Survival Instinct

An eight-day trip to the Swedish Arctic wilderness set in a pristine environment we so sadly lack promised to be the trip of a lifetime, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Let’s face it, such a Challenge is not something that is frequently experienced by the likes of us Mediterranean people, whose familiarity with icy conditions is more likely to be a short encounter with the freezers in a supermarket. The threat of frostbite, lack of sleep, no contact with other human beings apart from those involved in the Challenge, no internet, mobile phones or other creature comforts we are so used to in our day to day lives, would prove to be the real challenge.




A cabin with no running water and electricity was our base. We were all assigned duties, from cooking, cleaning and washing up to ensuring that there was a plentiful supply of firewood to fuel the centrally located stove which kept the cabin warm. The first three days were spent cross-country skiing, dog sledding and snowmobiling as well as preparing for the survival stage.

Dog sledding lived up to my expectations though I would have enjoyed spending more time with these strong animals. Very playful and craving attention, once they are harnessed they get into work mode. Six dogs pull a sledge carrying two people, one of whom steers and keeps the sledge’s balance. Every so often the sledges stop and the dogs take the opportunity to cool down by lying in the snow, nuzzling their noses against the cold ice. By the end of the day, they are all tired and almost fall asleep immediately in their ‘cabins’ on the truck.

Bluetooth, was the name of this loveable dog, who was always up for a kiss and a cuddle

If dog sledding was the best way to experience a true wilderness, completely dependent on the dogs with no noise except for the odd bark, then the snow mobile was the modern version of this sort of travel, with more adrenaline flowing, especially when pressing down the throttle at full speed while going up a hill, whose summit is just a straight line, with a huge unknown behind it. I must admit I had a whale of a time negotiating my way through forests, frozen lakes and undulating tracks. The only downer was the sound of the engine and the smell of fuel, a stark contrast to the unspoilt terrain we were travelling through.



At higher altitudes, near a weather station


Having never put on skis in my life, the prospect of spending a couple of hours picking myself up and untangling myself from a set of skis was admittedly very daunting. While quite a few people encouraged me, telling me that cross country skiing was much easier than downhill skiing, I still had visions of myself hugging a tree or being buried headfirst in the snow after a failed attempt to tackle some minor slope.

Happily, I managed quite well though I did have some very unceremonious falls, which required the assistance of my friends to get back on my feet. I enjoyed the experience so much, that I set off on the survival part of the journey, on skis, at night, carrying a heavy backpack and reaching the destination with a huge smile on my face.


Survival instinct

I guess that deep down inside each and every one of us there is a survival instinct that comes into play whenever we find ourselves outside our comfort zone. Although I have been on expeditions, I still had my reservations as to whether I would cope with the cold, lack of sleep and basic facilities. Each night I would crash into my sleeping bag with aching muscles only to be woken up a few hours later to carry out fire duties with my buddy. I found it very hard to go back to sleep, mostly due to the uncomfortable terrain and the cold.

Removing tree branches to build a shelter, made of trees and snow

We were all busy working on the construction of the snow hole, which saw us pile as much snow as possible into a heap at least two metres high, that would be big enough for 20 Challengers to sleep in. Although many hours were spent working on the snow hole, we sadly never managed to spend the night there. Due to heavy snowfall, the construction collapsed. Three people, including myself, who were working inside at the time, found themselves buried in the snow albeit for a very short time and were lucky enough to suffer very slight injuries and able to continue the Challenge after having been given the all clear by doctors.

Digging into the snowhole a few minutes before it collapsed


The Challenge is now over and some of us are struggling to get back into our old routines. There were many lessons to be learnt from this trip. Apart from giving me the opportunity to learn new skills, it has shown me how much we take what we have in our lives for granted and that we can really get by with few things and still be content.

We left Malta as acquaintances but came back as friends. We supported each other when the going was tough, shared a hearty laugh and a silent tear when it was needed. The best part of it all is that our effort will help the voiceless abandoned animals to lead a better life.