Snow hotel

We eventually made it to the snow hotel, although our honeymoon suite still wasn't ready so yet again we had some more waiting around. I just wanted to get going and start, seeing some of the sculptures and reliefs already done made me eager to start. Seen as the hotel was meant to be opening in only 4 days time I was shocked at the amount of work which still had to done and the fact that some of the hotel still wasn't actually made. Anyway after a delayed morning we cracked on with the work, not realising how tiring it would actually be. After many early morning and 12 hour shifts working on the room we managed to get it finished, with everything we had hoped. I looks great, I placed three stars in the ceiling in the end which brought the outside in which was great and just what a wanted. We also hopefully get a free nights stay there so it will be great to see the hotel once it is finished.

As the temperatures dip below -20 and the chill can be felt through all your layers it is the simple pleasure of a hug that I miss. A hug from mum, a hug from Sam or simply from a friendly face. The well known action of feeling someone around me is missed.

Ice Hotel!

After a week of uncertainty over the snow hotel, we have final confirmation that we will be going on monday to complete our designs. They have suggested that we change our designs for the suite though, and want more arches and pillars in the room. This is slightly annoying as they seem to have pretty set ideas as to what they want in the room, yet didn't give us these details at first. They have even drawn designs that they wish to be in there, so this maybe isn't the best of starts. But, I am even more determined to complete this and make a best a job as possible. Just a weekend of more planning to do first!

Snow sculpting!

As part of my course at the University of Lapland i get the chance to do ice and snow sculpting, which is great! We have been thrown into it straight away, and designing a room which we will create in a hotel this Thursday! Which is a little scary as Mark and I have never done snow sculpting before and will be working in the honey moon suite! The plan is to create a mystical, romantic feel to the room, having a large tree above the bed which will disperse into a Finnish landscape, with swans flying through the scenes. It seems quite a big plan but hopefully it will all come together, I am looking forward to it.

Today was the first day at university, which I have found out is a short 45 min stroll! haha! not so nice when it is -32, I even had icicles on my eyelashes! Even though I am still slightly confused by the course registration is was great to be there. I have met a few British people, most exchange students do seem to be eastern European though.

With only the crunching of the snow as your friend and icicles for eyelashes some would say this is time to go home, but I go on.

After a strange nights sleep in a new place I was feeling a little more refreshed and faced a trip into town with Barbara, even though it is quite a walk it is pleasant enough and not too cold. A hot choc was still needed to warm us up once we got there though, we ended up in a cool little cafe. It was full of random vintage things, like hovers etc, definitely a place to go back to. And i almost forgot about the massive pizzas which, were too big to finish!

Hei

After a long day of running for areoplanes and areoplane food I am glad to have got to Rovaniemi in one piece, even though it is freezing! I am currently in my empty flat which is quite prison like, but will hopefully be more homely soon. Heres to a great few months in arctic temperatures.