h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I always seemed to get stuck in Kangerlussuaq, when on my way back to my work. Often we ended up in a shack (annex) called Hotel Hilton, with Sheraton further down the road.

There where a label in all rooms that was a wonder of poetry, "Don't smoke, the ashes that falls might be your own", I just love it .

And the KGH (KNI.gl) shop behind the Airport Hotel was the necessary daily stop, when sitting waiting for the flight (you where normally not allowed to remove yourself from the hotel, if the flight suddenly got a go for take of). But if you got clearance to hike, a climb up on the 2-300 m high ridge behind the hotel gave a might view.

And at times, when Greenland Air and SAS stacked 3-400 travelers, the sheriff got more lenient, allowing us to philandering around the USAF base. Some even had contact, allowing them into the Officers Mess.

But the hike in to the ice and the radar station were (and probably still) to be done with some caution, since the musk oxen could get annoyed.

Aah, what a place, but I read at the Greenland radio site (kni.gl) that First Air, mentioned in the Airport Auth. article and during my time in Nuuk, going there, will probably close the line till next year, so you US/Canadians wanting to go over Nunavut to Greenland, have to decide now.

The shop behind the hotel was still operating when I was there. It was called "Butikken", but still functioned as a grocery and general store. I had much more fun hanging out at Kangerlussuaq Poelsevogen, supposedly the world's northernmost Danish hot dog wagon.

Hikes are still to be done with caution. The U.S. State Department has a perpetual warning on the area: not for terrorists or anything like that, but for musk oxen. The radar is easily accessible by bicycle, though. The ice cap is much more effort; I recommend getting a ride there with Kangerlussuaq Tourism.

The ridge behind the hotel does give a mighty view. Also a mighty challenge, if one goes straight up or down. There are lakes up there with drinkable water, so one can take a lunch and sit all day.

I stopped in Nunavut on my way to Greenland. My judgment is, Greenland is well worth the extra trip if you can get there. As for Nunavut... I'm sure it has nice parts away from its one city, but Iqaluit was just squalid.