I’ve received a lot of questions regarding practical matters, like where I live, how far the nearest store is, what services are available in the village, how I get around, and how far away my neighbors live. Thank you for those; I love getting questions!

Here are the answers to those inquiries, along with a bit more context.

How do you get from place to place?

I own a car. Without it, getting around would undoubtedly be difficult. I drive to the store in Kolarin village, which is about six kilometers away. I’ll also be using the car a lot for my upcoming job starting in August, moving from one village to another and to the fells and back. The kilometers add up without me even noticing. I've learned that it’s best to fill the tank as soon as the gauge hits halfway to avoid any issues on those long distances.

What services are available in the village?

Along the main road, there is a relatively new store, a post office, an Alko (liquor store), a recycling point, and a cold fuel station. The store is clearly popular with fishing tourists, as the parking lot is often full of vehicles towing fishing boats. While the store doesn’t compare to the hypermarkets in larger cities, I’ve found everything I need there so far, including the iKaffe I use for my morning coffee and my favorite "spice," smoked sesame oil. So everything is good!

Kolari village looks like any once-thriving small town center, with empty storefronts, deserted streets, and a few remaining small shops. However, it still has everything necessary, including a bank, pharmacy, schools, a daycare, a nursing home, a youth center, and what seems to be the village's most important store: a fishing supplies shop.

As you drive through the village, you quickly reach the border with Sweden. It's about an eight-kilometer distance to the store on the Swedish side. I haven't visited it yet, but I plan to go in the fall.

What are the nearest towns?

The nearest municipalities are Pello and Muonio. I’ve already driven through Muonio once on my way to Pallastunturit. Rovaniemi is the closest major city, located less than 200 kilometers away. I know that the villagers occasionally go there for larger shopping trips, and I plan to do the same when the need arises. For locals, it's not a long trip at all!

The nearest major center is Äkäslompolo and the Ylläs area. I’ve visited a few times, mainly hiking on the national park trails and fells. I found Äkäslompolo to be livelier than I had imagined. Currently, it’s the peak tourist season, and the prevailing travel restrictions have brought even more domestic travelers to the area.

From Äkäslompolo, it’s clear that it was once a small village at the foot of the fells; amidst the flower meadows, beautiful log buildings and rustic courtyards rise here and there. Alongside them, various accommodations, equipment rental shops, cafes, souvenir stores, and tourism companies have emerged, dominating the landscape. Camper vans and mountain bikes fill the streets.

In the center of Äkäslompolo is the well-known Jounin store, which is familiar from social media. I visited the store one evening looking for mosquito repellent but didn’t find any. The store is significantly larger than the one in Kolarin village, with a much greater selection of fresh produce. Additionally, there was surprisingly a lot of clothing, Lapland souvenirs, and the alcohol shelf was several meters longer than at my local store. The store also houses a restaurant, an Alko, a pharmacy, and across the parking lot, there’s an equipment rental shop and a few small shops.

Are there mosquitoes?

Yes.

Are there many?

Yes.

Do you get used to them?

No.

They note that on windy and sunny days, there are fewer mosquitoes, but for some reason, they thrive particularly well in the area around their cabin. They have not been able to enjoy spending time in their yard at all, as a massive army of mosquitoes attacks the moment they stop moving. They are waiting for mosquito repellent, which they went searching for at Jounin store, and they have heard that it should help the most.

So far, I've been using natural mosquito repellent intended for dogs and horses, along with odorless Off, because I can’t tolerate the strongest repellents. For mosquito bites, I found meadowsweet ointment at a local store, which is an effective itch reliever and is in heavy use.

How far do your neighbors live?

The houses on both sides are about a hundred meters away. One of them has residents only in the summer. I visited the other house when a strange dog came into my home (that's a story in itself). I learned that it was bought by a young couple who were renovating it and planning to move in later. We chatted briefly, and when I asked what they did and how they ended up in the village, one of them shared that they had a career as a competitive athlete, with their partner serving as their manager. They moved here from Southern Finland because they were looking for something different and thought, "Why not?" I mentioned that I live next door alone with my dog Papu, to which they replied, "A rather exotic solution."

From my driveway, I can just barely see my neighbor's house.

What kind of house/cabin do you live in?

I live in a winterized cabin that I found through Tori.fi. The cabin has all the so-called comforts but nothing extra: running water, sewage, a normal kitchen, etc. The downstairs features a living room with a masonry stove, a small kitchen, and a sauna. Upstairs, there is a sleeping alcove and a large hall that I’ve turned into a music and workspace. In the evenings, it’s nice to curl up under blankets while the rain taps on the roof.

The stairs from my yard lead directly to the riverbank, which is the best part of living here.

Doesn’t it get boring there?

Not at all. I immensely enjoy being alone and generally don’t crave many activities. For now, I’m on vacation, so I have even more time than usual. I use that time for reading, knitting, observing the ripening of wild berries, picking flowers, exploring the village, and doing whatever else I feel like doing at the moment.

Thank you for the questions! Feel free to keep sending them in the future. Hugs!

♥: Sanna