Preparing to see the Northern Lights

When my daughter asked me last year where I wanted to go for my birthday this year, I threw in a few suggestions like seeing the Aurora Borealis. I also mentioned that I wanted to live in Tuscany for three months and I also said I didn’t want to travel to a very cold place. I get so worn out by wearing those heavy layers.

Since my birthday falls on our annual Tan family reunion, my birthday holiday would have to be on a different month. Okay lang din. I also wanted to travel with my son, gusto ko kumpleto kaming apat.

My daughter told me if I wanted to see the Aurora Borealis, I have no choice but to endure the negative 20 freezing temperature. I survived New York’s harsh winter when she was in college so I thought, hmmm sige, konting pagod.
She picked the dates of our travel to see the Northern Lights. I thought we would be traveling sometime in October or November pa pero ngayon na palang March. Yen said this would be the best dates so we could have higher chances of seeing the borealis. Baka daw sa November hindi na gaanong maliwanag.

The Northern Lights is the main reason why tourists flock to Norway. And this is also the reason why we were in Norway for a few days (March 12-15)

My daughter told us before we left Manila to manage our expectations because many people traveled far and wide in the arctic circle and yet failed to see this nature’s phenomenon. I remembered telling her “makikita natin yan anak”.
I didn’t know for some reason, there was no doubt in my heart that I would see it on the first night. Ewan bakit but my heart was full of confidence.
It didn’t even cross my mind that the aurora would hide itself from me. We’ve known each other since I was in grade school.

So on this day, MARCH 13, 2018 , after resting for a short while, we walked to the tourist office just two blocks away from our hotel, to join the Northern Lights wilderness tour.

Aside from doubling, tripling, quadrupling my clothes, my husband was bringing a blanket he bought from the mall. He was worried baka ginawin ako kaya he wanted to make sure I would be sufficiently bundled up. My husband loves me so much, kung ginawin ako I am sure in a heartbeat he would take-off his clothes and wrap me like a baby.

to be continued