Diary
14.7.2007
Location:77 29.22N, 69 19.56 W
distance: 0 km
distance total: 2475 km
hight: 1 m
temperature: 21
wind: 0
Web-master update. I got text message from Pete last night from Quaanaaq hotel bed saying:
"Greenland expedtion reached it's goal 2500 km and 85 days. Great feeling laying in bed of this hotel. We will be back home on 28.7"
15.7.2007
Location:77 28.15N, 69 13.90 W
distance total: 2476 km
hight: 45 m
temperature: 16
wind: 0
Qaanaaq town. One of northest villages in the world.
It is night already, but I'm not able to sleep. I'm having some pains and my mind is circling around, so it is better write than twist around in hotel sheets. We have achieved our goal, Ultima Thule, the extreme north. Our minds and thought are almost desperate when our simple and easy life on expedition has changed to life according to society rules. No bursts of joy or other celebrations. I have to admit, that food is good and is nice to have a shower. But this I say only because it is what people like us are expected to say at this point. Both of us would have turned around towards south from glacier edge, living happier and easier than in normal surroundings.
One could say that after this expedition we go back to Finland much more rich and much more aware of ourselves as well as real needs and unnecessary needs of this planet. I would not write this unless I was quite sure that any modern human would see world with better eyes, if they would stop for a moment like we did. It took me 30 years and few longer expeditions to be able to start to look at world in different eyes.
With above feelings in our head we arrived 1900 to Qaanaaq. In this village there is approximately 600 inhabitants and same amount of dogs. Town plan of Qaanaaq is a bit messy during their short summer. Time period without snow is quite short, so they are not too interested about gardening and other outer house holding. Sun is shining 24 hours a day, so there are people now doing there normal things outside, even though it is 1 AM.
Yesterday it was very nice summerday, Wind cooled down, too. First thing at the morning I called to our contact, Ferdinand Mage, who arranged boat to pick us up. II also reserved room from hotel for next few nights. But then it was time to go to edge of glacier for one final time. My feet were in pain, but I ate few painkillers and I was on the move again. We tied our sledges diagonally on top of our small bagpacks, skies in it and started walking downwards. It went ok, but I would lie if I say that we did not spent our last bit of strength while making it. We moved our camp one more time to seashore, and so we added 800 meters to our total length of expedition. Our numbers were: 2476 km in 85 days, of 1270 km kiting and 1200 km skiing and 6 km walking. First four numbers are all new Finnish expedition records.
Our email works until we are back home 28.7. After that we will update the pages with our own addresses and you may contact us if you want to discuss about outdoor life with us. Vuorenmaa is going back to work on 29.7 and will continue birdwatching and other outdoor activities in surroundings of Tampere. I will keep few weeks of vacation to do my usual hobbies, like horse riding or building stuff at our summer cottage. Only after that I will adapt to "normal" life again. Next spring we go to Svalbard and next summer to Iceland. Then I shall keep out of being abroad for a while.
This diary, like our expedition, has come now to it's finish line, so no updates after this.
Hope to see you all following our next expedition! That will be about....
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