svalbard or bust....

I booked accommodation with this site: http://www.svalbard.net/?set_lang=en
I then booked my activities on the spot. Bear in mind that some activities are not available every day before you book your accommodation.

hey thanks....looked at their site....where did you stay? do you recommend it?

I was at Guesthouse 102, which is where the polar bear came down from the glacier last June and sniffed around (must be a rare event, as I was told the last human fatality from a bear encounter on Svalbard was 15 years earlier - on the hill opposite the hotel). You share, but only with 3 other people and it's a great way to meet other travellers. There are enough showers and other facilities that I never had to wait.

Best of all, it's inexpensive. The only drawback is that it's a 10-minute walk from the centre of the settlement, and the return walk is uphill. Even before the polar bear incident I felt a little uneasy on the uninhabited stretch. On the plus side, I was able to get up close to a local reindeer and get some good piccies.

I was at Guesthouse 102, which is where the polar bear came down from the glacier last June and sniffed around (must be a rare event, as I was told the last human fatality from a bear encounter on Svalbard was 15 years earlier - on the hill opposite the hotel).

An indication of the infrequency of polar bears in the vicinity of Longyearbyen, at least in summer, is the operation of a campsite without fence or armed guards. Their website contains lots of interesting info for budget tourists, even if you are not quite that low budget. http://www.longyearbyen-camping.com/ A colleague of mine stayed there.