Sand Grains

Dubai dunes, yep, they just go on as far as the eye can see. This was a photo stop on a dune desert safari with www.arabian-adventures.com. I highly recommend the tour if you wish to see some desert dunes and meet some wonderful people along the way.

Context

To put it in context, this is how high the Burj Khalifa really is compared to regular high-rise buildings.

Burj Khalifa

Like a biblical Tower of Babel, this building reaches for the sky no matter how you look at it. It is currently the World's tallest building.

Stairway To Triumph

The circular stairs that lead into the Arch of Triumph (Arch de Triomphe). I'll put another post soon that shows the spectacular view of Paris from the top.

Eiffel View

A view of the Eiffel Tower from Trocadero, 16th Arrondissement, Paris. My trip from the arctic circle back to Australia had to stop off in Paris for a look.

Glass Igloo Village

The one and only Glass Igloo Village in Kakslauttanen, Finland. I was lucky enough to get a booking in one of these for a night. It is a magical winter wonderland with Santa's house nearby, and the snow is so dry and light it squeaks underfoot. The beds face directly north for a perfect view when the sky is clear. You can even tilt the bed for the optimum reclining angle, and the staff are wonderfully friendly.

Arctic Islands In The Stream

At the Igloo Village in Kakslauttanen amongst the forest. The isolated village is well hidden in the forest and this stream gently winds through the trees.

Snowmobile

When walking on a crust of frozen water on top of a river and a snowmobile zooms past, one becomes acutely aware that this country town is different to one's familiar desert home.

Barents Sea

The Barents Sea in Kirkenes, Norway. This was the furthest north I headed on my aurora chasing journey. From here I could almost smell the North Pole, and the Russian border was only a few kilometres away. The city of Murmansk was a mere 20 km drive across the border.

Happy New Year 2014!

Happy new year from Finland! This was taken at the midnight fireworks put on by the Hotel Kultahippu in Ivalo. They just walk out on the frozen river, light the fuse and run. It was the closest I have ever been to fireworks, and the coldest new year I've experienced. The wind was blowing snow flakes into my eyes like sand, it was chilly! Everyone buys fireworks over here, people were setting them off up and down the river throughout the evening.