Some of the team's huskies. Photo: Tania Branigan
Day Two, Muonio, Sweden: They're snarling and bickering with each other, baring their teeth and taking passing swipes. It could be just another prime minister's questions. But this time the MPs aren't to blame; it's the huskies who are scrapping. As departure approaches, their howls escalate into a migraine-inducing cacophony.
I think back to Philip the guide's reassuring words: "The dogs? They're gentle, they're a bit shy, they don't bite." Hmmm.
But as soon as the sleds are off, the only sound is the scrape of runners against icy snow. Much like Bruce Springsteen, huskies were born to run. They can work in temperatures as low as -60 or -70C, with only the occasional bite of snow to slake their thirst. It takes up to 10,000 calories a day to keep them going and - as a result - they have the disconcerting, if efficient, habit of relieving themselves frequently as they run.
blogs.guardian.co.uk
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