Visiting Kulusuk

A feature article in the May ’11 issue made mention of Kulusuk, Greenland. I spent nine days there in August ’09 as the village celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding. I had visited the village first in September ’08, when I took the three-day extension that Vantage Deluxe World Travel offered in conjunction with a wonderful tour of Iceland.

Kulusuk is not an easy place to reach. There are two flights per day, but they are totally dependent on weather. People have gone there for a “day trip” and been stranded for six weeks.

There is really only a six-week season in which it’s feasible to visit: late July to very early September. That’s when boats deliver supplies. Most everything is imported from Denmark. Needless to say, food prices are at a premium.

About 300 people live in the village, and life is very simple, yet they have street lighting, TV and an excellent, modern school with fine teachers. Sadly, there is a lot of poverty, as they survive on a subsistence economy; limitations on seal and polar bear hunting have had dire consequences.

If anyone wants more info, you can write to me c/o ITN.

HELEN PAULUS
Underwood, WA