Longyearbyen

Reville is 0345. A 3-hour SAS flight delivers us to Longyearbyen, the world’s northmost city of more than 1000 inhabitants. Is there a hole in the cliffs for an airport or are we crashing into a cliff? Fortunately for us, there is a break in the cliffs for an airport.

Boarding the bus, our guide is from Transylvania, Romania and very good both with knowledge and humor.  The city/village is colorful. Mining was big in the past. Only one mine remains. The coal delivery lift no longer operates.

The first stop is at the polar bear crossing sign.

There is only one road here. Parallel to us an snowmobile tour is heading out.

The second stop is at Camp Berentz, a traditional camp where a woman with a flare gun and rifle meets us to escort us on our tour of the camp. We are told the flare gun and rifle are protection against polar bears. She is also from Romania. We suspect it is mostly for show since when returning to the bus she is briefing our arriving bus and we must “risk” the return to the bus on our own.

We drive around, very slowly, killing time until lunch is ready.

Buffet lunch at the Radisson. Some eat quickly and cross the street to shop in the two-block town. We do not.