Final pictures and thoughts about the Hurtigruten

Photos from the last day:

Wisconsin Maggie 

Keith is yet to report back on this particularly odd boat

I think they referred to this wonderful rock formation as a cathedral 

Rosemary Pryor explained this scene: They provide accommodation under an alternative booking service called F.AirBnB - Freezing Air, Bloody not Balmy. You can only ski in and out. Mainly attracts heavy sweaters and loners. And hungry polar bears.

And the next minute cloudy snowy skies

The Cathedral 

Maggie

The last night on the Richard With Hurtigruten was filled with the hope we would see the northern aurora.  Viking Vicki and husband Peter excitedly showed Angela, Maggie, Keith and me northern lights photos sent to them from the UK just the night before! I shared the link Jan Slater had sent me showing wild southern aurora activity from Tasmania! We looked out at the snow falling and with ludicrous optimism thought “yes! Let’s stay up and wait for a break in the clouds, when the sky would be dark enough - between midnight and 1:30am!”  Alas…. sigh… ‘‘twas not to be… and sleep got us before that anyway.

but what we did get was the incredible  blue light that characterises photos at this time of night.  No filter at all  this is real. 

 

My trip was strongly enhanced by my dinner table buddy, Keith from Brisbane, partner of Sharyn who is at home minding the chickens. Keith instantly researches and reports back on the questions that emerged from the previous conversations.  I was very lucky to have been assigned to table 80 for all evening meals! Plus, in a walk around Tromso while I was with the huskies (aaw… 💗) he captured in a photo a woman with groceries being pulled along on skis by her husky!  Wow!  😂 

Angela of boundless energy and rapid fire brain that leaves all nearby, spinning

Picture of North Cape

Angela and I ran onto the deck to capture photos of this last little port which was so very pretty. There was no time to rug up and that laughter is in utter hilarity at how freeeeeeeezing it was! 

My next door neighbour, Wisconsin Maggie and the rascal Angela

So, now for some of my favourite things, in no particular order:

* the shower in my cabin! the best ever water pressure.. loved it. 

* the ginger shot and the berry smoothie every morning at breakfast:

* the air - so crisp and clean

* the water - so crisp and clean

* the staff on the ship - not intrusive at all and nothing is too much trouble. It flowed through us all and there was zero agitation anywhere that I could notice anyway.  What a lovely voyage.

*  the food was fab

* The hilarity of those damn ear worm songs both caused by Maggie - Knock Three Times as I have previously reported was finally replaced but by something much worse… Maggie May!  FFS! I sang it to her through our adjoining walls. She didn’t wake up even though I had something to say to her!  Thoughtless! 

* doors that open out - hotel rooms in particular but also toilet doors, and they are nice wide doors! 

*   The Tesla I rode in - everything about it especially the comfort, looking up and seeing through the ceiling, the big screens that seem easy to use, familiar.

* The Viking history lecture and the delivery style so enjoyable

* The rapid and easy return of my abandoned bag as described in my second or third post. Said a lot to me about the culture here

 *The bag of chips and sweet snack I discovered because my plane from Kirkenes to Oslo was delayed. The chips were strongly flavoured and the crunchos weren’t too sweet. The inside was light and crunchy. 

Now on to my next adventure: three nights in Oslo!