The topic for this week’s Friendly Friday hosted by Snow and Amanda caught my eye instantly, as I have been dreaming of a dreamy getaway often these days. No other place has been able to evoke the feelings of being totally disconnected from the world and being in a dream-like place as Svalbard islands have for me. Islands lying entirely on the Arctic circle, halfway between mainland Norway and North Pole.
It was a different feeling than what I get when traveling in my preferred sunny and tropical locations. Just the sheer size of everything around you, its wilderness and a place inhabited and seen by so few made it feel like I was on a different planet. We visited only for three days, but we made unforgettable memories.
Cycling around Longyearbyen, a town located on an island that’s known for various superlatives, appreciating the vast nature and experiencing 24 hours of daylight were not something I can do everyday. Seeing a massive glacier through the binoculars in the morning from our campsite, seeing lonely looking cabins in the far away islands and wondering what the lives of people who lived there led.. Everything about Svalbard was dreamy.
If you want to read about my Svalbard trip, click here and here.
Stories from Europe 
The first picture is indeed dreamy. You don’t see such beauty every day 🙂
Exactly! And the way sun lit the distant fjord, just amazing.
It’s such a strange place, Pooja. I’d love to have a quick visit and then leave. I bet it’s shockingly expensive there.
It was very expensive, Dai! Even grocery shopping for our food didn’t help haha. But it was totally worth it. I wouldn’t want to live in such a place either, I love nature but I prefer living in a big city with lots of green space, and events and restaurants etc, at least for now hehe.
Hi Pooja. I think if I went to Svaalbard, I would be taking all my own food from Portugal.
Haha of course Dai! Story of Polish people traveling Westwards 😀 and especially the Nordic ones!
Smiling here, Pat. Yes I have bags of experience with budget guests here. I know which countries produce the most thrifty guests. What’s your programme for today, Pooja ?
Haha you know it all too well, Dai 😉 My programme for today is a full day of work, going back home and arranging my closet. We’re in process of furnishing our new home and unpacking and arranging things. It’s a lot of work! What about you, Dai?
Hi again, Pooja (not Pat hahaha). I have so many things to do that my mind is boggling and I’m wondering which things are the most urgent. And I know exactly what you’re going through there. I’ve done that a few times too.
Dreamy location for sure #friendlyFriday
Thank you, Tanja! It was indeed and a very unusual place to be at.
That’s a great dreamy place alright Pooja 🙂
Thanks, Lorelle! It indeed was! 🙂
These photos are very tempting! I’ll make sure I read your trip posts later.
Thank you Vero! I need to check our your Dreamy post too.
Oh wow, that’s an exotic place to visit! I didn’t even know you could go there as a regular tourist. I once knew someone who went to Longyearbyen on a business trip and at his lodging he was given a rifle to defend himself in case a polar bear attacked… that story always comes to mind. Better change it to new stories – I’m looking forward to reading your other posts on the trip and will do so when I get a moment! 😊
I felt like we were two of the few regular tourists.. Most people we came across were on some kind of scientific expedition, or from cruise ships that docked for few hours, or with some adventurous plan like kayaking around fjords etc. We were definitely there for just sightseeing. One thing is not feeling/being fit enough to do the adventurous outdoor activities and the other thing is everything being so expensive haha! We bicycled around the town and did some casual sightseeing without worrying too much about polar bears as we were hanging around near settlements. There was one warning sign on polar bears between the airport(near which our camp was located) and the town and I remember feeling a little worried haha. Our independent sightseeing was definitely limited due to those warning signs outside of town borders. It’s a fascinating place to visit for a few days but I wouldn’t like to live there, it’d be too boring for me hehe. Even Kokkola was too boring! 😀
Well Kokkola, yeah I can imagine!!! (Not even any polar bears, either!)
In our TV, there have been many stories from there. Great post and pix.
Thank you 🙂 I guess in Nordic countries people are more familiar with this place than elsewhere. There was even a Finn working in the camp where we stayed.
Thank you for sharing your dream, Pooja. I remember reading about your trip to Svalbard, and being very impressed about it.
Yes I remember our interaction in the comment box too, Tanja 🙂 It’s been 1.5 years already and I haven’t since had a chance to visit such an eerie yet beautiful place.
Memories and photographs help! 😊
Svalbard islands does look like every bit the expansive place. So much space to roam, not just for you to walk but to let your mind and imagination roam as well. 24 hours of daylight sounds amazing…I have always wanted to know if there was a place like that, so this must be it 🙂 Reading the previous comments, not surprising it is expensive there, and could take some time and care to transport groceries to this rather isolate place. Still, looks like a great place to visit 🙂
In the north of Norway and Iceland they have the midnight sun. It dips down below the horizon only a little Mabel, still light enough to see, before it rises again. It is very special.
I didn’t think about it much when I lived in Central Finland, and now I find it very special. It did get ‘dark’ for two hours or so in summer nights, but it wasn’t really dark, just not bright and sunny.
I experienced it two summers in Norway. Magical. At first, I was waking up to look at the clock and look out the window, all through the night hours, I think I even took a photo without a flash at 2am. It was completely novel for me. At my latitude, we don’t even have any twilight nor daylight savings time in summer.
So interesting, and very special indeed. Might put Norway and Iceland on my bucket list now 🙂
I think you would like it, Mabel.
I am dreaming of Svalbard too, now that I have seen these photos, Pooja. One day perhaps I will make it there. As a child, I use to draw pictures of ice and snow and fishing boats in Greenland. I think I have a slight obsession with the Arctic. Haha!
That is fascinating, Amanda because I on the other hand find white sand, green palms and blue skies the most relaxing! Guess what’s the most different we find the most appealing. Greenland is on my list too! My list of places to visit in Europe is growing! We almost moved to Australia but we decided to stay, and I am glad that I have all these beautiful places in Europe not too far from me 🙂
I also find it fascinating to hear of the reasons why people choose, or decide against immigrating. I guess it is because I think of my great grandparents and wonder what motivated them to come here from your part of the world. You are indeed fortunate, as I am, for totally different reasons.