It’s August in New York City, where it's so sweltering I question why I bother showering before going outside. I am sweating from every pore in my body! If only I could go back to my last vacation. No, not the beach – the Arctic Circle, one of the world’s coldest destinations. Some ice-cold air would feel great right now.
My trip started in Rovaniemi, Finland, and ended in Tromsø, Norway. The snow was beautiful – a true winter wonderland – but it was even better to play in it. (You’re never too old to make a snow angel!) My only regret? Not going up to Svalbard – an archipelago near the North Pole and home to Longyearbyen, the world's northernmost city.
Cecilia Blomdahl knows it well. Originally from Sweden, she arrived in Svalbard planning to stay for a few months. Nearly nine years later, she’s still there, sharing life on this tiny island with millions of social media followers. It’s currently Midnight Sun season, so Svalbard gets 24/7 daylight. Later this year, it’ll plunge into endless darkness during Polar Night.
It’s a surreal place, but if you’re down for the adventure, I asked Cecilia for all her Svalbard travel tips.