For a few years not long ago I did some gliding out of Bloemfontein for a couple of weeks each winter. On the first occasion, initially my brain kept telling me I was flying East when the map and GPS agreed I was flying West. Once I worked out what the problem was (hey brain, Sun on my right, I'm flying WEST) I had no problem for the rest of the trip, and subsequent visits. I guess that (just the same as for 'jetlag') some people acclimatise faster.

They had departed Paris at 1339 local, was written up in "Flight", Ellesmere Island, where the article hints they deviated, the sun is up all day, a report says the landing in Russia was made at dusk.

Good point about the Arctic sun!