Life After Teaching: Lapland

July 15, 2026

Inlandsbanan, our train

This day might be one of the highlights of the trip. The little train is so cute. We chugged along for about an hour and a half through forests, over swamps, and beside lakes before arriving in Jokkmokk. We did get commentary in English but it was kind of hard to understand.

We met two absolutely lovely Swedish women, Nina and Eva, who are on the same tour as we are. They are both from Stockholm but had never met before this trip. There was another couple who got off the train here as well but we haven’t seen them since we left the train. Maybe they aren’t on the same tour.

We went to the Sámi Museum which was really good. It was laid out like spokes from a central hub and the room at the end of each spoke had a theme. One room was all taxidermied birds, and another had models of everyday Sámi life with the people and their environments carved out of wood. I loved that!

One variety of Sámi dress

Models of Sámi life

We couldn’t check in when we arrived just after 10:00 so we put our luggage in the storeroom and headed off. I took my backpack because it had my iPad in it but it got heavy so I took it back to the hotel, ditched the backpack, and headed for the outdoor store. I saw an ad on the map that they carried underwear in merino wool, the same kind I picked up in Copenhagen. While I was there I saw a light sweater that I thought Richard might like to replace the one that he has from MEC that is getting a bit worse for wear. I sent him a photo and he met me at the store.

We both came away with sweaters. The sales woman was an absolute hoot. At one point she told Richard he was lucky that he didn’t have boobs and then said that Swedes don’t care if men strip down to their underwear in the middle of the store in order to try something on. She tried very hard to sell us net underwear which I remember from the 1980’s. Apparently it’s making a resurgence. She also waxed poetic about the virtues of wool shampoo but we’ve had our merino wool stuff for eight years and it’s done just fine with our regular detergent. We managed to get out of the store with the two sweaters.

For lunch we had salads at a little pizza joint then we got back to the hotel and walked around the lake. We stopped briefly in the forest garden but the mosquitos were very enthusiastic so we carried on around the lake where there was more of a breeze.

First walk around the lake

By the time we finished our walk we could check in. Richard had a nap and I texted with Liz W and tried to figure out why she couldn’t see our posts in Find Penguins. I changed my settings so I hope that works. I sent Karen NB a message saying that all I could think of on the train was the song we sang at the spring concert “The Royal Hudson.” I also sent a photo of me in my Adventure Canada jacket in front of a Sámi house to the folks at Adventure Canada. I thought they might appreciate the free advertising.;-)

Publicity shot (not really)

We were going to go elsewhere for dinner but decided to stay at the hotel. We had Arctic char which was delicious and pricey. After supper we walked around the lake again and I tried to get some decent photos of red-throated loons without much success. Tomorrow the train leaves at 9:30 so we can have a bit more of a leisurely start.