Sitting in the DNT cabin Lappjordhytta I just found out that I have mobile reception. Thus I can post the highly due blog update which I did not reach Yesterday 😉
A lot has happened since my last short entry from the polar circle. Since Xin already has given a detailed account of the days in Saltfjellet, I will start with the subsequent days.
Having just seen of Xin in Lønsdal, I headed to Argaladhytta in Junkerdalen nationalpark to meet my next visitors: my father Lutz and our friend Mario. It was a joyful reunion in this rustic and cosy little cabin (on of the oldest in Northern Norway) that gives the impression to be in another time.
Mario and Lutz accompanied me until Ritsem. We walked through a varied landscape together, passing by the former mining town Sulitjelma, crossing the adjacent mountains among impressive glaciers, walking on long stretched stonefields and occasional snow patches, finally enterring Padjelanta nationalpark in Sweden with its big and scenic lakes and rivers in widespread valleys covered by grassland, surrounded by majestic mountains that got the first layer of powdery snow in these days.
Not only Xin, but also Mario and Lutz brought loads of delicious foods and additional calories to refuel my batteries. Thanks a lot!
From Ritsem I headed for the “hiking highway” to Abisko: The Northern part of Kungsleden seems to be extremely popular among Swedish and foreign (not least German) tourists and I met countless other hikers on my way. The climate in this mountainous area was quite rough. One could feel the autumn approaching and I experienced the first night with temperatures slightly below zero, crawling out into a frost-covered landscape in the morning.
From the mountains I descended to Abisko valley with its milder climate and its forrests shining in all shades of yellow and red. What a scenic view!
In Abisko I had a resting day in the STF Turiststation there. I shared the room in the hostel with Alex from England who started at the North Cape and intends to run the whole long distance trail E1 to Sicily. He has an absolutely minimalistic approach, wearing only sandals, his backpack including food and tent not weighing more than 12 kg. When I packed my bag in the morning he burst into laughter when comparing the size of my bag to his. “Actually, you should look like Hercules, carrying such a bag”, was his dry comment. Attending the breakfast buffet together with him, it turned out that also my calory intake was “slightly” higher than his. “You are eating like a machine man”, was his remark 😉
If you are interested in his trip, just check out his blog on pursuingthevoid.wordpress.com
In Abisko I also met another old acquaintance: Oliver, the other German NPL guy whom I had met in Skarvheimen in June.It turned out that he had arrived there one day before so that he now is one day ahead of me 🙂