The flight to Svalbard was an experience in itself. The late evening flight from Oslo soon left the darkness of southern Norway behind as the plane flew due north, past the Arctic Circle and into the full glare of the midnight sun.
As the plane approached Spitsbergen – the largest island in Svalbard – I looked down on a vista of black volcanic mountains and blindingly-white glaciers, one hour from the North Pole, as the plane landed in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen's main settlement.
Nothing had quite prepared me for the 24 hours of sunlight that Svalbard, at 78 degrees north, enjoys for at least four months of the year. We landed shortly after midnight but it might as well be midday. The first thing I reach for are my sunglasses..."
Arctic birds and polar bears, dangerous crevasses, stunning landscapes and impenetrable fog – Mark Lantham sets out for an Arctic adventure.
Slug: Norway-trekking
Date available for assignment: Now
Time period for assignment: 1 day
Expiration date: August 2010
Reporter(s): Mark Latham
Print: Y - Video: N - Audio: N - Photos: Y
