So here we are on our fourth day in Tromsø, on our final attempt to catch the Northern Lights. Many people consider catching a sight of the Northern Lights, aka the Aurora Borealis, as part of their bucket list, but you must know that there are no guarantees about seeing this. While there are tools to know the forecast for the night, things can change in an instant to make the conditions not advisable for a sighting.
Our first tour guide, Trina, explained the facts and myths surrounding the Aurora on one of our light chasing nights. Listen to what she said in this short clip:
[iframe id=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ac9OsG87Rsk”]Unfortunately, the Northern Lights were a no-show on that night. We had booked a stay and a tour package in Tromsø for three nights and as you may have read in the previous blog post, those nights we tried and failed, which left us feeling frustrated and devastated each time.
But we came all the way here for this. We could not leave without seeing the Aurora Borealis! So after deciding to extend for a fourth night, it was time for us to scramble! On top of fixing our accommodations and other logistics, we needed a new tour operator as the company we had booked was no longer available. Thankfully, we found a private guide who agreed to take us: Marianne’s Heaven on Earth Aurora Chasers Tour.
So yes, after storming the heavens (literally and figuratively), can you guess what happened next?! We were finally rewarded with not just a sighting but a whole spectacular show!!
This is the Aurora Borealis! That’s me pointing towards the dark night sky — without any additional lighting around me except for the moonlight that shone right behind where I stood. Look close enough and you will see how the light from the stars twinkling paled in comparison to the beautiful green streaks that shone bright across the sky. Finally, the Northern Lights were right before our very eyes!
I say this can only be the Creator’s amazing handiwork. For the first 30 minutes or so, we couldn’t take our eyes off the heavens. Our gaze was fixated, as if our sight was glued to the sky!
What a privilege for me and my family as we were the only ones in that spot at that moment in time. Yes there were no other people, no tourists, no one else but us in that dark, freezing open space on a mountain top in the middle of nowhere. I couldn’t believe how lucky or how blessed we were to be experiencing such a miracle together. We were jumping, screaming, dancing, crying, and hugging each other at the same time! (Thank goodness no one saw us!) My kids, hubby, and I were simply overwhelmed with mixed emotions.
Of course, I must give credit to these three brave little kiddos who endured and faced the icy cold mountains of Tromsø without any fear or complaints (except for that almost 5-pound-heavy thick snowsuit and boots they had to wear). Indeed, it was a memorable and unforgettable experience for them!
After three failed attempts, I couldn’t believe we were finally face to face with the elusive Aurora!
I was completely dumbfounded — but enveloped with a certain kind of silence that, I guess, comes with this different kind of “accomplishment.” There was some sort of unexpected peace within me at that moment…that was just hard to explain.
And I must say, the Aurora did not disappoint and put on quite a show for us. It kept on dancing across the night sky for almost five hours — and we enjoyed chasing it! (Some occurrences would record just a few seconds, a few minutes, or if you’re lucky, an hour maybe.) But that night, the show lasted for five hours straight — right in front of us! How could we not be overwhelmed?!
We felt as if God just waved His hand of blessing upon us… and kept on doing it until we grew tired looking up in the sky! And for that we couldn’t be anymore grateful!
The moonlight and the Aurora Borealis. Oh they were a beautiful pair! It was a majestic sight to see them working in harmony together, with one goal: to illuminate our dark night sky!
And believe me, we felt our hair stand on end every time a streak flashed across the sky. We were quite lucky too that the appearance that night was pretty intense, as the lights came out strong and very bright! It was as if our days of waiting and frustration were rewarded with something that was just way beyond what we expected!
Can you read what I wrote here with a “pen light”? This was me saying “hi” to all of you and signing it off with “The Spoiled Mummy”, with a streak of Aurora behind me! 🙂
It was definitely an exhilarating, unforgettable, and moving experience that tested our patience, endurance, and our faith. One I will take with me until the very end. What can I say, God is indeed AMAZING!
With Marianne, our guide, who I swear is the best light chaser in the world! This was when she dropped us off in our hotel at around 2am and when we said our goodbyes. We only met that day and we were together for only six hours but after what we experienced together, it felt like we were really meant for each other and destined to meet at this very special moment in our lives. We couldn’t be anymore thankful! She must have some lucky streak in her hands, I told her, because it was with her when we finally got to see this most spectacular show in the sky.
Truly, this experience left us moved and in awe. We are forever changed!
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More on our Norway adventure:
The City of Bergen and the Fjords
Tromsø: The Arctic City, Dog Sledding, and Chasing the Northern Lights
Hello Grace, I enjoy reading the travel posts and hope you can add more detail on how the planning was done. Did you have a travel agent book everything for you from end to end (or at least majority of the logistics requirement) , or did you have to “assemble” each part of the itinerary yourself (eg transpo tickets, show & entrance tickets, etc)? Thanks.
Hi Gigi, thanks for your email. We don’t use any travel agencies when we travel as hubby is the one who does the research and fixes our itinerary for every trip, weeks or sometimes even months in advance. We go through several travel magazines and websites, and ask friends around who have been to that particular place for their recommendations. And once we get to our destination, we ask the hotel concierge to help us with our plans.
For Norway though, we booked two “Northern Lights tour” : 1) with a group called Tromso Frilufsenter and 2)a private tour called: Marianne’s Heaven on Earth Aurora Chasers Tour. Hope this helps! xxx grace
So happy to hear that you managed it on your fourth night. Aurora hunting is really a lot of hard work, patience and perseverance! I didn’t manage to catch the Northern Lights when I visited Tromsø, but I saw it when I was in Lofoten Islands. It’s a truly incredible experience. =)
Agree, chasing the Northern Lights was a waiting game, and one that tested our patience! But upon seeing it, lo and behold it was truly magical! It was one incredible experience I will never forget! Glad you were able to see it too! xxx Grace