Once we got off the plane in Longyearbyen we gathered our luggage from the single baggage claim, and followed the crowd outside where two large buses were waiting. We figured we were supposed to follow everyone else onto a bus of our choosing, even though we weren't exactly sure where either of them was going to end up. We quickly learned that anytime a flight arrives at the small airport, buses meet the passengers to take them into town, stopping at every hotel in town, along with a few stops for locals. The simple process almost seemed too good to be true, but my weary traveling mind appreciated the ease.
Finally arriving in Longyearbyen! (Molly Stanko)
Our stop was the very last. Our Hostel was located at the very far end of town near the glacier where we were told there were plant fossils. After dropping our bags off and in desperate need of a proper meal we immediately searched out food. Thankfully, the hotel right across the road had a restaurant. The Coal Miners Cabin, appropriately named, had housed miners during the 1950s coal boom. They had a simple menu of burgers and different potato side dishes. We happily munched our burgers by candlelight in our socks (we quickly learned that it was customary to remove shoes when entering buildings in Longyearbyen) and watched Olympic handball while trying to figure out the rules of the unfamiliar sport.
In front of out hostel at 11pm! (Molly Stanko)
By the time we finished our meal and returned to our room it was nearly 11pm. We were delighted and in awe that it was still incredibly light outside. This was my fist time experiencing the midnight sun. The combination of jet lag, light coming through the windows, a very loud Finnish man, and the excitement of arriving in the Longyearbyen made for a poor nights sleep. But Haley and I awoke the next morning excited to embark on our ship, finally unpack our things, and see Svalbard!
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
1 day ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
1 day ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
6 days ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
1 week ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.