Second stop in Russia: Murmansk, the city of aurora

Murmansk is the second stop of spring break in 2019. This city is not as well-known as St. Petersburg or Moscow, but as an Arctic Circle city, the aurora shines here during the polar night, attracting many tourists to visit.

Before departure, I checked a lot of guides and it was said that you need to stay locally for at least 3-5 nights to chase the aurora. However, since chasing the aurora is not the main purpose of this trip, I arranged a two-night aurora tour, thinking that I could only experience it. Take a chance.

Day 1:

We are a group of 5 girls. Among them, Ah Jing flew directly from China to Murmansk to join us. Therefore, we agreed to meet at Murmansk Airport on February 4th. That night was the Chinese New Year’s Eve, so a group of us I spent the time sleepily at the dilapidated Motor City Airport.

Our Aurora tour was found in a certain travelogue. The contact person was Ana. She added WeChat and asked some questions before booking. In the end, it was verified that it was a very cost-effective tour. The tour leader was Michael (who should also be the boss). Very funny and humorous. [Interested partners can leave a message and tell your WeChat ID]

Because chasing the aurora is a night activity, you should also find something good to do during the day. Teriberka is the first choice for daytime activities. It is a city close to the Arctic Ocean. When I booked an aurora tour with Ana, I also made an appointment to go to Teriberka during the day. In this way, we can go directly to chase the aurora in the same car at night. .

It takes about 2 and a half hours to drive from Moshi to Jieli one way. There will be many parking spots along the way where you can get off the car and take pictures, because many mobile phones will lose power quickly in extremely low temperatures. Therefore, the team also has Tony, the cameraman who is accompanying them. (Big, silly, and very down-to-earth), to ensure that everyone can take away good memories.

【I swear, I have never seen such thick snow in my life! 】

[Legend has it that it’s dry and cold in the north, and only the parts exposed to the air will get cold. The fact is that even if you wear a thick down jacket, snow boots, and wool socks, no matter how much you run and play, your body will still suffer from cold. Rapid hypothermia. (Tony is shown in the picture below)]

[Snowmobile? Can I not sit down? ! 】

Going to the edge of the Arctic Ocean is inaccessible by car, so you need to transfer to a snowmobile in the middle. After riding a snowmobile, I realized that there is no coldest, only colder.

[Due to the special geographical location of the city, the Arctic Ocean here does not freeze. Looking from the edge, the fog on the sea is floating vaguely, adding a lot of mystery to this place. It always feels like a big whale is about to jump up. . 】

The trip ended at 3 pm. Since we didn’t bring our own lunch, everyone was cold, hungry and a little desperate when we got back to the car. Unexpectedly, Tony prepared a meal for us, even though it was just hot tea, slices, ham, and cookies. , is also an absolute delicacy at the moment.

Night 1:

The weather tonight was not good, and there was still snow. The people in the car didn't feel at all confident, so they set off with Michael.

From 8 to 12 o'clock in the evening, we visited several places and couldn't see any sign of the aurora. After the trip, Michael refunded half of the tour fee as an apology.

On the way back to the hotel, everyone was worried that the second night would be unsuccessful, but Yue Yue was very confident, saying that with her character, she would definitely be able to see the Aurora on the second night. Facts have proved that she was right. [Here is a photo of her Aurora Split]

Day 2:

Today’s itinerary is very simple. After lunch, we found a ski resort within walking distance of the hotel and planned to experience this international sport. [You have to know how many natural ski resorts there are in the country] The fact is that I gave up before I could hold out for an hour. [The 10,000-word mental journey is omitted here. To summarize, I can’t even go up a hill. 】

Night 2:

We still gathered at 8pm, and with the full confidence given by Yue Yue, we set off again.

The places where auroras are most likely to appear are in remote and open areas with few lights on the ground. Shortly after setting off, Michael took us to a wide lake. The ice and snow on the lake were so thick that everyone mistakenly thought it was a grassland. . After waiting for 10 minutes, there was nothing strange in the sky. At this time, a group of us was pulled back into the car.

We thought we would have to change one point after another like yesterday, but before the car had time to start, we were pulled back to the lake where we were just now. At this time, looking up, the aurora show began.

[Did you really see the aurora? I can't believe my eyes! 】

At first, she lay horizontally in the sky, forming a line, which would make you mistake it for a dim light in the distance. Then, she began to dance, slowly rising, gradually becoming clearer, from one line to two, to three. The line, approaching the sky, looked like an aurora bridge. She was slowly bending and drifting. At this time, another one started dancing from the other direction. After a few minutes, they had covered the entire sky.

[Tips: To take a clear aurora, you need a long exposure. During the exposure, your movements must be absolutely still. Therefore, it is very important to choose a comfortable position to pose for the photo. Friends who want to jump around, please think twice. Bar. 】

[Attached is the photo of splashing water into ice on Day 3, taken at Murmansk Airport]

[In addition, I would like to share with you some delicious food (including the famous Russian beet soup)]