A trip to a place far away

Sweden is a country with a very shifting nature. It shifts from Mediterranean to Arctic climate. Something we don't have is the dramatic nature like Norway. Lofoten and Vesterålen is like a place sprung from fairy tales and sagas, well some tales of the Vikings actually happened there. I have always wanted to visit this wonderful spot of earth and particularly see the puffin birds, the sea and the mountains.
Our trip became a real family-road trip, because I even got my oldest son to join, along with girlfriend.

Day 1 June 24th.  Travelling north
Our first day was spent in the car. We drove constantly for 11 hours, with only two pauses for snacks and food and some short ones for driver change and leg stretching.

When driving through the Ångermanland and Lapland county, we also had to stop several times because of reindeers on the road. They "own" the road and are not afraid of the cars at all. If you use, google maps for fastest track, you can be advised some strange roads, we had to travel 30 km on a gravel road, wich actually worked excellent.

Our stop for the night was Vuoggatjålme, this is how far we could go in Sweden and still have a comfortable place to stay at. Vuoggatjålme is right on the arctic circle and is one of the old road stations along the Silver road. 

After a quick dinner, some of us headed out for a short walk. I took photos of arctic flowers. 

Butter ball is a giant kind of butter cup. We found a whole meadow with these flowers, it was amazingly beautiful, mut too much mosquitoes. I also found yellow violets and dwarf cornel (hönsbär).

There is something with a waterfall that is attracting. Is it the energy of the running water, the sound or the beauty of it that caught our interest? What do you think?

Anyway, we saw a lot of waterfalls during this trip.

Vuoggatjålme is located by a lake called Sädvajaure. It has a marvellous beach with flat stones. Perfect for playing ducks and drakes. The water is crystal clear and you can drink it right away. 

The mountains still have snow even though it's the end of June. The mountains in the background is Såmbertjårro.

The face of a tired middle aged woman.

Perhaps you are wondering about the names on these places I mention, they sound a bit exotic, don't they? We are in Sapmi the country of the Sàmi-people our native population (Read more about this here). 

Day 2 June 25th Leaving Sweden.

Butter balls for the breakfast table. Isn't it an adorable flower?

After a shower and breakfast we headed towards Norway. 

But first a photo of our kids. Reluctantly posing: Johans son, Gustav. My youngest Alfons, my eldest Oskar and his girlfriend Johanna.

Naturally we couldn't resist frequent stops for photos of beautiful Lapland.

The silent, vast landskape is very soothing for the soul. I wish I could come here again and stay for a while, just to breathe and hike.

This is the amazing view over Skärrim1300 m.a.s. Behind these mountains we have Norway.

Oskar in front of the mountains.