The ship docked about 9am, but Peter and I had a bit of lie in. We got to breakfast at about 9.30, aiming to
fill up good and proper cos we knew we would miss lunch. We were due on the quayside at 11.30 for our
tour escorting duties.
We knew it was gonna be cold.
The North Cape is an exposed piece of rock battered by Arctic wind, rain
and sea, so we layered up with thermals, t-shirts, fleeces and coats. My coat is quite long, down filled and lovely
and warm. It’s zip up, with poppers to
cover the zip to help keep the warm in. It has a fur trim around the deep hood,
poppers all the way up the neck of the coat, and more poppers making sure the
hood can also fit snugly around my head.
I bought it a couple of years ago for our trip to Norway and I really
like it. I also have a fur lined hat, ski gloves, a bright red scarf and a pair
of waterproof, fur lined, heavy duty boots.
I am really well set for this freezing Norwegian weather.
Our first problem today was getting off the boat. The queues were long, which surprised
us. Everyone decided to get off at the
same time because they were all going the same place as we were.
Just as we were heading out of the ship, I decided it was time to do my
coat up. Except I couldn’t! The zipper flew off, under the feet of the
other passengers. One lady found it and
returned it to me, but now I was stumped because my coat wouldn’t do up. ”Great”,
I thought as I descended the gangway into the bitter wind and freezing rain.
Our next problem was the fact that we were supposed to meet at the
buses. Except we couldn’t find the
buses. Or the Shore Excursion team for
that matter. I’m using the poppers on my
coat to keep it closed, but then I find I have another zipper problem. The one on the CMV rucksack is completely
useless, and the contents are being blown out of the bag and onto wet
tarmac.
Passengers are asking us questions, I’m trying to keep the rucksack
closed and me coat together, and we still have no idea where the buses are or
where the shorex team are. This is not the best start to our excursion!
But it turned
out that the buses were simply late, and the shorex team were about on the quayside after all. They were just wearing invisibility cloaks. (Or at least it seemed like it).
The buses arrived, the chaos of passengers was organised, and Peter set
off on the bus before me. My bus filled
up 15 minutes later, and I followed.
The bus trip is took us through the dramatic scenery of the Norwegian
countryside. Pools of blue ice filled
the dips where there should of been ponds. Drifts of snow covered the grassy flats, and the
harsh rocky crags around us were highlighted in white scrapes of ice. The sky
blasted rain, sleet and snow in alternate swathes across the windowscreen and it was awesome! I wouldn’t like to be outside in it like, but it
was still awesome. Peter has the
photographs
45 minutes later, we reached the North Cape visitors centre. Due to the way this tour works, it was at
this point that we finished with our escorting responsibilities, and were free to do as we pleased.
I couldn’t find Peter, so I headed through the centre to the cliff edge
that is the most northern point in Europe.
It’s blowing an absolute gale, with freezing rain. I’m still trying to keep my coat done up with
the poppers, which insist on unpopping every time I bend over, and I’m having
to hold the rucksack together to keep the contents from falling out, but I made
it to the edge and managed to have a look around. Sadly the weather meant that the view wasn’t
much, but I managed to be there. And I’m
pleased about that.
 |
| Some of the cliffs to the west, photographed through the rain, as you can see. |
 |
| The wind was blowing so hard, it was difficult to keep the camera still. The North Cape landmark sculpture. |
I met up with Peter and we spent the next hour or so exploring the
visitors centre. There’s a film and a
few displays that we liked, a brilliant souvenir shop, and a cafe. It was all good, and given the opportunity, I
would go back. If only in the vain hope
that I might get a better view from the cliff next time.
We left a little after 3pm, and it was really quite dark. Although I think Norway is beautiful, and we
love their mountains, I don’t think I could live here. I couldn’t cope with this darkness all
winter.
So now we are back on the ship.
It set sail for Tromso at 5pm.
There was always hope that we might get a clear sky and chance to see
the lights. No go so far.
So Tromso tomorrow. Apparently
we are escorting again. A cathedral
visit in the afternoon, which is fine, I just need to see if I can fix me
zipper. It’s all go this cruising
malarky.
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