News from the road – Chase the Northern Lights – December 2025

We were in search of the Northern Lights and we found them!

For three magical nights they danced across the sky — twice from the comfort of our Havila ship as we cruised the Norwegian coast, and once beneath the open sky of Northern Finland while on a sleigh ride. Ribbons of emerald light danced across the sky leaving us breathless. Even our guides were as spellbound as we were by the magnificent display.

Every day brought another unforgettable experience. In Oslo, we explored the stories of the Fram, Munch, and the Nobel Peace Prize. The Flåm Railway carried us past frozen waterfalls and winter-white valleys. We sailed calmly along Norway’s dramatic coastline, then journeyed through deep snow to reach the North Cape. In Finland, crisp days and clear skies welcomed dog sledding, reindeer sleigh rides, and electric snowmobiling. We were also treated to a surprise concert in Helsinki’s Rock Church by a 50-strong male choir and delighted in the Christmas markets of the fairy-tale medieval town of Tallinn.

Yet for me, as so often happens, the true magic was found in the group. Twelve wonderful travellers shared this journey, filling it with laughter, curiosity, and thoughtful conversation. One traveller initiated a haiku-writing project, quickly embraced by the group. More than one hundred haiku were written — small poems capturing fleeting moments of light, snow, silence, and wonder — soon to be gathered and become a keepsake of our 2025 tour. A few of these verses below capture the essence of our northern adventure.

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No splash and no roar

Silent suspended descent

Frozen waterfall.

(Allyson)

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Dark days steal the sun

Revealing the Aurora’s

ethereal glow

(Erwin)

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Fjords in quiet mist

Greig’s notes echo over roofs

Bergen breathes in tune

(Murray)

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An icy trek leads

To a cathedral of light

Which melts the heart

(Allyson)

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Christmas lights galore

Brightening the winter gloom

Cheering Arctic hearts

(Andrea)

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Bejewelled with light

While snow gleams gold and silver

Treasure revealed

(Allyson)

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Dogs are heroes

Speeding in powdery snow,

One foot curbs their fire

(Erwin )

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What a wondrous sound!

Rock church with choir and organ

Ah magnifico!

(Carol)

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Walls of solid rock

Hold the perfect harmony

Our souls are moved

(Allyson)

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The new year is nigh

Memories of Nordic lands

Linger in my mind

(Ro)