Today was a ‘free day’, a day where there was no particular place to be or thing to do. I appreciate ‘free days’ because it gives me a chance to breathe and do whatever I want to do, even if it’s nothing fascinating. When given the chance I like to wander and watch life around me, things that normally slip by in the day to day hustle of life. Little did I know I would have company.
Based on my dining experiences so far, Norwegians are known for fish, lots of fish which can be found at every meal. Breakfast on the other hand was nothing spectacular, but a less tasty version of the English breakfasts I experienced last year on my travels through England, Scotland, and Ireland.
However, this morning’s breakfast brought with it my new Australian friends I met last night during dog sledding. John, who hid behind me in the sled and his daughter, Sally, joined me for breakfast. They had booked a different tour with the same travel agency as me and were set to leave for their next destination that afternoon – a cabin in the wilderness. This meant we all had time to kill.
They had already explored a bit of Tromso since they arrived a day earlier than I and told me of the arctic museum, Polaris which has seals, meaning they have two seals, which Sally said is just enough to allow them to make the word plural. They didn’t recommend it and since I’ve come from having the Monterey Bay Aquarium in my backyard, I’ve become spoiled. However, they invited me to romp with them through the town which was a delightful surprise.
We walked all through the town, the focal point of our day literally was the walking because it was tricky when ice crossed our paths, causing us to do a cautious shuffle or an unaticipated break dance move if we weren't careful, even with my snow shoes. A local boy showed us up when he came skiing past us down a hill on his shoes. John slipped and bit the dust. I've been fortunate so far but I'm sure my days are numbered.
It was a beautiful, crisp, clear day for the romp and I was grateful for such delightful company I could joke and goof off with. I’ve found most people I’ve encountered speak English but it’s different when you can joke with someone and they can joke back. It's deeper communication than speaking for survival.
Sally has traveled a bit herself and had been to my neck of the woods. She currently lives in London. I told her of my travels there and my fascination with the buildings because they’re so old! This is a common reaction from Americans and Australians because we are from countries with fairly young histories. After their Norway excursions, she and her dad were heading to Edinburgh to rent a car and travel through Scotland, a trip Sally’s done many times, well, three times, just enough to qualify to use the word ‘many’.
We grabbed a sandwich at a local deli and headed back to the hotel so they could catch their ride. I had about four more hours before I needed to board the ship so I explored a bit more, roaming through stores where the price tags of items showed that the term ‘reasonably priced’ was lost in translation. Actually, the government pays for health care and schooling, including college for its people which is funded by taxes, explaining the high cost of goods. Still though – ouch!
I meandered back to the hotel where I relaxed in the lounge, using the last internet access I’d have for a couple of days before I boarded my first cruise ship, the MS Nordlys, a 615 passenger ship. I was greeted at the door by having my hands sprayed with disinfectant, a greeting that took me off guard at first but understandable with the latest health scares. I was checked into my room which was an outside cabin with a porthole!
Dinner was announced just as I boarded so I made my way to the dining room, feeling drunk due to the movement of the boat which made walking in a straight line a challenge. Thankfully it wasn't always this way! I was seated next to four German passengers aboard the cruise for a lengthier time than I. They proceeded to speak English to me and I my little bit of German where they gave me the lay of the land and educated me on how things operate. There is a whole cruise culture I was not aware of!
After dinner, I explored the ship and its viewing areas but this would not suffice. My sights were directed towards the sky in search of the Northern Lights. I went back to my cabin, put on all my warm gear and with tripod and camera in hand, I headed out on deck watching and waiting and wandering around and around the outside of the ship as the crisp air kissed my face, at times a bit too intensely. I didn’t see anything but wisps of clouds so I decided to get some night photography practice in. Little did I know intermingled with those wisps of clouds were the Northern Lights, which I didn’t see until after I took the photos!
Being that we’re on a moving vessel, the photos didn’t turn out well but the Northern Lights are visible in them. I’m feeling more confident that should they appear again when I am on land, I should be able to capture them. My fascination with them continues to grow, giving me hope that in these next few days their shyness will have dissipated and they can officially welcome me to their home, provided they nor I don't slip on by in the meantime.
No comments:
Post a Comment