Wednesday July 4, 2007
WOW!
We’d read about them, seen photos of them, and heard other people rave about them – but eyeballing these famous fjords up close and personal on this our first day in Norway was even better than we’d expected.
And in spite of the rain!
Someone told us it rains 300 days a year in these vast watery, mountainous regions, and today was clearly one of those. So it was out with our raincoats and brollies when we were ferried ashore this morning aboard Marco Polo’s bright orange tenders.
‘Ashore’ was the tiny village of Flam, down the end of the long, skinny Aurlandsfjord (a tributary of the deep-water Sognefjord). And we’d all done a lot of oohing and aahing as we cruised through these dark green depths past teetering cliffs, remote painted dwelling and countless waterfalls that dropped from still-snowy peaks 2000 feet above us.
First up was a ride on two mountain trains – from Flam to Vos. More oohing and aahing and photo-taking galore – especially when the train stopped for 10 minutes beside a gushing, exploding watertfall. (It’s summertime here, the snow is melting, and the streams and rivers are full-to-overflowing.)
Then, following a hearty smorgasbord lunch (yummy local dishes) and a dash of souvenir-shopping (Norwegians have a thing about ugly little trolls – and the tourist shops are full of them), we loaded ourselves onto a coach for a downhill scenic drive around 13 winding hairpin bends!
Breathtaking? Yep. Heart-stopping even. But we wouldn’t have missed it for the world …
People come from all over to visit our final stop – the charming village of Gudvangen, at the end of magnificent Naerofjord. And we arrived in time to watch the Marco Polo glide in to meet us, doing a slowly-slowly 18- degree turn smack in the middle of the harbour.
What a day! And we’ve got a week amongst these ancient glacial fjords – yeehaa!
TOMORROW: More cliff-hanger views and quaint fishing villages. So stay tuned …
Yours bloggedly – JOHN
Hi Bronwyn and Maureen
Great reading about your daily activities and seeing the wonderful photos. I especially like the ones of people who are on the trip with you. Maybe you could stand in front of Johns camera the next time you see him pull it out, or maybe you could bend his arm to take a few more of people so that family and friends can see that you guys really are there. Listen to me, next i’ll be telling you where you should be going. Having photo’s of anything is great.
With all the lovely places you’ve been visiting, the camera must surely be out of memory by now. Sorry, i was going to buy a bigger memory stick but thought you wouldn’t it. after seeing the one’s here, i know i would have run out of space days ago.
I’m not sure if you’ve been doing much shopping along the way, but it looks like you will get an opportunity in Kristiansund’s pedestrian Mall today.
Happy cruising, happy rainy days, and happy travels overland..
gidday Murray and Joy
I have been reading Johns blog everyday and its been great to follow your trip and see where you are each day and what you have been up to. Well it is definetly winter in Southland. A real hard frost this morning. Rach came home from Oamaru on Wednesday night, they were 5th out of 13 teams and seemed to have had a good time. The Smith twins are here and David is getting plenty of work out of the three boys. The dagging trailer pulled in this morning so they are over at the shed at the moment pushing up sheep. Murel arrived yesterday and started the sheep yards.The kids and I are going to Queenstown tomorrow and the kids will have a day up the mountain on Sunday with the Browns then it will be home for the rest of the holidays and more work no doubt. Its alright for some travelling the world. Hope you are having a wounderful time. Lots of love Pam xx
John Miller,
Please read your emails and confirm that you have got them.
Hi Margaret and Brian,
Just a quick hello to let you know we are still in one piece after the tornados in New Plymouth. Loads of rain, rain and more rain. Bit of cabin fever with us all inside for school hols. No rain today but can’t see the mountain so its bound to rain soon….
Love to you both, Looks like you are having a ball!
C U soon.
Love tans, mark, amanda, nathan and larissa
Love you guys – from Phil, Kristine, Tom & Becks. Have you spilt anything else on your pants Dad? 🙂
Hope you’re having a superb time. Wish we were there too.
John Miller,
Leslie died suddenly July 2.
I have sent emails to [email protected].
I will try paradise.net
Patricia Thomas (Patty)
Hi there Muv,
Great to hear and find your news. All superb here. Your amazing son in law survived not one but two breathalizer tests last night after drinks at Godmother Pammys home!We had the whanau of Bettys in the car and all very relieved!Had a check point at Mission Bay and then Kohi. His halo is still shining brightly.
Nance adoring Fiji and her bananas are doing xtremely well. She returns Wed.You girls are in the best place as it is very wintery and wet here so we are hunhering down. Love to the 4 of you.
Rody and Bill xxoo
Hello Mum & Dad,
Thanks for the email, really glad to hear everything is going well over for you, spending our inheritance !!!
All is well in Oz. Pete did well in his exams and is now helping Jo at her cafe, working in the kitchen for a few extra $$$. Jo from all reports is enjoying the new challenge and responsibility.
James nicks off to Fiji in two days with his school group and has spent most of his holidays so far blowing up German missile factories on his computer.
I have no idea about Ben and Emma but I think heading overseas sometime soon as well.
I’m going well, working away as usual, keeping the country going etc. Went to Auckland for a week recently for another Council Conference story, where we caught a bunch of Aussie council rep’s enjoying the good life at taxpayers expense. Story was a bit of a beat up but great fun to shoot. Have been out to Home once or twice, Krusty is well but bored….Mum he misses your daily walk around the paddock every day !!
Also, have spoken to Telstra and your phone is fixed. There was an international barring on it. All you need to do now is switch it off and then on again to reset the settings. Also, the international number for Telstra service you gave us had one digit too many, the number is +61 439 125 109.
Well enjoy your cruise, Dad remeber to let Mum take some photos !! Otherwise you won’t be in any of the shots, and we look forward to your return home at the end of the month.
PS – The Swans are in average form. Just out of the top 8, and needing a win badly over Fremantle tomorrow. Barry Hall has been lucky to get a kick the past month.
Hey Mom 🙂 (SoonJa)
I have been checking out “The Blog” and finally remembered & noticed we can comment- yay!
Thanks 4 the e-mail. I’m glad U enjoyed the Norwegian fjords. Sounds absolutely breathtaking. Hope U R taking lots of pics!
Looks like you’ve all been getting your fair share of rain on the cruise, but it must be better than our Very cold & soggy weather; and I’m sure you’ve heard about the recent plague of twisters…
Don’t worry, we are OK. Still have a roof over our heads. And, fingers crossed, we are looking forward to having our road re-opened maybe next week. It seems like an eternity since the flood damage…
Even though the power managed to stay on during the recent storms, one night we turned off the TV & all the lights just to watch the incredible sheet lightning and occasional forks touching down out over the sea. We had a small chuckle when we realised it was the 4th of July… Nature gave us a spectacular “fireworks” show!
Not much else going on 2 tell here…
Have a Great Time!
Love & (((((hugs))))), Doris
P.S. I didn’t get your other e-mail until too late… Re: Duty Free: don’t bother about any wine, but yes please! max out on any inexpensive tequila (Cuervo or Pepe Lopez- it’s just to mix margaritas 🙂 ) Thanks!
Hi to all our friends. This is a great cruise. Thanks for the messages Anne, Pam, Tony, Robyn – much appreciated. Joy & Murray
Happy belated birthday to my grandson, Brett. Jean Rushton