Political correspondent Tania Branigan trekked to the Arctic with a team of MPs. Arctic challenge slideshow / More on the trek
Day seven, Kiruna, Sweden: We have just under 30km to cover today - taking a swift turn through Norway at the tri-nation border with Finland and Sweden - to complete our trek. Unfortunately, Nick Clegg's dogs are striking. "I've tried everything - I've shouted, I've cajoled, I've given them psychotherapy..." he complains.
"Lib Dems - can't make the final push," Tobias Ellwood observes helpfully. "They don't know which way they're going," adds Ed Vaizey. "They need the firm smack of Conservative government."
Nick (whom I have maligned - he was third not fourth in the poll of fanciable MPs ) is unfazed. "Number nine, Vaizey. Number nine."
There have been plenty of jibes on the trip, but by and large the MPs have steered clear of political discussions, bar a brief Lib Dem/Labour spat over law and order and Labour/Tory row over bus regulation. And yet...as we hand back our huskies and head back to civilisation, I overhear Tobias Ellwood and Jenny Willott engaged in lengthy discussion on the future of primary care trusts.
BlackBerries are being turned on. Researchers are receiving instructions for the first time in several days. It's almost as if we were never away.
But not quite. Emily Thornberry and Tobias have established an unexpected amity. Everyone is awed by the courage of Jenny, who came to the Arctic Circle despite suffering Raynaud's Syndrome - which means blood stops circulating to her hands and feet in cold weather - and has not whimpered once. And Nick has relished the thinking time afforded by sledding.
"It's a real luxury to get away from all the day to day things that take up your time in Westminster and actually have a chance to look at the long term perspective, thinking about what will be coming up in 12 or 18 months," he says. If the Lib Dems come up with a particularly striking new home affairs policy in the next year, you'll know why.
We say goodbye to our huskies and after a chilly reception at the stunning Ice Hotel (sorry - you can blame our guide Phil Kool for that one) round off celebrations with dinner and superb vodka thoughtfully sent by the Lithuanian ambassador, one of the trip's wellwishers.
"I'm not sure I could find four colleagues to do what you did," says one of the Swedish MPs who has joined us for dinner. "But they do talk about mad dogs and Englishmen..."
The MPs are already planning this weekend's R&R. "I'm going to stay in bed all Saturday morning. It may not sound much, but for someone with three kids it's a big thing," says Emily dreamily.
Ed can't get enough of Scandinavia. He's dying to see his baby son but also plans to fit in a trip to Ikea.
And Tobias? He's heading off for a two-day army training course for former personnel. Some people never learn...
