I wake up by the sound of the phone, I have ordered an automatic call
to be sure to wake up in time. I fetch the newspaper, have breakfast, and
bring my luggage to the car. I say goodbye to the cat and ask her to take
care of the catsitters. It is a nice morning, the sun is rising, and there
is almost no traffic on the road to the airport. Normally do I dislike
driving, but today I almost like it. I leave my car at the long time parcing
place, and note down on the parcing ticket where I put the car. Last year
did I forget it, and had to search for the car. At the gate is it peaceful.
A lady is helping the few passengers to understand the new self-service
electronic check-in system. After a few minutes do my friend show up. He
has the electronic tickets registered on his credit card. The lady check
the ticket, but something is wrong, we better talk with the lady at the
information desk.
-Do you live togother? She ask and look up at the two middle aged men.
-No, we do not have those feelings.
-But you have such a ticket!
-We will live together in the mountains.
-??
-We booked two ticket, the booking office must have made a mistake.
-Hm... OK then. But your walking stick must be checked-in. New security
rules.
The plane leave at the scheduled time. After on hour do we land on
Arlanda airport outside Stockholm. Now we have to wait two hours for the
plane to Gällivare.
It feels good to land at Lapland airport after two hours in a small
noisy plane. We take a taxi to Gällivare.
The driver tell us that the car has had seven accidents. To comfort
us does he also tell us that he has never had any accident with it. Anyway,
we arrive safely to Gällivare. We leave our luggage at the taxi station,
the bus to Ritsem leave at 15.30 and now the time is around 12. We buy
methanol at the paint dealer, and have lunch at the Chinese restaurant:
Deep fried pork in sweet-sour sauce. Then it is time to fetch the luggage,
and we repack it into walking conditions in the waiting room at the railway
station. This year as well do one rebuild the bus stop outside the railway
station. Last year did we notice it in the last minute that bus stop had
moved, so this year we ask where it is. My friend find his biscuits in
small pieces, destroyed by the transport. The bus cost 185 SEK to Ritsem.
Soon we see the tempting mountains at the horizon. The bus stop at all
the wellknown places: Kebnats, Stora Sjöfallet, Suorva, and Vakkotavare.
We leave the bus in Ritsem harbour. It is us, two germans, and two women
that take the evening boat at 19.10 to Änonjalme. The crossing with
M/S Storlule takes 40 minutes and cost 155 SEK. 125 for members of
the tourist federation. Ten to eight are we in Änonjalme. Next is
Vaisaluokta.
One has to walk up on the bare and stony shore, it looks rather depressive.
The lake is artificial due to a hydro power station, and that is the price
to pay for our electricity. One follow a track uphill to the cafeteria.
The cafeteria is closed, it is probably not worth it to have it open for
the passengers in the evening. Behind the house do the track split in two,
one continue to the Akka cabin and further to Kisuris, we choose the other
one to Vaisaluokta. This tack goes through the forest along the lake. Our
plan is to as soon as possible to find a camping site. Time pass by and
now campint appear. The track is through a forest between the lake and
the steep slope of Boalnotjåhkkå. Perhaps one could set up
the tent on th e stony shore, but waves my visit the tent. In the forest
is nothing. We split, one walk on the track, one on the shore. Nothing.
Finally we give up and take a break instead and eat blueberries that are
here abundant.
The houses in Vaisaluokta same village show up. We see people outside
a house further up on the slope, they have made up a fire and seems to
have a nice evening. We reach the bridge over Guossjajåhkkå,
on the other side is a church cot. In front of it is an open place, do
one dare to use it as a campsite? It is ten, the sun is at the horizon
and paint Boalnotjåhkkå red. We are tired and have had a long
day, God excuse us. We put up the tent at two small huts on pillows. The
dust of our journey is removed with the help of the brook. Then we have
dinner and the sleeping bags are welcoming us.
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