessed and sleds to prepare

With that lingering rotten fish whiff in the air

Our final sled back with no time to lose

Back to the lodge for some soup and a snooze

Then a snowmobile ride, a speed demon’s delight

Think Steven had next years Grand Prix in sight

 

Some didn’t drive, we were tired and achy

When we stopped off for tea Claire was wired and shaky!

And one lasting memory that will be hard to shift

Is seeing Dale and Jacquie capsize in a drift

Saying goodbye to the dogs was a drag

If only we could fit just a few in our bag

But we didn’t have time to dwell on our woes

It was off to a hotel – and near normal clothes!

 The bed was so soft we would sleep like the dead

And Amanda could rid of that dreadful bed head

So to celebrate the end of our wonderful vacation (sorry David, team building exercise)

We dressed up to re-enter civilisation

 

A five course bonanza with a wine for each dish

Reindeer and pine shoots and non-rotting fish

The meal was fantastic, the atmosphere high

As we relived adventures of five days gone by

But the night was far from over yet

Next a bar bill to rival the national debt

It was laughter non-stop in the bar that last night

Until Dale nearly got himself into a fight

 So even without our lucky egg

None of us broke an arm or a leg

We handled our dogs day after day

Although we couldn’t stop Bono from running away

We faced our fear, we cleaned up muck

Jacquie gave up straighteners, Caroline said F***

Jeanette controlled the dogs, she really was a star

And Ste took out a mortgage to buy beer at the bar

Now I’m not an ecologist or a soothsayer

But I doubt Claire damaged the ozone layer

Julie used her She Wee, while the rest went in the bin

We did the Hokey Kokey and put our whole selves in!