How does it feel to have sunlight the whole day? For me, it is absolutely strange. But that side of the world experiences it in a different way. They go to their summer homes.

Midnight sun in the Arctic Circle, Swedish Lapland is a ‘delicacy’ in the foodies’ language. It arrives for only few months of summer. Has a mind of its own for sure. And people living in that cold wet land enjoy it to the fullest. They don’t even wear their sunglasses.

In the month of June, I was invited to Sweden by my organization’s headquarters to represent the zone I manage for human resources. I was to present the leadership work which is happening in the region. The region of Asia Pacific. My excitement held no bounds as this invitation brought in..

• A new place to visit
• Meet new people, some from my organization and some locals
• A new cuisine
• A new horizon
• Some new thinking and world view
• Representing the Asian Pacific thought process

And so much more, I was open to receiving what the universe was ready to show.

Well, it showed up in beautifully. There I was landing in Gothenburg, the port city of Sweden. The second largest Scandinavian city. A far away land from most parts of the world. Usually, people need to hop flights to reach there unless you are from the Nordic. Well, mostly!!

Somewhere from my general knowledge, I knew about the midnight sun phenomenon but when I landed there it surely was not one of the things that I had in mind. I landed at the airport late in the evening with no plans to explore the place that evening. The place would get dark, it’s a new city, different language. I can keep the walking around for the next day.

Wrapped up my check-in formalities and freshened up after the longest flights & haul I have ever taken. With the sun shining bright, I was proud of myself for being quick in getting ready. Imagining it was just 7 pm. thinking it looked like 4 pm of an Indian city. Just to realize it was already 10 pm there. That’s when it struck me, Sweden ‘is’ referred to as the midnight summer land. The north most of this land, of course, does. Above the Arctic Circle.

I was in Gothenburg. They really don’t experience “the midnight sun” but a lot of light exist for sure. It was an experience for me to walk the empty roads with bright light outside post midnight when the skyline merged with approaching night. Just to realize the morning will get back full force in just a few hours. May be in just about 3 hours. I took my leather jacket out and walked out of the hotel to breathe in some bit of the new city.

This experience left me wanting more of this experience when a place doesn’t experience darkness. Left me thinking, what it would be like to sleep when the sun is shining.

Some bit of information, I gathered

• Usually in Swedish Lapland it runs between the end of May to mid-July. The closer you get to the poles, the longer the experience lasts.
• It is not easy to sleep when the sun is shining outside. Make sure you condition your mind or keep a sleeping mask.
• You may be tempted to be out in the city, the whole day including the bright sunny night. Keep yourself hydrated and tummy full.

I have it on my travel list, Do you?

About me: I am an Indian girl, who loves to collect stories from her travel. Travel for work or otherwise has always been on my mind. My travel journals are precious to me.

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