Day 1: From Lichtenwörth to Nikkaluokta

Finally Sweden again 🙂
A departure on Monday has the clear advantage that we can pack comfortably at the weekend. The alarm clock at 3:30 a.m. is nevertheless very early. After preparing a small breakfast for the airport, Sissy and Karl take us to the airport at 4.15 – many thanks for the always reliable shuttle service! ❤️

We already did the check-in the evening before and we are already professionals when it comes to flying with backpacks. On the screen and at the luggage conveyor it is stated that our luggage is checked through to Kiruna. To be on the safe side, we ask again and the friendly AUA employee confirms that the backpacks are checked through. Comfortable, because on our last trip we had to pick up the backpacks from the conveyor belt in Stockholm and bring them to Terminal 4 ourselves.
We say goodbye to our backpacks (this gesture has always brought us luck on our outward flights) and a few minutes later we already see our gate on the screen. While waiting for boarding, we eat breakfast, get some sleep and soon the boarding begins. The flight is on time and we sleep well with our new inflatable neck cushions. ?

Arrived in Stockholm, we – *just to be on the safe side* – pass by the baggage carousel from Vienna. Two lonely Fjällräven backpacks sadly take their rounds on the carousel ? . Great reunion joy on both sides! We shoulder the backpacks and ask at the SAS counter: Lufthansa and AUA have no agreement with the SAS – a misinformation in Vienna. Thank God we both had a bad feeling and went there for a quick look!

While waiting for the flight to Kiruna we pass the time reading and eating (traditional at the Burger restaurant MAX). The flight starts punctually again and we arrive in Kiruna at 13 o’clock. During the descent we already see the snow-covered mountains in the border area of Sweden and Norway 🙂

Our backpacks are the first on the baggage carousel – and we are relieved. The first hurdle has been cleared, the whole team has arrived in Kiruna!
We take the airport bus to the center – and again we have to wait, namely for the bus to Nikkaluokta, the starting point of our tour. We sit down at the picnic table and chat with some people who are also waiting for different buses. A couple wants to go to Abisko and is planning almost the same tour we did last year. Now we could already give them some tips!
At 4 pm we reach our destination after a pleasant bus ride and check in at our own hut, which we reserved yesterday. 🙂

The people here are sooo nice, we feel good right away. It’s 16°C, the sun is shining and we just sat all day, so we’re going for a walk and explore the area.
The nature, the peace, the autumn colours – like a dream! We walk back to the lake (we liked the view from the bus so much) and up to the Sami church.

On the picture above you can see the fantastic birch forests and our way. Tomorrow we walk to Kebnekaise Fjällstation and the day after tomorrow at noon we walk around the round mountain Sinničohkka (1704m) on the left – this is the mountain that forms the left side of the sharp V-shaped incision in the background.

On the way we met a bear, which looks somehow familiar to us. 😉

At 18 o’clock we have dinner in the main house. We treat ourselves to reindeer and moose steak, chips, a great salad buffet, beer and coffee.
We are already quite tired, so we move to the hut right away. We push the beds together, read for a couple of minutes, however, not for long. Good night!