I did the artic (again)....

Hi guys,

If you wondering where were I for sometimes, guess what, I just did the Artic (again)!
But this time, I traveled a lot lighter - only my camera (Canon EOS 5D mark II), tripod, remote control, and Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L USM - only lens I took with me.

I am on my way to work with pictures that I took from up north, but since I took more than 2500 shots, I hope you will understand if it takes me sometimes before I finish with them.

But for the moment, here is a  little souvenir from Bergen - HOMEMADE POSTCARD made by me with all my digital scrapbooking things that I have around my computer. I hope you'll like it.

I promise, later on, I will give you tips about "IF YOU COULD ONLY HAVE 1 LENS WITH YOU" ... and of course gallery picture of my trip (when I've done with them, of course *_* )

Cheers,

Novita

Hunting The Light - Part III (I was doomed)

My main reason to go to Northern Norway in the winter was simply to take picture of the northern light a.k.a Aurora Boréale. I had contacted couple of people who could provides me with the "Chasing the Northern Light" tour, bought all equipments I might need during that "chasing" part, and worse, got super excited with what I will see based on the story I read on blogs and internet.

When the day of my "chasing mother nature" activity arrived, I got a bit jumpy, typical highschool student who will got her first-time date LOL. First bad sign, the sky was covered :( Even though it was "dark" all day, I still could tell when it's a clear or cloudy sky in Tromso (for this, I felt I was cool enough LOL), second sign, the guy who should gave me a company, Gorran, he couldn't show up, so he replaced by his friend, Ygor. When we started to drive and stopped in the middle of nowhere, I felt the gust of the wind around me wasn't typical what Ms. Aurora Boréale would like best, it's too gusty. But Ygor told us, no worry, he was contacting his friends, and they found some clearing spots somewhere around the E6. Then we drove again, but I started feel suspicious with what I will achieved that night. Couple hours later, he told us, we almost reached the border with Finland, so he though there were no use for us to continue, and that's the end of the super adventure for "chasing the northern light", FREAK!

(to be continued...)

Hunting the Light (Part I - Arrival in Tromso)

Some people think, still until now, I am a bit strange, while people try to avoid the cold, I was looking for one, with my idea to travel to the northern most part of the europe. But I am kind of "snow" girl type, I love cold, especially snow, and I am not a big fans of sunlight, so this trip should be perfect for me.

Begun with "late" train to Geneva airport, thanks to the so-called "accident" in Geneva city, my train was 20 minutes late, and I was already tight for my check-in time. The line in front of the SAS was so long, I was afraid if I will be the one who delayed my flight LOL. But I made it, the lady gave me all the documents I need, checked my luggage (half hearted) - my camera bag was about 15 kgs (about 33 lbs), she wasn't very happy to let me carried it with me but she couldn't bear the consequences either if I let her checked my camera's bag.

So, it was a super long trip for me, I started with my flight from Geneva at 11.55 am, and finished at Tromso at 7.30 pm. The exact route is Geneva - Copenhagen - Oslo - Tromso, and all with Scandinavian Airlines (darn...I forgot to give my star alliances FQTV number!! Will do later).

The stop at Copenhagen was quite fast, just had enough time to got my Coffee Mocha from Starback at the transit. Then, I hurried to the gate to caught my flight for Oslo, while during this flight I said good bye to the sunlight for the next week.

"I said good bye to the sunlight on my way to Oslo"

As ruled, all international passangers had to carry out our own checked luggages and drop it back on the check-in area. So basically I had to pass the custom area (with no one care what I did) and drop my bag on the check-in area, and did all the creepy security check all over again.

I should say, Oslo airport wasn't as what I had expected. It's quite small and "empty" per say for the international airport of one of the richest country in the world, thanks to their oil deposit. Finally, I decided to change more of the Norwegian Krones and hurried to my gate which is only 20 meters away from the money changer LOL.

I was quite lucky, in all my flights (except from Geneva - Copenhagen), I had a very nice neighbour who like to share some stories with me. The nicest one I got was for my flight to Tromso, the final flight. I forgot her name, but she was a Kenyan now living and working in Norway. She explained lots of things for me about Tromso, including where to go, what to do, etc. She even shown me the beauty of Oslo from our window just before the flight landed.

I should say, the first time I saw Tromso from the sky, that's the time when I fell in love with it. It's beautiful, one of the most beautiful place I ever saw in my life. Seriously, I even thought it's prettier than Swiss Alps LOL.

So we arrived at the airport, I hurried to one of the luggage belt (there were only two, so it wasn't give me too much trouble to find mine LOL), grabbed my luggage and got to the Flybuss which will took me to the city center (Sentrum) in 10 minutes and cost me NOK 55 - best of all ,the bus stop is right in front of my hotel - Rica Ishavhotel.


(To be continued...)