light pollution, which does so much to diminish the display. But local knowledge plays a large part in ensuring travellers see what they have travelled miles to experience and I was lucky enough to be with people who knew the hot spots. Cloud cover too can be a difficult thing to evade of course; Icelanders call the Northern Lights ‘The Temperamental Lady; you can decide why for yourself and I make no comment! Yet if you do make the effort to go in search of this incredible natural spectacle you will experience so much, not least the clear air and that feeling of being in the presence of something other-worldly. I did feel extremely small and insignificant it must be said, but some would say that is not a bad thing! However, it’s not all about nature; modern technology is being harnessed to make the very best of the experience and in Finland, for example, there is a Geophysical Observatory in Sodankylä which sends messages to tourists just when the night sky is going to be at its best. This necessitates jumping up from whatever you are doing, wrapping up warm and stepping out under the night sky. Never has a text message been quite this exciting and I was rewarded by some stunning displays. It really did feel like being jolted awake in the crisp night air for something I may well never experience again in my lifetime. Standing with my head back as far as I was able, I finally understood how the Aurora Borealis forms, when solar winds come up against the Earth’s magnetic field. Particles and dust are snagged and brought down until they collide with
gases in the ionosphere causing the distinctive glow of the Northern lights. There, you see, I was concentrating but then it was exhilarating! I also discovered why the light glows in such different colours; that’s down to the types of gas. The most dramatic is high altitude oxygen which gives a blue or red display, or Aurora as they are called. I would have been a scientist if physics lessons had been anything like that, and as a consequence of my trip I have developed a passion and thirst for knowledge on this subject which is a lasting legacy.
I enjoy holidays, and there was a time when lazing by the pool with a stack of books was my idea of a break and all I needed. But these days I want more. Perhaps it’s the thought of time’s winged chariot at my heels or the fact I am looking for something to add to my life experience rather than simply being an escape from it. I know, having seen the Aurora Borealis, my life will never be quite the same. And life has taught me how to appreciate the moment rather than always looking for the next hit. Vivienne Neale
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