| |
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
Whether it's fishing through frozen fjord waters or scaling the sides of trapped icebergs, Greenland will make you feel like you're living out scenes straight from Discovery Channel.
From the moment our tiny plane approached the world's largest island that is Greenland, it was apparent this would be a trip like no other.
What began as specks of white dotting the ocean below us soon became a great sea of white, cracked at some points but still extending as far as the eye could see.
From our plane, freshly departed from the Iceland capital of Reykjavik, we looked down at what seemed like an enormous expanse of white marble tiles - tiles that were sheer ice. Our journey to the Land Before Time had begun. This was our chance to experience the ice age.
Our plane landed on an air-strip beside a single building, which was the airport at Kulusuk. It was surrounded by embankments of snow taller than we were. The weather was surprisingly mild - about 10 degree Celsius, windless with blue skies overhead in the middle of May.
Our group of 10 were led to a lone red helicopter, our transportation to Ammassalik, a remote outpost in East Greenland where we were to expect one of the most beautiful unspoilt arctic landscapes in the world and a region steeped in culture - reasons why we chose Greenland as a travel destination.
As the helicopter's propellers roared to life, we looked out to take in the breathtaking views of cracking ice lakes surrounded by snow-laced mountains and towering icebergs.
Greenland is a piece of nature in its purest form. Made up of 97 per cent ice, it is one of the most sparsely populated regions in the world. East Greenland itself has a land area of 1.45 million sq km, inhabited by only 3,500 people. This means each East Greenlander has to himself an area equivalent to the whole of Singapore.
We saw no one as we crossed the sea of white, the only moving form in the vastness being the reflection of the helicopter on the blocks of ice below.
Once in Ammassalik, we were driven by a local guide to our hotel perched atop a little hill. As our van curved up the winding road, we were taken through almost the entire town, unexpectedly peppered with little wooden houses painted in the richest shades of green, yellow, blue and red - like a village awaiting Christmas all year round.
It wasn't always like that, the tour guide told us. Local Inuits used to live in turf houses dug into the ground until Denmark took over the island more than 200 years ago. Now, families in Greenland even have access to satellite TV and the Internet.
Despite such modern amenities, Greenlanders still survive by fishing and hunting - seals, walruses, narwhales, polar bears and musk oxen are hunted for their skins and meat. Walrus tusk and reindeer antlers are carved into delightful objects for sale.
Living off the land is necessary for survival because the ice that surrounds the island becomes too thick for supply ships to come through in the winter. For seven months of the year, Greenlanders get no fresh food.
My friend and I got a peek at how nature and people become one in Greenland. Taking one afternoon to explore the frozen fjord waters in front of our town, we headed to where our hill dropped off into cliffs, bordered by a row of colourful houses with balconies that hung over the cliffsides.
We followed the path down the hill - passing children playing baseball and football in the streets - until we were able to literally step onto the fjord and walk on it like it was solid ground.
In the middle of it, the locals were out and about - catching their dinners. Wrapped in thick winterwear, they stood by their holes in the ice, clutching long fishing lines that extended into the icy depths. Some had already scored their catch.
My friend and I asked a native if we could try our hand at fishing. Five minutes of tugging on the line and nothing. Of course, it was easy to blame it on the equipment.
Each fishing line was 250m long so it could reach the water beneath the ice, and it was almost impossible to feel any fish take the bait. At least we entertained the crowd. Many children had gathered to watch our futile endeavour, peering into the hole and smiling back at us.
Indeed, a trip to Greenland is unforgettable. You will always remember your first meeting with its proudest inhabitant, the ice - all 1.8 million sq km of it - and the terrain at daybreak, the only time of day when the neverending white is bathed in a glorious shade of orange, reminding you of its full majesty at the crack of civilisation.
Cool tips
When to go: December and January are the coldest months; temperatures can dip as low as -40°C. Go during summer, from June to September, when temperatures can go as high as 20°C. Due to the dry air, however, the weather always feels warmer than what the thermometer reads. So, a sweater for the summer should be enough to keep you nice and warm.
Budget: The most common way to get to Greenland is through Iceland. Travel agencies in Iceland offer two general packages. A three-day trip to Ammassalik is available all year round. It costs about US$1,000 (S$1,400) and includes three meals a day, lodging and a helicopter ride from Kulusuk airport to Ammassalik. The other option is an eight-hour trip to Kulusuk. This is available from June to mid September and costs about US$500.
Getting there: Departures are determined by available flights. Three flights depart every day from the Reykjavik domestic airport in Iceland for Kulusuk in East Greenland from June to August. Flights are reduced to twice weekly between September and May.
- TODAY
|
