Just One For The Road

Name: Just One For The Road
Address: Haywards Heath, GB
Telephone: +447479140140

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Just One For The Road

E-mail me for guest posts & collaborations A British writer, blogger and amateur photographer travelling and showcasing some incredible parts of the world.

An award-winning British travel writer, content creator, storyteller, photographer & blogger offering amusing, informative tips & ideas for some of the best hotels, holidays & road trips in the world. My Facebook stories are fun and engaging as well as educational. Come join the adventure.

29/03/2026

Mother Nature, Just Doing Her Thing!

I shared a glimpse of the "Wau House" by day on a previous post… but this was the night my Arctic adventure truly came alive.

These photos picture a quite unforgettable night where I spent over an an hour, about 10pm, wandering the completely still, little back streets, in sub arctic temperatures, completely mesmerised.

Eventually, the cold and tiredness got the better of me and I retreated to the warmth of the Wau House. But just when I thought the show was over, I climbed into bed and realised it wasn’t, thanks to the heated glass roof above me.

It was one of those moments that I wish I could have bottled forever and exactly why I came on this incredible trip with Transun to Lapland to experience this remarkable country and those Northern Lights.

Till next time.

28/03/2026

Kilpisjarvi - Out and About

So before embarking on this trip to Lapland I really had no idea what to expect of the area. I mean what was there to see or do in Kilpisjarvi - if anything?!

We had a free afternoon and rather than rest my weary limbs I very much wanted to explore and savour every moment. So myself and a few other hardy adventurers laced up our boots and took a walk to the village where we had heard rumours of a waterfall.

Now, calling it a village might stretch the imagination for most of us, but that is part of its charm. Just off the main road (the Arctic Route) is a large supermarket, a sports shop, an off license, a petrol station and a restaurant/coffee bar. Then if you start to explore behind the road and up the hill you pass residential houses and also two fabulous hotels both available with Transun- Santa's Hotel Rakka and the Cahkal Hotel - Kilpisjärvi.

From the Hotel Rakka there is a sign post to Tsahkaljarvenhanke Kilpisjarvi which may not roll off the tongue but to you and me its an area of natural beauty. Follow the snowy trail and it will take you to not only a bridge overlooking the waterfall but also the whole of Lake Kilpisjarvi and the majestic Saana Mountain!

Regular readers will know I have a passion for wildlife, and on this short outing I encountered two creatures that, in their own way, made me smile. First, a rather nervous Great Dane, padding through the snow in his own snowshoes. Then, some true locals: a pair of young hooded crows who quickly took a liking to me after I picked up some nuts for them at the supermarket. I am a soft touch really!

If you ever find yourself here, do not stay tucked away in your lodge. Get out and explore. The world is a remarkable place. You just have to go looking for its best corners.

Please keep sharing my posts - its one way I spread the word about these awesome places I am lucky enough to visit.

Till next time

25/03/2026

Three Borders by Snowmobile

The final Transun excursion included in our package was another ride on those incredible snowmobiles, sweeping across the frozen lake and deep into the wilderness of Northern Lapland.

Like so many experiences in this extraordinary world, today was as much about the journey as the destination.

After an early alarm, breakfast and a minibus shuttle we wrapped up our safety briefing from Kilpissafarit. Moments later we were speeding across Lake Kilpisjarvi one last time, and Mother Nature delivered something truly special. Rising above Saana the moon was setting into a soft pink sky while, on the opposite horizon, the sun began to rise. It was a genuine pinch me moment, although with mittens and inner gloves on in minus 32 degrees, that would have been difficult!

After about an hour of travel, we arrived at what I can only describe as a giant upside down yellow flowerpot, topped with a stone marked Suomi, Finland. Our guide encouraged us to walk around it so that within ten seconds we had stepped across the borders of Finland, Norway and Sweden. A hot mug of fruit gloggi followed, which was very welcome although totally unsuccessful in warming any part of my anatomy up!

This was yet another exhilarating trip. Experiencing such beauty alongside such extreme cold, with wind chill on the bikes pushing temperatures beyond minus 40 degrees, is something else entirely. You certainly do not get that in Stoke on a frosty Tuesday night... well actually?

With the organised excursions now complete and still a good part of the day left in Lapland, it was time to plan a self guided adventure of our own.

Till next time

24/03/2026

Transun Northern Lights Snowmobile Safari Night Excursion

Of all the trips, this was the one I had been most looking forward to. Heading out at 19:30 on a snowmobile into the dark, snow-covered wilderness, with the hope of seeing you know what. It was always going to be cold, but it promised to be exhilarating too, and it absolutely delivered.

After meeting at the Tundrea reception, we hopped aboard a minibus for the short ten minute transfer down to the lakeside, where we once again got kitted out before climbing onto our chosen chariots which are organised by the excellent staff at Kilpissafarit.

Driving in these conditions, guided only by headlights, is a completely different experience. Our route took us through beautiful wooded scenery before opening out into vast, silent space. Around half an hour in, we stopped in what felt like the middle of nowhere. I would love to tell you exactly where we were, but I have no idea - sorry ;-) There were a couple of small kota's, one with a fire burning and a welcome cup of warm fruit gloggi that I was quickly developing a taste for. Beyond that, nothing at all. Once again, it felt like pure magic.

At first, the sky was a little cloudy, but by the end of our thirty minute stop, those green lights had begun to make an appearance, setting the tone for a journey home that will stay long in the memory!

The skies in Lapland change in an instant. Another twenty minutes on, the clouds suddenly cleared and the lights truly came alive. They danced across the sky, and for the first time I saw not just green, but flashes of yellow and deep, fiery red stretching across the night. All of it set against the backdrop of mighty Saana. Mountain

Nights like this do not come around often. I savoured every moment, and by the time I was back in the bar enjoying just one for the road, (a crisp pint of Karhu), I was ready to do it all again.

Till next time..

22/03/2026

Life on a Sami Reindeer Farm

The second excursion on the Transun Snowmobile Voyager offers the chance to visit an authentic working Reindeer Farm and learn more about the traditions of the Sami people, the indigenous community of the Arctic who have herded reindeer for generations.

Kilpisjarvi Reindeer farm is located just a 10 minute walk from the Tundrea Resort. On arrival you are welcomed and given instructions about how to approach the Reindeer safely. The key takeaway was not to lean down. When they lift their heads without notice those horns can cause serious damage.

So on arrival you are given a few handfuls of tasty lichen to feed them. These Reindeer cant get enough of lichen - who would have thought! After feeding time there was a presentation about the farm, it's day to day operations and the history of the family who have managed it for generations through the changing seasons.

After a warm Groggi and a biscuit (that's for the humans not the Reindeer) you exit door left and board the Reindeer sleigh for a short ride, and a clear view of a Reindeer's rear end, around the perimeter of the farm.

It was a memorable experience to see these animals up close and I mean up close, whilst also gaining a deeper understanding of the Sami people on this working farm.

Till next time

yläperän safarit oy

21/03/2026

An Evening Stroll to Lake Kilpisjarvi

On my first full day, I settled into what would soon become a familiar routine with dinner at the fabulous Tundrea Restaurant.

After dinner and with no excursions planned for the evening, I decided to take a gentle ten minute walk through the resort, passing the Kota where we had our welcome meeting the previous night. The path winds quietly down to the lakeside, where I had been fishing just hours before.

As I left the restaurant, the skies were beginning to clear, and there had been a rumour (well my app told me) that the northern lights might make an appearance. Walking alone past beautiful log cabins, in super sub zero temperatures and complete silence, that moment suddenly arrived. It was simply incredible.

Here are a few photos from that night. One features a tractor which might not seem particularly exciting to you, but standing there, alone and surrounded by stillness and green skies, it felt as though I had stepped onto another planet, frozen in time. It was a truly surreal experience.

I loved capturing these photos, and with whispers that the weather would stay kind over the next few days, it felt as if this may only be the start of my Northern Lights experience.

Till next time

17/03/2026

Gone Fishing, Kilpisjarvi

The first excursion on this Transun Snowmobile Voyager adventure was an early morning ride out onto the frozen lake in Kilpisjarvi for a spot of leisurely ice fishing.

So, to the snowmobiles. Once kitted out with an extra coat, helmet and mittens, you are given a brief but reassuring tutorial. There is not much to it - there's a brake, a throttle, handlebars to steer, and a windshield which, when zipping around in sub zero temperatures, quickly proves essential. More on that another time. After a couple of simple practice circuits to make sure everything has sunk in, it was time to head out to fish.

What I soon realised is that the enjoyment of snowmobiling is not just the thrill, it is the scenery. That first morning was a real pinch me moment. Travelling at speeds of up to 50 km per hour across a frozen lake, with the sun rising into a soft pink sky over the Halti fell, was simply incredible and a memory that will last a lifetime.

Now, earlier I described the fishing as leisurely. it is anything but. First, you dig through the snow down to the surface ice, then using a huge corkscrew, you bore your hole which turned out to be quite a workout. After that, things thankfully slow right down. Sitting on a reindeer skin with a small plastic rod, a mug of hot groggi fruit drink, you wait patiently, hoping to catch the big one. Although, realistically, it will not be that big given the size of the hole but hey... the thought was there, even if the fish were not!

It was great fun, but this excursion was really all about the moment. Watching the sunrise in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by complete stillness, was just magic.

Till next time

̈rvi

14/03/2026

Arctic Ready...

After landing in Enontekiö arctic airport and stepping out into that eye watering minus 25°C air, it was time for the next stage of the adventure. Waiting outside the tiny airport was Holly, our holiday rep with a beaming smile. A quick check in and chit chat and she directed me to the Transun transfer bus.

The first stop, after 50 minutes, was called "Suits & Boots", where everyone was fitted out with serious Arctic gear. And when I say serious, I mean serious. A full thermal suit and insulated boots, combined with my own gloves, wool socks and layers, was more than I normally wear in an entire British winter.

The key thing here is getting the fit right. You pretty much live in this gear for the next four days, whether you are snowmobiling, exploring the Arctic wilderness or standing around hoping the Northern Lights decide to make an appearance. Too tight and you cannot move. Too loose and the cold will find its way in.

Once we were all properly kitted out, it was back on the bus for a 90 minute transfer to the Tundrea Resort in Kilpisjärvi, which would be our base for the trip. This is where everything revolves around. The reception, the restaurant, the meeting point for excursions and, as it turns out, a very welcome warm refuge from the Arctic chill.

That evening, after a brief dinner and a fabulous pint of Karhu Platina (cost 8.50 euros), we gathered for the welcome meeting in the most beautiful setting imaginable. A traditional Sami kota. Think of it as a wooden Arctic tent with a roaring fire in the middle, surrounded by pine trees, deep layers of snow and pretty lights.

Sitting there (overheating), whilst Holly told us the plans for the next few days, it suddenly felt very real. I was in Lapland, on the edge of the Arctic Circle, and the adventure was only just beginning.

Till next time

̈rvi ̈

09/03/2026

Bournemouth to Lapland (Direct!)

Late last January I had the chance to fulfill a lifelong desire to see the Northern Lights. This was with specialist tour operator Transun on one of their Arctic Experience Tours, called the "Snowmobile Voyager".

Quite simply it was 5 days, the first and last days were travelling and getting yourself kitted out and acclimatised, while day two, three and four are all about snowmobile excursions, Arctic experiences and bucket loads of fun!

My journey to Lapland was a day of firsts. Never had I flown from Bournemouth - one of 17 UK airports they fly from. Never had I been so far North as the edge of the Arctic Circle. Never had I flown on Enter Air and never had I tried Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka... well when on a Polish Charter Airline and all that!

I loved Bournemouth Airport. Even I could not get lost! Then there was the flight. At three and a half hours and not really knowing what to expect, it was great. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-800, was clean, comfortable and both the onboard service and staff lovely.

We started our descent to Enontekiö arctic airport as we entered Finnish airspace. It was then that our Captain announced that the temperature on the ground was a somewhat balmy minus 25 degrees. It was also misty and foggy so really not ideal for those in search of the Northern Lights.

Anyway I was here...I was grateful to Enter Air, thankful for thermals and ready to embark on an adventure straight out of a Boys' Own Annual - for any youngsters that means this old adrenaline ju**ie was buckled up for a wicked time!

Till next time

̈

08/03/2026

Thrills, Spills & (Hopefully) Northern Lights

Only a few weeks ago I touched down on the edge of the Arctic Circle on a bucket list adventure that included sub zero temperatures, snowmobiles, ice fishing, glass igloos... oh and, a suitcase full of thermal underwear.

If this sounds like the sort of experience your inner explorer is calling for, then stay tuned for one of my most exciting and exhilarating adventures yet...

Till next time

Address

Haywards Heath

Telephone

+447479140140

Website

http://www.justonefortheroad.com/, https://muckrack.com/rupert-diggins/portfolio

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