Quick facts.
Learned the hard way, as each happened to me. None of it from a book — all of it experience. Take a second over each as you read.
"After a 300-kilometre journey blanketed in snow and ice, your car can get stuck on the narrow track leading to where you're staying."
"Despite a geomagnetic storm warning, the CME can miss the Earth entirely."
"Where you're staying can fall under a severe weather system, and for days on end you may not see the Sun's face — or a single star at night."
"On a night without a single cloud, the Northern Lights may still fail to appear because activity is weak."
"On the very same road you can find yourself driving first through heavy rain, then dense snow, then sleet."
"On a suddenly calm, clear night, the Northern Lights can erupt with great intensity."
"On a stormy day, watching the giant waves may be the only activity going — but also the most fun."
"A slope you can't climb going forwards, you can sometimes climb in reverse."
"When the car bogs down in snow, the right thing to do is to ease off the gas and calmly assess the situation."
"A two-hour layover between connecting flights beats a one-hour one."
"The more fluid you drink, the more often you'll have to relieve yourself in the cold."
"Being a little cold beats overdressing and sweating."
"In strong wind, every tripod shakes."
"If you choose a night flight, you can see the Northern Lights from the plane."
"When a car comes up behind you, there's no need to speed up involuntarily. Let it pass, or let it follow if it's tailing you; just keep your own comfortable pace."
"Trucks and lorries sometimes signal right to tell the car behind it's clear to overtake. Well-meant as it is, never pull out until you've seen with your own eyes that the road is clear."
"Wool socks always keep you warm."
"When you spot an animal in the wild, don't try to approach it. 99.9% of the time it will flee from you."
"Eat a banana instead of junk food. It gives you energy and keeps you full."
"Most products sold in the supermarket carry no English label. The range is very wide; you'll find most of what you're after."
"In the Scandinavian countries, tap water is perfectly drinkable straight from the cold tap."
"In non-touristy areas (roads, fuel stations, shops) the signs are mostly in the local language. Most people speak English; you can ask for help."
"If you need to warn a pedestrian or cyclist on the road, use the horn or headlight flash from a distance. A sudden horn can startle someone listening to music on headphones and throw off their balance."
"If you can, travel with credit cards from two different banks. If one card is declined, you try the other. Before you leave, make sure the cards are enabled for use abroad."
"In Lapland the true length of night drops from 13 hours on 1 January to 11 on 1 February, 8 on 1 March, and 1 hour 41 minutes on 1 April. You'll need deep darkness for the Northern Lights."
"If your destination is rough and snow-covered, scout it cautiously first without carrying the tripod and camera, then bring your gear back."
"The closer you get to city lights or any artificial light source, the more the white balance in your photos goes astray. Move away to somewhere as dark as possible."
"Photocopy the pages of your passport and visa and carry them with you throughout the trip. They'll prove useful if anything is lost or stolen."
"Buying the ticket eight months ahead doesn't guarantee the flight. Days before departure the time or date can change — or (see: Covid-19) it can be cancelled altogether."