Terrafirma Travels

Left home at 9am, diesel fill-up, slow Kernow drivers, fortifying coffee, into the Gardens at 11:15. Just splendid. Did all the formal areas, not straying too far from the buildings, and the van, because heavy rain forecast later.  Heligan is truly Camelia Central, as well as tulips and daffs. Had our own lunch on a bench, followed by more Heligan coffee. More prowling around the upper Gardens, then Heligan (early) tea with shortbread for N.  Drove round the corner to the campsite at 1500 as we felt the first spits in the air. Just got set up and plugged in, and on came the v strong wind and rain. We had popped the top, but put it down again due to ferocity of gusts. Feeling v smug that we got the timing exactly right. Bit of a snooze. Discussed draft of my short story. Coffee using new mini electric kettle. Reading.

2 Feb: A lot of pitching in the night. Up at 0645 and breakfast at 0730 as usual, though today Iain and Liz joined us. Finished packing and put bulging cases in corridor, from where they were whisked into the bowels ready for offloading. Said goodbye to our lovely little cabin. We set up camp in the lecture lounge, ready for Laura's last talk. It's a pity the windows are so dirty. This and running out of decaf coffee, and having no decaf tea, are the only constructive suggestions we can give in the survey to come. Arrival into beautiful Bergen, disembarking, bus to airport, bag drop, security all very smooth. Flight home also smooth, grateful to fall into Premier Inn. 

1 Feb: Docked Trondheim 0630-0930. Prompt to brekker, thinking we'd have a walk. It was dark and slushy and it's 25 mins to exit the port so changed our minds. Bit of reading and packing instead, before the Gathering at 11 which had disembarking info as well as usual routing stuff. Laura said how lucky we'd been with the weather, just 3 ports skipped due to F9 winds on day 3 but no big waves. The next trip is forecast high winds all the time. We slipped Laura a half bottle of brandy because we couldn't drink it all and couldn't take it home.  Beautiful weather today, and suddenly the lower hills are green, not white. The view from the panorama lounge on deck 7 is splendid as always. Surprisingly few people come up here. After a large lunch, as usual, we gave the Coastal Kitchen event a swerve - didn't feel the need to see how to gut a large salmon and then eat it raw. Lots of reading and gazing. Docked in Kristiansund 10 mins early which just gave us enough time...

Friday was a quiet day, starting with flurries of snow at breakfast. Soon after, there was a ceremony outside, as we passed the globe-shaped marker of the Arctic circle, heading south towards Trondheim. This time it wasn't water down the neck, but a spoonful of cod liver oil down the throat, though at least we get to keep the Hurtigruten spoon. Lesley had a call with the company's PR guy, for a piece she will write for FOOC. There was a certain amount of sitting about with books, until it was time for the Bridge Visit. About 15 passengers crowded on to the bridge, while the ship was moored at Sandnessjoen. We were shown the navigation screens, radar, helm controls and the docking station on the port side. The Captain revealed he will retire next year aged 70, and he is v sad that his ship will be removed from her current service. Then an alarm rang and we were politely given orders to leave the bridge, as they were about to set off.  Cue the usual generous buffet lunch. We pa...

Up just after 6, breakfast as soon as the doors open at 7, down the ramp at 8 into Harstad and the 'Taste of Vesteralen' excursion. A promise of 1hr45m on the road and a coach full made us wonder about our choice. But it was great (as long as you deep breathe through people being sooo slow getting off and on the bus!), First up just outside snowy Harstad was the Trondenes Church: northernmost stone church in the world (everything's been northernmost something the last 3 days!); stone font pre 13th century; alterpiece pre-reformation; lovely short service from young, modern priest/vicar.  200 slippery metres to Trondenes Historical Center where we had a talk in a hut on medieval life from a suitably dressed lady and a black cat (not hers!). The very modern museum was interesting on living in 500-800 AD. Everyone back on the bus and drove across the saddle of the island past frozen lakes and gelid upper reachs of fjords and even a few reindeer,  with a constant background of ...

Wednesday started with more juddering after all the night-time juddering, as we briefly visited small ports. At least we managed to shower while in port, which makes it easier. Post breakfast there was a fierce storm with black clouds, white horses and freezing rain. Fun to watch from inside, until the storm receded as we steamed into Hammerfest, past a large gas facility.  We left the ship for a bus, booked to carry us the short distance into town. It was very icy underfoot and we certainly needed our spikes on the hard-packed ice. First came the church, which sadly was just about to hold a funeral, so we caught a brief glimpse before being turned away.  We cautiously walked to the museum, but didn't have enough time left to explore it properly, so we grabbed a hot chocolate in the cafe instead. The museum shop had part set up like 1930s. Hammerfest is a large town of 10k people, with many hotels, modern buildings and offices, much of it focused on the energy industry. It fe...