Norway - Tromso

After crossing the Arctic circle over night we docked in Tromso early this morning. A pretty town but a bit quiet as its a Sunday. The architecture is a well placed mixture of old weatherboard (brightly coloured) and very well integrated, modern . Spent the day in the Polaria, and Polar Museums. A bit nerdy but I was hooked as they are full of Amundsen and Nansen exploration type stuff which I love as this is what I read about in the library when I was supposed to be studying engineering at uni. Also watched harbour and bearded seals being trained in the research centre.

Norway - Loften island

After 4 days at sea indulging in sloth like ways we spotted the first glimps of Norway and the Loften islands. We berthed outside Leknes and bused into the town. Well what can I say, it's a service town a bit if a shit hole surrounded by beautifully ragged hills that were out of reach. It had a nice cafe though but even then we were back at the ship an hour later. We then walked a couple of Kms to a typical wooden church which was kind quaint and wandered back to the ship before setting sail again. The views of the fishing villages and rugged islands as we negotiated in and out of port were very attractive and it may just have been the ideal way to see these villages ie from the water and with a Captain Morgan in hand.

Cruising Norway

Rumbos on the poop deck. After a short train journey to Dover. We checked in on a two week cruise of Norway. I've never thought of myself as cruise type but some good stories from my mate Theo and the fact that it's cheaper than staying on land convinced me to take the plunge. We were warned that this cruise was a bit of a floating retirement village and yes we are afloat in a sea of blue rinse but it's just what the doctor ordered sleep movies, food, alcohol, and all sorts of activities if you can be bothered.

Eastbourne Wirlwind Tour

Had a few days to kill so hopped a train to Eastbourne to visit my good mate "Cooma" and his family.

We were met at the station, ditched our gear and drove to the Eastbourne stony foreshore for coffe and cheesy chips as it was Issy's birthday (Cooma's youngest daughter). Luckily we dropped the kids in town for a movie as the next adventure turned ugly.

We setoff on a walk along the white cliffs to Beachy Head with the intention of continuing along to three sisters which started out as spectacular as expected. Unfortunately we witnessed a suicide at Beachy Head so so this plan was scuttled while we called police and gave a statement etc. Our nerves were shot so we all sort solace at a beautiful little village pub (The Tiger) for a pint in the sun on the village green. (please no public comments on this bit)
The day finished off in much better form with a rost lamb dinner and a few single malts.

Next day we took a morning walk across the downs on part of the south downs way dropping into a pub for lunch. The afternoon saw different adventure. As Cooma is an instructor at the local kayak club we borrowed some canoes/gear and paddled up the meanders to see a chalk horse carving. After packing gear and with sore shoulders we stoked up the BBQ and tried a beer.

Iceland- Farewell

Last day in Iceland. I wish I had more time here. You need about two weeks as there is so much to do. I will have to return a couple of times at least, once to ride a motorcycle around the island and once to do a long multi day hike in the north. Oh and once more for Christmas and to see the northern lights.

Iceland - simply stunning - Eyjafjallajökull

Yep the volcano that caused all the trouble in 2010. We took a 4WD for a couple of hours (including an hour of crossing rivers) to the start of a 7hr hike.

This scenery caused RSI in my camera finger. The walk covered ultimately climbed ~1000m to the peak of name that erupted two weeks earlier and triggered the eruption of .
You could see a lava fall (like a waterfall) and the aftermath of this lava eruption. On reaching the higher areas and summit the ground was still steaming and was too hot to touch with your hand. From the summit about 800m away we had a perfect view of Eyjafjallajökulls crater. This volcano who's name translates to islandmountainglacier is, as the name suggests, under a glacier hence the reason for so much ash and also why it just looks like a snow covered mountain. To climb this is considered still a bit too dodgy and it is all snow covered so not as volcano looking as the one we climbed.

Still can't pronounce the E word but it sounds really cool when the guide says it.

From the summit it was a 3hour descent back to the 4wd and a few hours back to Reykjavik where the guide chatted about what it was like living in Iceland. Sounds like Christmas is a wonderfully time here a very long celebration and apparently they have 13 santas which are evil.

Iceland - Blue Lagoon

Outside one of the geothermal power stations is a thermal pool day spa thingy clad blue lagoon. Basically you spend hours in outdoor milly blue water and cover yourself in the thermal mud which has all sorts of claimed healing properties. I did go overboard a bit but I need a lot of healing. They also had a bar in the pool to undo any benefit achieved.

Iceland - Whales and Puffins

This morning we joined a whale what hong tour in Reykjavik bay. First stop was an island infested with Puffins. This was very special as I've been trying to spot these little buggers on both coasts of the UK but as their young had left the nests they were leaving for six months at sea. There were 1000s of the little "Priests" as the Icelanders call them. In fortunately they ere a fair way away and very fast so photos were beyond my little cameras.

Onward to the bay. Here we saw heaps of Minki whales, which I'm assured by the Japanese scientist beside me are very tasty on rye with mayo. Also a lawful pod of white nosed dolphins played around the boat. Again my camera was not up to the task. Al my photos were either little black dots on blue or bigger Blake smudges on blue if the whale was speeding past the boat.

Iceland - Geyser in Geysir

Another long drive another spectacle. This is the original. This now inactive geothermal water spout had the name Geysir. It was world famous and consequentially it has become the generic name "geyser" all over the world

Iceland-Gullfoss Falls

Well impressive waterfall. Appears out of nowhere in what looks like rolling flattish lava plains. Also sits below the Langjokull glacier (see in distance phot below.

Iceland - Pingvillir National Park

An hour or so from Reykjavik is the site of the original Icelandic government that this national park celebrates. It was the 8th century and every June the leaders would travel to this place and camp and the laws of the land were proclaimed and amended. Then they would all pack up until the next year.

Iceland - Reykjavik

Reykjavik is a very beautiful little Capitol. It contains 200k of the total 320k Icelandic populations (that's 3 MCGs.

Took a tour around town this morning. Drive to the presidents house, the house where Regan and Breshniv held there first summit to end the cold war and numerous other interesting sites. There was Olympic fever in the town centre (see photo) ie there are sun lounges in the square so people can laze around what hong the big screen . More buz here than in London it seems.