NIGHT STOPS: ROVANIEMI Lapland Taking a trip to the snowy home of Santa Claus can be a rather long day out By David Keen, Log Board member TIllustration: Tom Woolley he ‘Santa flight’ season is upon us and, for some BALPA members, the duty of a one-day trip to the Arctic Circle beckons. The term ‘day’ should be employed loosely, as the hours of daylight at destination can be as few as two to three. So, an early departure from the UK in the dark, a landing at ‘dawn’, and a return flight in full darkness awaits. And, of course, the prospect of seven to eight hours to while away, either in a crew hotel or in the chill cold of Lapland. The main destination is Rovaniemi, a town of 30,000 folk in northern Finland. Others include Kittilä and Ivalo. These trips are not generally favoured from a work perspective because of the remoteness of the airfields, the often inclement weather, and the chilling prospect of an aircraft walk-round in temperatures below -30°C. Nevertheless, there are a few sights to see and experiences to savour. What to do Obviously, one can pay to join the passengers and head on a bus to Santa Claus Village. The four-hour trip involves meeting Father Christmas in his office and having your picture taken with the man (an extra €20). A trip to his elves’ village is also on the agenda, along with the opportunity to buy limitless Christmas souvenir gifts, all expensively priced – as, indeed, are the drinks and food in the village. Tobogganing and sleigh rides are on offer, though warm clothing is essential for these. Instead of seeing Santa, a trip to an ice hotel is possible for about €100. You can try sleeping for a while on an ice bed, eat in an ice restaurant, sit on ice chairs, and even visit an ice sauna. All in all, a Lappish novelty – if, again, expensive – and none too exciting. Snowmobiling is another possibility; unfortunately, as with other tours, they must be paid for in advance, so delayed or cancelled flights can be costly. Eating out I chose to stay at the hotel, wander around the snowy and rather dingy town in the twilight, and visit the world’s northernmost McDonald’s for a late lunch. For those with more adventurous tastes, you can eat out at a local restaurant and sample specialities such as reindeer burger or steak, grilled or marinated Arctic salmon, and cloudberry crème brûlée. Nili and Monte Rosa are two restaurants that were recommended by locals at the hotel. Sadly, no beer or wine can be taken to wash down the local food and, again, prices are on the high side. In summary, the day trip is a long one, but particularly useful for practical familiarisation with winter ops (see www.ifalpa.org/publications/library/winter- conditions-at-northern-finland-airports--3217). It also offers the opportunity to immerse oneself in the manuals or enjoy a good book in one’s hotel room. Do you have any tips for night stops around the globe? Let us know at TheLog@balpa.org NIGHT STOPS