I recently returned from a trip to Norway to see the Northern Lights. My daughter Rachel always wanted to see the Northern Lights. She would send me pictures asking, “when are we going to see the Northern Lights?” We could never make this trip before Rachel’s passing in 2020. My wife and I committed to making this trip in her honor. It took longer than expected due to COVID travel restrictions. Finally, in March of 2022, we made the trip.

It would have been logistically easier to travel to Alaska to see the lights, but Rachel wanted to see them from Norway. So, Norway it was. I settled on Tromsø as our home base for chasing the Northern Lights. Tromsø is a good-sized town with plenty to offer in the way of food, lodging, and local interest. We stayed at the Clarion Collection With. This hotel was on the water and had an excellent complimentary breakfast and dinner. The location was great as we were able to walk to most destinations.

It takes a while to get to Tromsø as two connections are required from the USA. We connected in Frankfurt and Oslo. The flights went well, and we arrived late in the day. The trip from the airport was a short ten-minute taxi ride.

Tromsø is located above the arctic circle, so yes, it is cold. We prepared for the weather and didn’t have any problems. One item that helped was the Yaktrax Traction Cleats. There is a lot of ice on the ground during winter. These devices helped ensure I stayed upright.

Since we were focused on observing the Northern Lights, I planned for us to stay in Tromsø for five days. I was hoping to see the Lights during this time; I did not have much of a backup plan if we were unsuccessful. I used a local guide with Polar Adventures to help me with my quest. I explained my objective to Thomas, and he did a great job developing a successful plan.

On our second night in Tromsø, we made our first attempt at viewing the Northern Lights. We went on a 6-hour van excursion across northern Norway, trying to find an opening in the clouds. We finally caught a brief glimpse of the lights for about 10 minutes. It took me a few minutes to recognize what I was seeing. Interestingly, the lights do not appear the same with the naked eye versus a camera. The famous green hue visible in most photos is mostly only seen with a camera lens. After viewing the lights for a while, our guide built a fire, and we ate hot dogs. This excursion was long and tiring. I became concerned we would be in for a long week.

I quickly learned how to use a Northern Lights application on my phone. In combination with the weather application, it gave me a good sense of when the Northern Lights would appear. After my amateur evaluation, I spoke with Thomas again and was told to wait several days before trying again. I was nervous because we were running out of time. In the end, I put my trust in Thomas from Polar Adventures. He told me Sunday night, the 6th would be clear, and we would see the lights. Thomas booked us on his father’s boat. I was apprehensive about the effectiveness of viewing and getting pictures from a boat. I had nothing to fear. The boat was fantastic. The fjord was calm, and the skies were clear. There was an observation deck on the boat, and we saw lights for about 4 hours. The boat offered a warm cabin with hot drinks and salmon soup. The combination of these elements made for an incredible experience. We took many photos and videos. Thomas took some memorable pictures of us and a photo we brought of my daughter. He was a good photographer. I highly recommend Polar Adventures for your Northern Lights experience in Tromsø.

Rachel, you were right; observing the Northern Lights in Norway was incredible; you would have loved it. You taught me to always make the trip, attend the event, and spend time with people. Completing this trip was an important part of my grieving process. I could have talked myself out of making this trip but would have missed an important opportunity to change my life.

Make the most of this day!