Above Reindeer: Where a Search for Snow Led Me

I am back in Göteborg and settled into the hostel that I will stay in for the better part of the next two weeks. The hostel is in a part of the city near tons of cafes, the university, and a great park that includes the Natural History Museum. Since this is a big city there are more young travelers here than at the other hostels I've stayed in for work so there is more going on but things are still clean and quite quiet.

I really enjoyed hiking up north and was glad that I chose to go to Norway since there was a race with over 1000 people on the section of the trail that I planned to walk. When I found that out I modified my route to include more time higher up in the mountains away from the main Kungsleden where the race was going on. I spent four days almost completely alone up in the mountains and was actually able to be a little bit introspective and start mentally processing some of the things that are happening and about to happen in my life. At one point I realized that I might not touch snow again for two years and took an extra hour to hike up into the mountains where some snow remained. As I neared the ridge top with snow I noticed that a group of about 10 reindeer were below me walking on the trail I had been following. All of the reindeer in Sweden are semi-domesticated and herded by the area's indigenous people, the Saami, so they were not particularly bothered by me and I got to watch them walk past minding their own business and feeding. I also saw lemings, visited a Saami offering place, and got a lot of reading done (including Douglas Copeland's latest Jpod which is, unsurprisingly, amazingly insightful).

The last full day I was supposed to be in the mountains it was raining in the morning and I decided to go down to Jokkmokk to see that center of the Saami economy and learn more about the culture at a museum that I had heard was quite good. I got to see a little of the town and talked with some Saami about their lifestyle and the challenges of reindeer husbandry, including difficulties maintaining their pastures when the snow melts earlier in the spring. It was another good side trip and kept me from receding to far into my own thoughts!

The train ride back down south was quite long today but I found an open sleeper cabin after Stockholm and got at least a little rest. Pictures to follow once I get my laptop and there is wireless here so I will be able to be in pretty regular contact via e-mail, Skype/phone, and blogging.