CHAPTER 6
The aircraft touched down more smoothly than might have been expected when looking out at the piles of deep snow lining the runways. Even from a height, it was obvious that Lapland had had plenty of snow.
Traffic was heavy, and the aircraft was parked well away from the terminal building, necessitating an airport bus to pick up the passengers. David breathed in sharply as the cold air hit his lungs, then rather wished he hadn’t. The pilot had given a weather report just before landing. Minus twenty degrees, he had said. It felt like the deep freeze at any supermarket. It must be about the same temperature.
The building was warm enough though, and so was the bus that took the passengers away to their respective hotels. David’s hotel room felt overpoweringly warm after the more conventional chilly English rooms he was accustomed to, without any apparent way of turning the heat down. He rather felt that it would seem more acceptable after a day outside.
The restaurant meal was good in a plain Finnish style. David noted with amusement that many other holiday makers were somewhat suspicious of the strange looking dishes set before them. He had learned to eat and enjoy the often exotic food available in the country, although the present offering, reindeer stew in red wine, was new to him. It actually tasted of something, so clearly wasn’t healthy.
After eating, and already tired of listening to the incessant chatter of over excited people, David wandered outside, walking rapidly with the compulsive energy that marked his working life. He soon slowed down, however, and began to look around him. Away from the hotel lights it was possible to see the jewelled points of stars in the sky. He tried to work out which of the constellations he could recognise, but it was impossible. There were simply too many stars, and he couldn’t find anything familiar. Not that he knew too much about the night sky anyway, as he told himself ruefully.
As he watched, by now standing still and staring like any tourist, he became aware of a ghostly grey green glow almost directly overhead. The glow brightened and began moving, turning from what could be described as an almost colourless rainbow to a rapidly shimmering draped curtain. Strong streaks of light shot out constantly and urgently over half the sky. Colours developed, reds and greens and blues. Now there was a shade he liked, matching the eyes of someone far away. He felt an indefinable sense of loss, a sense of sadness, of loneliness. Laura may have been right when she advised him to slow down, but she hadn’t been aware of the thoughts that crowded into an idle mind.
Faint noises from far away brought him back to the present. A dog began to bark, changing the sound into a semi howl, as if it was a requiem for lost souls. He started shivering uncontrollably. Clearly he wasn’t dressed properly for this sort of weather. The hotel must have warm clothing on sale. There was a shop in the lobby. Perhaps something could be found there.
David made his way back to his room and went to sleep, feeling subdued and sad, wondering why he was wasting time by taking a holiday.
The following morning he awoke in a better mood. After breakfast, he went to the hotel shop and paid what he considered to be a ridiculous price for a long coat and fur hat with let down ear flaps. Still, what was wealth if it couldn’t be used? The temperature was lower still today, minus thirty two, which he was assured was only slightly unusual for the time of year. On reflection, he added a pair of thick gloves to his purchases, put them on immediately and walked out into the cold.