Gazing at the mounds of blindingly white snow around her, perforated by pine trees and pathways compacted hard by the tread of boots and runners of sleds, Julia started to wonder why on earth she had chosen to come to such a cold, unforgiving place.
‘In fact,’ she ruminated miserably, ‘this isn’t just cold.’
This was unlike anything she’d ever experienced before: the endless, dark sky, the bitter, icy air, the utter sense of emptiness.
Despite wearing more layers than a millefeuille, she was frozen to the bone, the wind whipping away her body heat in an instant, leaving her feeling numb all over.
It had all seemed so magical a year ago, when she’d started planning her trip to Ivalo, the folkloric home of Santa Claus. It had been on her bucket list for years. She’d almost forgotten how many times she’d leafed through brochures, spent hours browsing the internet, fantasising about exhilarating husky treks through the forests, curling up with hot chocolate at the end of the day and wrapping up to go out in search of the elusive aurora borealis – the northern lights.
Of course, she hadn’t planned to be alone. This was a trip she’d talked about endlessly with Alexa. They’d compiled their Lapland to-do list together. Even now, she could recall Alexa reeling off her list: ‘We’ll do a reindeer sleigh ride, then we’ll experience a real Finnish sauna and run out and roll in the snow naked!’ she’d laughed. Julia blushed at the memory.
‘The next day, we can do a snowmobile safari, then we’ll go ice fishing,’ Alexa had gushed. ‘Oh, and the auroras, of course! We need to make sure we’re always looking up at night-time…’
Denne historien er fra December 21, 2020-utgaven av WOMAN'S OWN.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 21, 2020-utgaven av WOMAN'S OWN.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
THREE WOMEN ONE DRESS
Gemma Stevens, 34, needed a wedding dress that had stood the test of time
HOW TO HAVE A SILENT NIGHT
Trouble nodding off? Waking in the early hours? Our experts can help
MIND OF MY OWN
The Woman's Own columnist has her say on I'm a Celeb, work attire and young drivers
I THOUGHT HE'D COME TO KILL ME
For Sally Meeson, 45, the end of a relationship was the beginning of a nightmare
Loose Women IN CRISIS
With unhappy viewers and panel fall-outs, are the key characters about to be axed?
MAGNIFICENT MAURITIUS
Pe This istand in the ut 7% Indian Ocean feels Sa: like paradise, says Charlotte Richards
I HATE BEING A MUM
One woman, 55, reveals why she resents all of the sacrifices she made to be a mother
SLASH SUGAR AND SLIM
Trying to lose weight? With these clever tweaks, you don’t have to miss out on the seasonal sweet stuff
DAWN HARPER ASK THE DOCTOR
Doctor Dawn Harper answers all your questions
SEX HORRORS SOLVED!
Stop physical intimacy from turning into the stuff of nightmares with our expert advice