The day began with a wonderful breakfast, as usual: a tasty bowl of hot mysli with a huge knob of butter floating in it. This gastronomic treat was followed by several hot drinks of dubious origin. Delicious!

Our gear had to be packed and ready 10 minutes earlier than usual today, on strict orders from `Captain Haddock´ (a.k.a. our Expedition Leader Henrik `Henkku´ Reims). He gave us a short Lecture (Ed: subject unknown); then Jermi (Tertsunen) took to the podium.

Jermi told a brief but topical tale about how Finnish hunters from a certain heroic village (Paltamo) regularly catch bears with there bare hands, before breakfast. (Ed: Me thinks the Expedition must truly be on-schedule... the skiers even have time to tell shaggy-dog-stories.)

The sight of Captain Haddock giving his speech was wonderful to behold. The windswept features of his Arctic-tanned face were covered in thick daubs of highly expensive wrinkle-cream.

The weather today was as beautiful as a Spring Bride. Yesterday's beastly gale gave way to a gentle Easterly breeze, accompanied by warm, bright sunshine. The skiing was the same old boring routine: struggling up, over or around the icy obstacles. But the temperature has risen considerably (- 26 C), with the effect that our pulkhas slid over the ice with less friction, making them easier to pull.

This afternoon we were faced with a different kind of obstacle: a small `lake´ of open water. We got past it without casualties. By the time we had beaten this obstacle, however, time was getting on. So, we pitched camp as soon as we found good strong ice beneath us...

And so to bed. Tomorrow is a new day...

The Expedition is all well..