Sunday 22/7 – Monday 23/7
Many meetings
Sunday 22/7
The train journey was rather a warm one, and as usual our arrival in Gällivare was late. The connecting bus to Ritsem did, however, wait for the train, and by the time we reached Kebnats we were only a few minutes behind schedule. Once at Saltoluokta I dumped my fresh foodstuffs in a fridge intended for the purpose, and then, somewhat belatedly, the wardens gathered in the common room of the main building for a round of introduction before lunch.
Crossing Láŋas...
...to Saltoluokta
The afternoon was spent in the conference room in one of the adjacent buildings, with a snack break in the main one. There were a number of things that were new to me – four years is a long time in today's world – but by and large the job felt familiar enough (seven years of active service should do that, I think). The weather, which had been mostly warm and fair during the day, turned markedly fresher after a heavy shower, seemingly putting an end to the egregious temperatures of late.
Sjöfallsdalen without clouds
Sjöfallsdalen with clouds
Dinner was very good, as always in Salto, and afterwards the sun came back out after having been hidden by more rains further to the west. It turned out to be a really fantastic evening, so I took the opportunity to walk up among the sandy hills and look out over the tranquil beauty of the sunset-tinted Sjöfallsdalen. My trek took me all the way up to the trail to Bietsávrre, from where I returned to and along Kungsleden through the pleasant coniferous forest that grows in the area. I spent some more time outside the station, and eventually turned in at 22:30 after the last light had faded.
Going up
Gone up
Going down
Back down
Monday 23/7
The morning sky was dominated by clouds, but they were high enough not to hide anything of the vista, and the air remained pleasantly cool. There was a full day of info and discussions ahead, with a number of breaks for food and snacks. It was fairly windy and in the afternoon the combined effect was on the verge of being chilly, but by the time we wrapped up most of the wind had abated again.
That view
Station interior
Since we had finished on schedule there was ample time for a visit to the sauna before another fine (albeit somewhat protracted) dinner. I then went for another walk in another beautiful evening, this time heading down to Láŋas for another perspective. I prepared what I could for the morrow, and after another round of evening photography in the warm light emanating from the west I went to bed at 22:15, feeling quite ready to start yet another wardenship period.
Sun above Alep Gierkav
Station exterior
Down by...
...the lake
Setting