Swenson shares her adventure to Svalbard, halfway between Norway and the North Pole

Editor’s Note: World traveler Sabrina Swenson is a 1986 graduate of Postville High School. She is the daughter of Erma Swenson and the late Marlin Swenson. Here she shares her trek to Svalbard, which is halfway between Norway and the North Pole. This is the first of a three part series.

Located half-way between Norway and the North Pole, sits Svalbard. A Norwegian archipelago surrounded by the Arctic Ocean. The only way to reach Svalbard by air, is via Oslo. From there it’s another three hour flight North. There are a few settlements on Svalbard, however, no roads connect them. Instead, snowmobiles, aircraft and boats serve inter-community transport.

I flew into Longyearbyen, the gateway to Svalbard. It was May, but snow blanketed the ground. The airport in this tiny settlement is so small, everyone from the flight boards a large bus that waits outside the airport to take you to your lodging. 

After two days of wandering the small, beautiful Arctic gateway, I got ready for the reason I came to Svalbard. A snowmobile trip across the Arctic tundra! A few other people had signed up, and we were picked up from our hotels. 

Read the full article in the January 29 edition of the Postville Herald.