Well after waking up at the crack of dawn this morning (literally!) Shana and I decided to have a wander round Kiruna before the rest of the world woke up. It was truly truly boootiful all quiet and full of snow everywhere! :D
When 'normal' time arrived the day began as we headed off to Abisko National Park for some joyous outdoor activities. Our adventures began with what we now affectionately call 'the cave of doom!' From the name it might be possible to guess that it was a little bit 'exciting' to say the least! To get to our 'exciting' cave we had to walk up the mountain someway which was absolutely beautiful and really quite peaceful until we arrived! Upon arrival the cave mouth, (none of us actually realising it was the entrance due to the excessive smallness of the entrance) our hero of a giude whipped out his dismantable spade, put it together and then began to dig steps into the snow for us to descend into the cave. These lovely steps didnt last long though, after about the first two people they had pretty puch dissappeared :( so that left the rest of us to slide down the snow, clinging onto the rope for dear life! And this is truly where the adventrue began! Going down was SO scary cos it was slippy, we didn't know how long the descent was, it was dark and o my well it was adventerous to say the least!
Was finally at the bottom ( the relief of touching the ground even after that little ammount of slipping/descentness was great!) our little expedition into the cave and the small spaces that go with it began! It was AWESOME!! We were climbing over rocks, crawling in between little spaces, crouching beneath over hangs and then we had a drink at a pure mountain spring underwater that was freeeeezing but really really good! We also got told to turn our lights out here just to show that there really was NO light at all (i will admit that it was a little bit freaky sat under the earth in PITCH BLACK! I coulnd't help but think of The Descent, not a pleseant thought for that time!)
So then we had to turn back and retrace our steps out, and o my, so here comes the worst part of all! Now the ascent UP the rope was, well, what words can i use here...?? None seem suitable! After having stumbled up ALL the mountain walk, poor Shana now had to navigate UP the slippery slope in her boots (whcih were the reason behind the slipping and sliding!) Now i am not normally a person who sees the bad side of the situation but i'm not kidding at one point i actually thought she was NEVER gona make it out of the 'cave o doom.' Everytime she made a step her feet just fell down again. Our hero guide came to her rescue though and after about 20 minutes of trying she was pulled from the cave mouth by the saviours of the other group beyond! O it was scary, especially as we had to go after that, and really i have NEVER been good at rope climbing, these muscles of mine just aren't good enough!
But we survived, thnakfully and the journey down the mountain was MUCH tfunner than up cos we got to slide down in whichever manner we fancied - excellent!
End of Day 2
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