3 Days in Bogota

We arrived in Bogota after a long layover in Atlanta. Our flight from Fairbanks got delayed, thus resulting in missing our connecting flights. We ended up with only less than 3 days in Bogota but they were certainly action packed. However, Bogota was a lot of fun and different to what we had read on forums.

Museo Del Oro

Our first stop in Bogota, like most travelers, was to the Museo del Oro or the Gold museum of Bogota. You may have heard of the term ‘El Dorado’, the land of Gold. That legend was primarily based on the Andes region of Colombia.

There are more than 50,000 pieces of gold jewelery and artwork in the museum. The natives of Colombia believed that gold was a gift from the Gods and wore it to celebrate the Gods instead of accumulating riches. There are displays of gold artwork from each region of Colombia and it can take upto 2.5 hours to see the entire display.

The sad part of the museum is that once the Spanish arrived they either traded the natives for the Gold with Cotton or simply conquered a tribe and took all its Gold by force. In addition to the Gold, there were some excellent videos about archaeology, Colombian Life in different regions and chanting of the natives.

One beautiful thing we found is that the natives of Colombia believed in something similar to rebirth and spirit staying in this world. They put the ashes of the dead in an urn which is really round at the bottom as the round shape represents a woman’s body which is the path to come back to the world. Beautiful!

P.S – Museo Del Oro is the best value museum which we saw in our travels so far. It costs 3000 COP which is close to $1 USD. Bargain!

Carrera 7

Carrera 7 is the cultural heart of Bogota. This street is strictly for walking, no motors at all. Bogotans love to walk with their families, dogs,veat in the shops, watch the street shows and buy things on sale on the road. From the 9am to 7:30pm there are hundreds of people on this street. There are street vendors selling exotic fruits with a recording which goes something like “Mil! Mil! Mil! Mangoes a la orden!”. It means something like “A thousand pesos for mangoes. Buy it now!”.

As a non-Spanish person, it is amazing to just see life go past as people whizz past you on roller blades, bikes and skateboards. Moreover, Colombians love to walk with their dogs and you can see dogs of all sizes following their owners with no leash on. We saw some people playing chess next to a band singing about beer where people were dancing. Welcome to Latin America!

Plaza De Bolivar

Plaza De Bolivar is the historic square of Bogota named after its First President and the General who got freedom for Colombia and other countries in the region. The legislature, judiciary and the administrative arms of the Colombian Government are all around this square. Like any touristy place in the world, there are people selling postcards, photos and booklets about Bogota.

One unique thing we saw was Jukebox around on various streets and corners. Basically, it is like having a personal DJ in the middle of the a packed square.

On Sunday, the Cathedral is open and one can see the beauty of it from the inside though it looks amazing even from the outside. There are all sorts of museums within 5 minutes of this square and most of them are free on Sunday!

La Candelaria Walking Tour

We did a free walking tour of La Candelaria with Beyond Colombia. The walking tours of Bogota are usually free with tips. Daniel, our guide, told us the history of the native tribes, the Spanish looking for gold and setting up of Bogota itself. As we walked, we learnt of the contested sites of the beginning of Bogota and the people who fought to make Colombia free and modern.

As we walked through the streets of La Candelaria, we visited a local cafe for an introduction to the local culture and drink, Chicha. It is made from fermenting rice or corn and sweetended with apple or sugarcane pulp. It was a nice introduction and we took the cups as souveneirs. Lets see if the Australian customs will let it in!

We learnt more of the history of Bogota especially Chorro de Quevedo. It is most likely to be the first Spanish settled area of the city. Funny thing is that we were living within 5 minutes of it without knowing it. The 12 original houses are now bars or restaurants and the Chapel still serves the local area.

We ended up hanging out with Daniel, our guide, for lunch after the walking tour. He helped us pick traditional Colombian dishes, Gracias Daniel! The portions were huge and we had a great chat with Jonas from Sweden and Daniel while having a huge Colombian portion. Daniel’s knowledge helped fill in the blanks of all the main buildings which we saw in La Candelaria. A great end to a great tour!

Tip: Please refrain from walking around La Candelaria on a Sunday night. As the area empties of Colombians, homeless people and drug addicts try to prey on tourists. Though they may only ask for money, it can quickly turn into a robbery.

Montserrate

As you get to Bogota and look above, you can see a mountain with a big white building on top. At night, the building glows blue and is an amazing sight. The white building is the Church of Montserrate which is a pilgrimage for many Bogotans as the Church watches over the city. We walked up to the colonial house which serves as the starting point for cable car and metro that goes to the top.

Since we were there on a Sunday, the crowds were huge and we spent 45 minutes in a line to get in the cable car which was made worse by the fact that we were in the wrong line. We started queueing for the train instead of the cable car.

The trolley of the cable car is like a bus and can easily fit 40 people in it. As we boarded, I could just get a little window space for video while Shruti got a couple of shots of the city as we ascended. Unfortunately, as with all big cities there is a pollution problem in Bogota and the haze was all over the city making it harder to see most things except the oldest parts. It was picturesque nonetheless!

However, one has to admire the Church. The location is perfect and the Church itself is beautiful. The original was built in 17th Century but was replaced in its current form in 19th Century. As it was Sunday, we attended the mercado (market) next to the church. As backpackers, we don’t have the space to buy anything but we like to view the market nonetheless.

We saw some water bottles made out of cow’s bone and that disgusted us to the core. However, we washed that down with an expensive coca leaves tea at a little tienda (shop). The tea was sweet with no taste of the coca but we were happy to do the touristy thing anyway. As a final hurrah to the place, I accidentally broke a chair while getting up. They didn’t charge us and we all had a good laugh about it. Phew!

Botero, Banco Colonial and Casa Moneda Complex

This entire complex is only a block away from Plaza de Bolivar. As you follow the last street of Plaza de Bolivar up, you reach the complex. There are multiple musuems that are interconnected, have several doors and is a mish-mash of architectures. You can enter any of the museums mentioned and you will be able to see the entire collection. There is no charge and the museum is open all days even on Monday when the others are closed.

Botero is the richest artist in Colombia and his paintings are extremely different if not strange. All Colombians have an opinions about the paintings. However, the artist himself has a great rags to riches story in that he was an average artist who realised this fact and went back to study the circle shape. Hence, his paintings all have round people, round objects and round animals. It may be strange but it is kinda clever.

Banco Colonial, an art museum, has a large art collection from the abstract to modern to protest. As you walk through the museum, you question your inner artist and wonder what the hell was the artist of the painting thinking. Why did they get into naked bodies in the 60s Colombia? Am I high? In seriousness, the collection is huge and we definitely recommend seeing it.

Casa Moneda means the House of the Mint. Coins were minted here for Bogota and the surrounding regions for a long time. The entire history of natives mining the gold to the first mints of Bogota and the modern day reality is showcased in this complex and it is amazing.

Graffiti

Bogota seems to have gone through a graffiti movement. As we drove into the city late at night, we were surprised with the amount of art along the side walks. It was just so pretty and colourful.

Within the La Candelaria area as well, small alleys and side walks had drawings and messages on. We didn’t have the time otherwise would have loved to do a walking graffiti tour as well.

Local Drinks

We tried a few drinks while in Bogota with the best being Chicha. It is fermented corn alcohol mixed with apple pulp. It is made at home by the local women in La Candelaria and it tastes amazing. The alcohol content depends upon the place and it best to ask instead of being knocked out quickly.

I also tried a couple of beers, namely, Poker and Club Colombia Roja. Unfortunately, both had a mass produced average taste.

Fruits

Colombia is famous for fruits and somehow we never knew that. When we got to Bogota, we realised there are all sorts of fruit. Shruti tried the mango bought from a street seller mixed with salt and lemon and it was sour but tasty.

We tried the mora fruit juice. Mora is a fruit similar to black currant and it was sweet. Shruti also had maracuya and feijoa juices which were again amazing. It just amazed us that there are these fruits here which we have never heard of and they are sooooo goood!

Bogota Breakfast

On our last day in Bogota, we thought we will try a Rolo breakfast. People from Bogota are also known as Rolo and their breakfast consists of 2 buns, 1 of which is buttered, hot chocolate and cream cheese.

One is supposed to cut the cheese in small pieces and put it in the hot chocolate. As they cheese melts, you can sip the hot choloate or eat the cheese with you spoon. Meanwhile. you can also dip the breads in the chocolate. It is a contrast of tastes, and definitely an acquired one, but the locals love it!

Things to do in Fairbanks

If you have been following our blog, by now you know we loved Alaska. You need proof? Well, here is a video for it.

Clearly, we had a little too much fun. The northern lights and Alaskan winter were great for us! We spent couple of days checking out Fairbanks, a small Alaskan town, as well. Here are top few things to do in Fairbanks.

Museum of the North

Museum of the North in Fairbanks is located in the University of Alaska precinct. Museum of the North is dedicated to all things Alaska. Upon entering the museum and buying tickets, we fell in love with the interactive style of the museum. We found parts of reindeer replicas of those used by native Alaskans with the sign “please touch”. We did not only touch, we took few videos and few photos with them too.

The main exhibition starts with the Human History in Alaska, dating back to the Athabascans, the Spanish, the Russians and finally, the Americans. The exhibition is then divided between different areas of Alaska like the South East, South West, Interior, North and Aleut Islands.

In addition to this, there are excellent displays of the extinct and existing animals in Alaska. The traditional lives of native Alaskans and their outfits were displayed as well. Those attires helped them live in some of the most hostile areas on the planet. It is quite amazing how much you learn about Alaska from the main exhibitions. E.g. Not all natives of Alaska are eskimos. Eskimos live on the coast while the Athabascans live in the interior.

Finally, there are the art exhibitions ranging from paintings, sculptures and native Alaskan everyday wear. There were artworks with animal bones and outhouses in the Alaskan regalia. The king of them all was a room with lights and sound which alternated according to the earth’s geological changes like sunrise, sunset, earthquakes and auroras. We sat there for 15 minutes taking it all in.

While we were in the museum, we also watched two half-hour films about Aurora Borealis and Bowhead Whales in Bering Sea. Both videos were brilliant with incredible visuals and great information.

In addition to the art and history, the museum sits on a high hill overlooking Fairbanks. We finished from there and took some photos of the scenery. Great day out!

Morris Thompson Culture & Visitor Centre

This centre is the first stop shop for any visitor to Fairbanks. The centre has all the information on tours, adventures and activities in Alaska. It also has videos, books and classes for more knowledge.

The exhibition in the centre takes a visitor through the seasons in Alaska and how life changes with the changes of the season. It has great displays of life in the summer with fishing, boating and repairing the house/cabins while also having displays of winter with cross country skiing, snow mobile and dog sledding.

Moreover, there were displays about Athabascan Culture as well as the sporting achievements of Alaskans.

The centre aims to show the visitor is the Akaskan Way of Life through a series of displays and it does a great job at that. It is a must visit if you are ever in Fairbanks!

Santa Claus House

When we got to Fairbanks, Shruti found out about Santa Claus House and insisted that we visit. Luckily we had nothing planned on our final day and the bus in Fairbanks connected to Santa Claus House. We had to go.

Santa Claus House is located in North Pole, an area 15 miles away from Fairbanks. We finally got there only to find out that Santa only works weekends post Christmas. Bummer! We walked around a little and took some pictures.

There was a reindeer herd in a distance so we walked up to it for a closer look. Turns out, a couple look after Santa’s 7 reindeer! At least the walk out in cold was worth something.

We ended up waiting around for 50 mins for the next bus to take us back to Fairbanks. It was cold and our toes were freezing but it was an experience.

By the way, Santa here replies to all his letters. So you can write a letter to below address and sit back and wait for his response.

Santa Claus House
101 St Nicholas Dr,
North Pole,
AK 99705,
United States

Alaska Gallery

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Alaska in Winter

We came to Alaska in winter simply for the Aurora Borealis, Northern Lights. However, we leave having done so many more activities and learning so much about this US state. And, btw, Alaska is our favourite place for now. Let’s see if that changes in next 7 months.

Before you get into all the details about our exciting activities, here is a video compilation of all the fun we had. I hope it makes want to come visit Alaska :)

Arctic Circle

Fairbanks is close to the Arctic Circle when you look at the map. But in reality it is 200 miles (320 kms) from Fairbanks. Since we were so close to the circle, we figured that we might as well ride the final ‘few’ miles. When again are we going to be here really!?

Our guide Randy, from 1st Alaska Outdoor School, met us at the hotel and we realised we were the only ones on the trip. As we headed out, our first stop was the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline. This pipeline runs for 800 miles (1,287 kms), almost through the height of Alaska, from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, port at Gulf of Alaska. It is the backbone of Alaskan economy as it provide jobs and financial benefits to all Alaskans in form of at least $2k cheque every year.

Our next stop was Hilltop Truck Stop, on Elliott Highway. It is the last place to get food, essentials and petrol for 500 miles. It is also famous as the first stop in the show Ice Road Truckers.

While most of our journey was on the Elliott and Dalton Highways, we rode on mountain roads with very few flat stretches. Along the way, we stopped at Winchester Dome to stretch our legs and take couple of photos. While there, we saw some real mushers training the dogs while their kids helped around. The dogs were cute, the mushers were busy and it was absolutely freezing. We wanted to pat the dogs but decided against it as they are working dogs.

As we jumped back in the car, we realised the sun was ready to go down. We informed Randy about wanting to take pictures and he drove a few miles down the road to his secret spot for sunset shots. Truly, the spot was amazing and we couldn’t have got a better sunset. The landscape of the area was stunning with mountains and snow everywhere. We found some good pack snow and decided to make snow angels (see video above or on YouTube).

We didn’t stop until Colorado Creek for a bathroom break. The creek was completely frozen and the outhouse was disgusting. At this stage, Randy informed us that wilderness starts once you are 20 or so miles out of Fairbanks. After this it was only truckers, trappers and tourists. We did not see any other cars or people except truckers for the next 150 miles.

The game changed completely once we hit the Dalton Highway. Dalton Highway is not a state road, but privately owned. It was built only to supply Prudhoe Bay and other sites along the pipeline. At the start, Randy had to turn on his short wave radio and alert the truckers where he was. It felt like we were trespassing on a private road.

As we went further and further, we realised why they made a TV show out of this road. The road is literally ice for large parts. The trucks drive at 70 miles per hour on this ice road and mostly they drive in the middle. The two way radio was mainly to alert them that we were sharing their road.

Along this road, we saw the ghost trees which are hit by snow winds almost all year so they are completely white. They truly are a sight. One may confuse them to be dinosaur skeleton!

We also went over the Finger Mountain and Beaver Slide. Both these places have gale force winds and beaver slide is aptly named as trucks regularly slide off the road. At this point, we were incredibly scared. If the trucks didn’t kill us, the gale force winds might bow us off the road.

Further down, we saw a frozen Yukon River and the Yukon Bridge. It is the only bridge on the mighty Yukon River in Alaska.

Finally, after driving for almost 8-9 hours, we made it to the Arctic Circle. You know how they say the journey is more important than the destination, well, we certainly find this to be true at the Arctic Circle. There’s nothing there really. A campsite, a bill board, a toilet, pitch black darkness and the boreal forest is all there is. However, it felt like an achievement simply because of the roads we had passed. We made it to a place where few will ever go in their lives. It has to mean something!

The return journey was uneventful for the most part. We briefly saw the Aurora as we left the Arctic Circle and then went through a wind storm, a snow storm and ice fog for 120 miles. At Winchester Dome, the sky was clear again and we saw the aurora again. Seeing the aurora move overhead is a very deep and humbling experience. It puts your life and problems into perspective for sure.

Dog Sledding

Another unique thing about Alaska and the Arctic is the use of dogs for travel. The word used out here is “mushing” and the people in the business are “mushers”. The word itself comes from the French March, which sounds like mush in English. We took a trip out with Ben for it and drove about 4 miles outside the city. As we arrived, the mushers’ cars were parked on the road but they and the dogs were missing.

While we were waiting around, we heard the dogs bard and knew the mushers were arriving soon. Now, it was our turn! We put on some oversize jackets and pants and got a quick tutorial on dog sledding.

For the first 15 minutes, Shruti sat in the sled while I was standing and we reversed the next 15 minutes. Our guide, Zach, with only a few layers of warm clothes was on the main sled at the back. There wasn’t much to learn except that if the dogs turn too fast around a corner and the sled is about to flip, don’t try to break your fall with your arm. Doing so will almost certainly break it so just go into a fetal position.

With that much needed instruction, we were on our way. The dogs were anxious, they are born to run and know little else. The sled glides through the snow at a rapid pace with 7 dogs running. Every couple of minutes, Zach put the breaks on and let the dogs rest. It was too hot for them at a warm -9 degrees! The first thing they would do is to eat snow to keep cool. Zach would yell a few words of praises and encouragement for the huskies and they kept running.

While the dogs and Zach felt warm, Shruti and I were slightly cold in the hands and feet but loving the teamwork of man, dog and nature. We had our teamwork going on as well. Shruti clicked pictures while I took timelapse video in the saddle. It was the perfect time of the day and the sun shined on the flat snow and the boreal forest, turning everything golden. It wasn’t the best for the dogs but Zach gave us extra 10 minutes on the sled. Perfect end to a perfect ride!

Chena Hot Springs

On our second last day, we decided that we should warm ourselves a little bit in the hot springs nearby. Ben, Alaska Northern Lights Tour, did an entire package deal and we went for it. He drove us to Chena Hot Springs Resort, which is 56 miles (90 kms) away from Fairbanks. When on the road, we were glad we didn’t drive ourselves because most part of the road was covered in ice.

Once we got to the resort, Ben told us about all the activities we will be doing. We started our tour by visiting the ice museum. The artwork was delicate and cold.

We spent about 45 mins there and enjoyed appletinis in ice glasses, sitting on ice stool at the ice bar. That was really cool, literally!

Once done with museum, we headed for a geo thermal tour. Basically everything in Alaska is about sustaining themselves. The resort have two water generators that produce electricity for the resort. Additionally they have few greenhouses as well where they grow their own lettuce, tomatoes and often herbs too.

The best was left till the end thanks to Ben’s organised tour. It was finally time to check out the hot springs! We changed into swim wear and chilled in the warm jacuzzi before heading out to the hot springs. It is important to know that the distance to the hot springs is about 20 steps, but as soon as you open the door to step out, you are greeted with cold wind.

Also, I have to mention that the outdoor hot springs pool was pitch dark, with red and green led lights at various spots that created a soothing mood and steam everywhere. If it wasn’t for the hot springs, it could have been the set for a bad porn film.

We put our towels on the hanger and ran out into the water. It was an unreal feeling going from -10 degrees to 30-40 degree water. At that point, the water felt like your best friend. We swam around for a bit and the water got hotter. The funny thing was, our face and hair was getting cold while the body was hot. In fact, if I kept my wet hair unattended for 15 mins, I am sure the water in my hair would freeze to ice!

After half an hour, we had had enough and moved inside. It was so relaxing that we could have stayed longer but that hot water especially with the sulfur is not great for a long time. We showered and got ready to leave with our eyes half closed.

Outdoor swimming in Alaska, in middle of winter – Done!

Northern Lights in Fairbanks

We wrapped up with New York in 14 days, read and see all about our New York Experience here. Our next destination was a bit adventurous. Each time we told people, the response was, “wow, good luck” or “gosh, it will be cold”. Our stop was Fairbanks, Alaska! Yes, that part of the world which you see on the globe and be like, “that’s far man!” or “I wonder what’s up there”. We went there, and it was amazing.

Before moving forward, another post about all our Alaskan Adventure coming soon with an awesome video. Watch this space.

Introduction to Northern Lights

Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon that appears closer to Earth’s North Pole. It is visible when the sky is dark, thus making new moon winter nights the best time for viewing. It is highly dependent on solar winds, weather of the location and the lighting and air pollution in the region. As the solar winds cannot be predicted, it is tough to say when and where will the northern lights be seen. Sometimes going up too north can be good for you, and at times, it can be bad. General areas good for viewing are Alaska, Northern Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Northern Norway & Sweden and Russia. If you need scientific answers, I recommend reading about it Google / YouTube it.

But one thing is for sure – viewing Northern Lights is high on most people’s bucket list. Thanks to social media, most people are familiar with this phenomenon and want to watch it for themselves. We understood all the dependencies very early on and so gave ourselves enough time in Fairbanks, Alaska. We spent 5 nights in Fairbanks because one night is never enough. Think of it as going on a safari, you don’t always see the wild cats or beasts in the 3-4 hours you are out in the jungle.

Here we outline our experience and also provide some tips.

Research & Preparation

Northern Lights has been on our minds for quite sometime. In fact, Shruti and I might have even discussed it on our first date. I can’t be too sure about it though. Anyhoo, our initial plan was to travel to Scandinavia and see the lights in Sweden or Norway. Abisko in Sweden is meant to be one of the best places to see the lights, but we didn’t end up going there.

As our trip unfolded and plans changed, we decided to try our luck in Alaska. Northern Lights can be viewed anywhere in the Arctic Circle Region and nearby latitude. So after doing some initial research, Fairbanks was the ideal town to head to.

We mentioned earlier about Shruti’s uncle spotting use some flight tickets. We looked up the airline and there was a YES moment. Delta flies to Fairbanks! Double Win!

First Sight

Our first sight of the Aurora wasn’t actually expected at all. While sleeping on the flight to Fairbanks, we were woken up by the Captain at around 12am. He spoke through the mic, “Hi ladies and gentleman. Sorry to wake you up but for those interested in the Aurora Borealis, it is visible on the right side of the plane”. We were wide awake just then, luckily on the right side of the plane and there it was! The colors were not bright as we were above ground level, but we could see the glow against the vast expanse of darkness.

Trip to Chandalar Ranch

Understandably for a place where Northern Lights are visible, there are a few tour companies and lodges for the viewing. Shruti had been following the weather conditions in Fairbanks and the days we were supposed to be there, were forecasted as cloudy. I went through various TripAdvisor reviews and decided to head for our viewing with Alaska Northern Lights Tours. The main reasons why we picked it was because of Ben Boyd, the owner and tour guide, a member of Indian tribe and amazing reviews.

At 11pm sharp, Ben turned up at our hotel with a van full of people. Money changed hands and a few pleasantries were exchanged with people in the car while we got on the road. We must have driven for about 20 minutes after picking up the last passengers when Ben spotted the Aurora. We stopped the car on the side of the road to take a few pics before we got to the ranch.

At this stage no one was sure if we would see the Aurora again, not even Ben. It is so unpredictable that no tour guide would take the risk of lying to his/her customers. It is a natural phenomenon after all.

Anyhow, he showed us around the lodge, introduced us to the owners and took us to the photography area. However, we must have picked a good night because we never stopped seeing the Aurora during the night.

It showed up in all directions, giving us various ribbon forms, green glow in the sky and the reflection of the colour make the snow look green. It was sublime, unbelievable and larger than life. It almost seemed like the universe was out there to mesmerize you. The funny thing was that the display wasn’t even the best according to locals. However, for us it was one of the greatest things we had ever seen.

We photographed it faint, medium and strong moving across the sky and checked off the item from our bucket list gladly! We were out so long that both of us were a bit under the weather the next day. But hey, it was worth it.

Winchester Dome

In Alaska, dome means a mountain. Our Arctic Circle Trip involved seeing the Aurora on the return journey. However, apart from seeing it for 15 minutes after we left the Arctic Circle, we had cloudy skies the whole way. And because of the fierce wind on Finger Mountain, we couldn’t stop the car and get off. But our guide, Randy, wasn’t one to give up.

Randy kept a lookout and we eventually saw it in the sky 40 miles out from Fairbanks. We stopped at Winchester Dome and were able to photograph it yet again. In fact, we were even able to see the ribbon effect right above us. It was surreal!

Tips for Aurora Viewing

Aurora happens at least 80 kms (50 miles) over land and there’s a few things which make it hard to see.

Solar flares (or lack of) – As mentioned earlier Aurora is entirely dependent on solar activity. Therefore, a weak solar flare and you may not see much. There are plenty of apps and websites that forecast aurora viewing. Do remember to check them out. PS, do not be disheartened by 2 or 3 forecast rating because that means, there is better chance to view it up north. If the forecast is more, the aurora gets pushed little south so it may cause issues if you are too up north.
Clouds – The biggest hurdle for the aurora. If its non-moving clouds, the chances of seeing anything is zero. Make sure you discuss clouds with your tour guide because most times, the viewing lodges are out from the city and the weather forecast can be completely different there.
City lights – City lights also make it harder to see the aurora. The further out you are from the city, the higher the chances of seeing the aurora.
Cold and remoteness – While these don’t affect the Aurora per se, they affect your ability to go out and see it. Being in the north in the middle of winter and being away from a city means you must know how to drive in the icy conditions and have all the winter gear. Tours cost a bit but they usually save you from danger.
Luck – Even with all the conditions mentioned above going right for you, its a matter of luck. A 5 on the aurora scale has been known to push the Aurora further meaning you may see nothing in Fairbanks.
Other activities – As I wrote above, seeing the Northern Lights is plain luck for the most past. Therefore, always research other activities in the area, in case the aurora does not show itself.

Tips for Photography

Two most important things for Aurora Photography are:

Low shutter speed – make sure your camera allows you to control the shutter speed, aperture and the ISO. Without having control over these settings, capturing Aurora can be close to impossible.
Tripod – to ensure you don’t end up with a shaky picture, you need a good tripod. It doesn’t have to be a giant tripod, but good enough to ensure your camera is still while you capture your photo. Our tripod goes up to 39″ in height and that was sufficient for our photos.

Although Shruti and I were discussing buying a night lens, we ended up not doing so. We used 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 lens with our Sony a6000 camera. The settings that worked wonders for us were:

OPTION 1
Shutter speed – 10 seconds (low)
ISO – 5000 (high)
Aperture – f3.5 (low)

OPTION 2
Shutter speed – 15 seconds (low)
ISO – 4000 (high)
Aperture – f3.5 (low)

Do try various settings because you will not know what works the best till you take hundreds of photos.

Also, try and focus on a closer object. That makes the photo sharper (see all above images). This may be difficult considering you are out in open, but a tree could work as well. The below image could have been one of our best, but unfortunately it turned out blur.

Good luck crossing Northern Lights off your bucket list!

Our New York Experience

There is plenty to do in New York, the Big Apple. After spending 2 weeks there, we have managed to capture most of our New York experience in 3 posts and 1 video. Hope you enjoy it.