Intro: Operation Aurora

Man, it's hard to believe it's been three years since I last took a major trip. Other than a birthday roadtrip up the Atlantic coast (SC to NJ) it's really been nothing but short trips to visit friends down on the coast and to Atlanta. So much of my free time the last couple years has been focused on writing—I finished my 2nd book and am half way through two other books. However, as most of these in-between posts usually go I am about to set off on another adventure. In two days I will be on my way to Sweden with plans to tour around Norway and Finland (and Tallinn, Estonia or Copenhagen if time permits). It's a really loosely put together trip—I didn't even have a room in Stockholm until last night even though I've known about the trip since June. Part of the reason for that, aside from my general aversion to meticulously planned vacations, is that I want the freedom to pick up and head north should the weather and the aurora borealis cooperate. You see, the only real goal of this trip is to see the aurora in person. It's something I've always wanted to see, and I was really disappointed when my trip to Iceland (over six years ago!) netted no more than a few hours of clear sky the whole two weeks I was there. The same could happen again, but I'm hoping being further north (better chance of aurora activity) and in a country that isn't directly in the line of the oceanic and jet streams (which keeps Iceland warm for it's latitude, but also wetter) will improve my chances. But much like the Iceland trip, if it doesn't work out, I'll adapt and have a good time anyways. So begins Operation Aurora.