Lapland UK ~ A digression

A slight detour today so that I can answer Kim's question about meeting with the Sami people who live in the far north Arctic regions.  

This would have been possible but I had chosen the Dog Sledding excursion on that day.  There were so many available exciting trips to be made that really it was difficult to choose.  I think I would have gone on every one if only I had that time-travel thing Hermione Grainger had!   I did, however, have a warm-up drink in a traditional Sami tent after the snow-mobile trip.  But more of that in another post.

I have, in fact, been privileged to meet a Sami family and  reindeer in their fabulous tent at Lapland UK back in the winter of 2009.   I went with Stella & Rich and Frankie & Alex and all their families at that point (Dpip was a baby).  

Lapland UK    (here is the link: www.lapland.co.uk) 
was at that point located in the south of England and you would be invited by Santa himself!  It was a marvellous afternoon in which the children (and us ~ we enjoyed it almost as much as the Pies and Pips!) met the elves, made cookies, did some toymaking (a hobby-horse head), heard stories, had a super meal in a really lovely, cosy dining room, went ice-skating on the frozen pond (Lpip who was only two and three-quarters had help!), met a Sami family and their reindeer (four I seem to remember) all ensconced in their warm and windproof tent and finally got to trudge through the snowy forest to Santa's home where he welcomed us all in, asked after the children's friends (!!) and gave them gifts.  

The children enjoyed it tremendously and were thoroughly taken in ~ apart from Kpie who at six and a half noticed that the snow was 'a bit fake' (it was finely shredded paper!).  

All in all we thought it was a great trip even if it isn't exactly Lapland!  But a great deal cheaper (and warmer) and quicker journey time and was something that the children still remember with affection.  I would love to go again with Kpip and Rpie; and feel sorry that Dpip, who was six months old then, has missed out ~ he certainly wouldn't be fooled now!  It is considerably more expensive now than it was then, however. 

But we did get to meet genuine Sami people and their reindeer in a genuine Sami tent.    

Back soon with more Tales of the Northern Lights

Po x