Cruising life

Well, the days and nights have merged into a wonderland of wonderful. From the fjords we headed to North Cape - a completely different landscape - barren and windswept with reindeer farmers and fisher people the key inhabitants. We toured the headland and then got up close to the rock as we cruised our way to The Shetland Islands.

A day of sailing and we arrived with overcast skies and the bleakest outlook I think I have ever seen. Everything was grey. The sky, the buildings - but not the people. We walked for hours around the town which is quite lovely and had the best coffee of the trip in a pizza restaurant!  Who knew?

We had another day at sea back to Bergen. A very pretty city. We were interviewed by the local paper as they were doing an article on the impact cruise ships are having. We caught our final funicular up the mountain and then hiked down . Beautiful. The fish market sold whale meat products. I thought it was banned. Clearly not in Norway.

Our final port stop was Stavanger to see Pulpit Rock - the key reason for taking this particular cruise. The weather put on its worst show of the trip. Raining and windy. Undeterred we took the hiking tour and drove to the trail. We were given a packs lunch and given 4.5 hours to do a 4km self guided hike. Oi vey.
it was 2km straight up and then 2km straight down. Rocky all the way. We walked through waterfalls and rivers. I was ready to go back but after a quick lunch in the only tiny shelter in the ate we pressed on.

We were rewarded with blinding rain and howling winds. It let up for a few minutes as we got to the rock. Even in the rain it was spectacular. It is as well I couldn’t see much as the steep drops all along the path would have scared me to death!!!

The descent was harder than the ascent. Slipping and sliding was the order of the day. But we made it and after a hot shower back on deck it as all worthwhile. Fortunately we have the last day at sea as I can’t actually walk!!!

We end this anniversary cruise in the morning- we’ve had the time of our lives and are so grateful for the opportunity to spend two weeks cruising.

On to Utrecht for 5 nights with Mark and Koko and the kids and then home. Who knew time could fly so fast?