A Year Ago, Id Just Finished A Summer In Svalbard, The Arctic

 Another dream came true! I got to work in the Arctic, in Svalbard.  This island had had me curious for quite a few years.  I came close to getting there in 2020, but we all know how that era turned out.  

Last year, after my 5th season in Antarctica, I was googling jobs in Svalbard, found one, applied, video interviewed, got the offer and accepted.

The hotel I was cooking in is around 100km out of the capital, Longyearbyen. It can be reached by ski mobile at the start of the season, before the melt, or by boat when its warmer.  My trip out was by boat.  

Stunning scenery, masses of wildlife, interesting food options, beautiful views from every window... So grateful and thankful for an amazing experience! 

Saw the global seed vault up close and personal, did a cruise right up to the north of the archipelago, visited the Russian settlements of Pyramiden and Barentsburg, saw around 14 polar bears... I mean, it really is a very very special place.  

One thing to take away is the threat of polar bears is very real.  We never stepped out of the hotel without a stun gun that had 3 stun rounds and one flare, and for further afield, which was only just going outside of the immediate buildings, we took a loaded .308.  You see people all over town carrying rifle, theres signs in shops to remember to leave your rifle outside the establishment etc.  The number one rule regarding polar bears remains though - first step is to retreat. 

And from AI - Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the high Arctic, about halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. First used by European whalers in the 1600s, it later became a hub for coal mining in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Svalbard Treaty of 1920 recognized Norwegian sovereignty but gave citizens of signatory countries equal rights to engage in economic activity there—why Russia still maintains a mining settlement at Barentsburg today. Longyearbyen, the main town, evolved from a coal-mining base into a small international community focused on science, tourism, and Arctic logistics.

What makes Svalbard unique is its extremes: 24-hour daylight in summer, months of polar night in winter, and a population of just 2,500 from over 50 nationalities. Beyond coal, its economy now leans on Arctic research, adventure tourism, and environmental monitoring. It’s home to the Global Seed Vault, built to safeguard the world’s crop diversity, and its fragile ecosystems face the fastest rates of warming on Earth. With glaciers, reindeer, and the ever-present polar bear, Svalbard stands at the intersection of history, science, and survival in the far north.

Whats It Like Living and Working in the Falkland Islands?

Last summer I made another long journey south, again for work, only this time to a new frontier for me -  the Falkland Islands, a British Overseas Territory made up of East and West Falkland and about 200 smaller islands.

King Penguins - Falkland Islands

True to my style, I found the job advertised on a Falkland Islands job page I had joined on Facebook — so I applied, got it, confirmed it and off I went after a brief break from my Svalbard contract! The job was for cooking on Carcass Island, a privately owned (like most of the islands there) gem in the northwest of the archipelago. Carcass has no roads, no shops, and no permanent settlement beyond the lodge, which was a farm house in its heyday.  Most of the island offering accommodation in the Falklands have a similar set up, and there's something unique and homely about staying in such buildings.  The Falklands are known for incredible wildlife, both bird and mammal, including 3 types of penguin, caracaras, albatross, elephant seals, dolphins and whales — and sweeping, untouched beaches with crystal clear waters and rugged coastlines.  Carcass has large elephant seal populations, megallanec and jackass penguins and plenty of birds from geese, to ducks to wrens.  Its one of the few islands thats never suffered the presence of cats, so not only are there plenty of birds, theyre also not afraid and some will get close and comfortable enough to even land on you.

Gentoo Penguins, Sunrise

The rugged coastline, South Atlantic Ocean, FI

The summer season runs from October to April, when cruise ships bound for Antarctica stop by and small groups of nature-loving tourists fly in. Most visit specifically for the wildlife: and many make return trips. Some of the cruise ships even anchor at Carcass Island for a few hours so that their guests can explore and if their booking includes morning or afternoon tea - then well get up to 300 people visiting us in the lodge for morning or afternoon tea - which I cater for.  

Cormorants, Carcass Island

Elephant Seals, Carcass Island

Most non-cruise ship guests, the bulk of visitors, stay 2–3 nights at the lodge, and we can host a maximum of 16 people at a time. Breakfasts and dinners are catered for by me and a packed lunch prepared for them to take out on their day of exploring - hiking, birdwatching, and photography. Everyone arrives and departs with FIGAS on their little 8-seater planes that connect the islands.

Visitors came from all over the globe, but mostly the UK, US, Germany, and a few adventurous South Americans.
The Falklands themselves have a tiny population of just over 3,500, sustained by fishing, sheep farming, and tourism. Due to the invasion from Argentina in the 80s, there’s also a strong UK defence presence. To get there, you can fly once a week via Chile (Santiago → Punta Arenas → Mount Pleasant) or on the RAF airbridge from the UK.

Vultures

Kelp Goose & Chick

Upland Goose at Sunrise

There's something very special and unique about the Falklands, so much so that Ill be returning for a second summer season this October - bring it!