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Julie FisherJulie Fisher
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  • TravelerNorway and the Artic Circle
    21
    Day 10

    Reine and Lofoten

    April 2 in Norway ⋅ ⛅ -2 °C

    The weather gods continue to be kind to us. We again have clear blue skies, sunny day, freezing cold but good weather for aurora borealis sightings (we were not so lucky ). Our first excursion was not until 1:30 so we had time in the morning before lunch to wander through the village close to where the ship is docked. We walked past racks of drying fish, we find out later these cod. It does smell. The fish is left to dry for a number of months. Everything is closed because it is Easter Tuesday. We do find the tourist office open and I buy a very nice waterproof jacket for around $120. Much better than the jacket I brought with me.

    We are now well beyond the Arctic circle. The Lofoten Islands are quite a spectacular sight. Very pristine with jagged coastline and mountains. We are in the fiords. We travel across a number of bridges between the different islands, we saw many small villages located along the coastline as we drove. The painted wooden houses stand out against the white snow. Flat land in this area is limited and so typically houses will be close to the water with mountains to the back. The roads are good as is the general infrastructure. Not surprising given the strength of the Norwegian economy.

    We visit a traditional village with houses preserved as they would have been centuries ago. It is very icy, during the day. When the sun is shining the snow melts then at night it freezes creating a hazard. So far during the trip I don't think the temperature during the day has gone above - 5°. I have a walking pole with me and am being very careful with Bob checking that I'm not taking any risks. However, it's Bob who manages to fall. Fortunately on his well padded bum, no damage done to either himself or his camera. The local guide was not terribly helpful because he said rather angrily to me that when you're coming to the Arctic circle the first thing you should do is pack something called ' crampons' . We knew nothing of these until our Polar Park visit where we were given some to wear. A number of passengers were like us wearing runners, good walking shoes not so good on ice. One of the guides from the ship however was very helpful and pointed us to a small shop where we could buy them for about 18 euro. Very happy to have them because they simply slip over your shoes and it gives you much more grip on the ice. I suspect they'll be getting more use.

    We stopped a number of times more once to look at a church and another stop at a fishing village.

    Back to the ship, no aurora borealis though, will have to wait another day    Read more

  • TravelerNorway and the Artic Circle
    Day 9–10

    Narvik Polar Park

    April 1 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ -7 °C

    What I do appreciate about a trip that is not an expedition is that excursions leave in the morning. Our first excursion starts at 11:45 which is very civilized. We have selected the Polar Park. It is of course a bus ride, no zodiacs, the bus takes us through very, very small villages and of course we see snow and snow capped mountains. Our guide is particularly good and gives us a very good idea of how people have lived in this part of the world over the centuries.

    We don't have much of an idea what to expect, Polar Park is like an open range zoo but in this case with only animals that live in the Arctic. Our guide is a young woman and is one of the keepers so she knows a lot about the animals and animal behavior. There is no guarantee we're going to see any of the animals that are in the park because they have a very large area in which they can roam. There are fences in part to protect us from the animals but also to protect the animals from each other. In order to entice the animals to come to the fence line so that we see them, she carries a bucket of raw meat.

    In Norway it is illegal to take animals from the wild. This means only animals in the park have either always live there such as the reindeer or they have bought them from other zoos. They are not allowed, for example, to take animals that have been injured and rehabilitate them or to take animals abandoned by their mothers.

    The first enclosure has lynxs cats in it but they are disinclined to come anywhere near us. She explains they have been well-fed and like most cats are probably off sleeping somewhere. Someone had brought in a dead reindeer and they had left that in the cage with the cats so there was quite a lot of food available. We see red deer, I suspect these are the ones that have gone feral at home, a moose, they have extraordinarily long legs and musk oxen. When we were on the ship in the Northwest passage, the guides regularly told us about musk oxen. I had no idea what they were talking about or even what or how to spell the words. We eventually saw them when we got to Alaska and they look like their close relative, very large, hairy goats. The park had several of them. The park also had a number of bears, one of which had been trained to wave at tourists, I suspect trained with food.

    The animals that were most interesting included the wolverine. The bucket of meat came in very handy. The keeper threw small pieces of meat over the fence and this rather interesting and quite attractive creature would leap up in the air and onto the meat and quite close to us. We also heard the pack of wolves, beautiful creatures and the sounds they made were quite melodious. There were two arctic foxes curled up in the snow. Again reluctant to come very close However, they were hopeful of getting something to eat and walked to the fence. The keeper mentioned that they had been put on a diet. They'd put on a lot of weight over winter so they were extremely hopeful of getting food. On our way back, the keeper did manage to coax out the lynx and we were able to get a really good view. She threw meat so that he got stuck in the fence and the lynx had to jump up and grab it.

    It was a fascinating walk and we really enjoyed it, it was very cold and by the end of the walk there was a small flurry of snow which became heavier. By the time we finished our lunch. It was a spectacular park.

    The first night after arrival is usually a gala dinner. We gathered in the theater to be entertained by singers and musicians, the captain spoke and introduced key members of his crew. He is clearly someone who has a good sense of humor because he was telling jokes during his speech. Dinner as always included
    Foie gras and fine wine.

    As we are finishing our digestive at the end of the evening ready to head to bed there is an announcement of Northern lights. Back down to the cabin, rug up with our jacket and grab our cameras. We don't stand out very long but we do see the lights again.    Read more

  • TravelerNorway and the Artic Circle
    Day 8

    Tromsø our next adventure

    March 31 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ -4 °C

    We had an early night because our flight from Paris to Tromso is at 7am. Last time we were here to also take a charter flight to start the Northwest passage cruise. Fortunately this time the charter left on time, previously we waited at the airport for some time before finding out a plane had broken down somewhere in Croatia. The flight was uneventful and we were given breakfast both on board as well as in the airport. This time we arrived in sufficient time to be given a tour of Trompso before boarding our ship. Trompso is a very long way north in Norway, part of an archipelago of islands well within the Arctic circle. It is not a large place so the tour whilst interesting did not take very long. What we did see was snow, snow, capped mountains, and pretty painted wooden houses. We did however, come across reindeer grazing by the road. We also found out about the way the indigenous people of Norway, the Sami, live. They own all reindeer in Norway and the reindeer are allowed to graze anywhere.

    I think we have a fascination with snow covered landscapes because we simply don't see vast areas of snow. Even though it is early spring, the snow comes right down to the ocean. A photographer's paradise really. We are given lunch and more time than we need because the ship is not ready to board until 4:00 p.m. This does give us an opportunity to walk around Trompso a little bit.

    Finally boarding time and we go through what is now a very regular routine, get into our room. Do as much unpacking as possible, put out the laundry. Wait for the mandatory drill and information session. This is followed by a welcome by the captain with champagne and finally we get to sleep. What is new for us however, is that because this is not an expedition cruise we do not have the number of naturalists on board that we are used to and therefore not the usual number of briefings. The briefing for the excursion the next day is quite short because it is simply an overview of what to expect depending on which excursion you have selected.

    The captain has told us that should there be any evidence of northern lights we will be told. And true to his word. We were woken at 11:00 and again at 12:00 because there was a particularly spectacular display. We slept rather than get up dress for Arctic conditions to take pictures of the lights.    Read more

  • TravelerNorway and the Artic Circle
    22
    Day 6–9

    Next stop Paris (28-31)

    March 29 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    It's Good Friday and we are in Paris. Tomorrow is my 70th birthday. Plan was for us to be in Amman, Jordon. The Middle East now a conflict zone put paid to that so we are going north instead. The decision to take Eurostar to Paris began to look a little wobbly once we reached St Pancras . We left the hotel at 8:30 to make sure that in the event there were any disruptions on the train line we would still make the train. We made it in time to sit down and have a very pleasant cup of coffee at the station with of course all our luggage. It was the Thursday before Easter and it seemed that everyone was wanting to travel which is expected.The went along way through the station and around the block. This was a little daunting at the time but it turned out many of the people were there for the previous train. We had been warned. We must turn up at least 30 minutes beforehand (our train was at 11:30) as the gate closes half an hour beforehand. We joined the queue at around 10:30 and it took almost until 11:30 before we are able to board the train. The waiting area was chaotic as the train before was late. I couldn't help but reflect on the fact that we were at Heathrow airport and could have so easily have flown and then taken another train to Gare du Nord.

    Not much point reflecting on that. However, when we had already bought tickets and we were on our way. Very uneventful the train ride very much like any other fast train you come across in Europe. The train arrived pretty much on time and we stepped out, cross the street and were at our hotel '25 hours'.

    This chain of hotels presents a more quirky experience for travellers, then for example the Hilton. Bob commented that there is a fine line between quirky and functional and quirky and inconvenient. We have stayed here before and had an excellent room, this time however, although the room was spacious it was only because there was a small hallway between the toilet and the bedroom. The decor was very much a throwback to what might otherwise be regarded as junk. A functioning record player on top of tin trunks formed a table. However, it wasn't as if we were going to spend much time in the room and it was comfortable. The breakfast room overlooks the station and on a nice day it is a lovely place to sit, unfortunately the weather was not kind to us, drizzly and overcast.

    The location is excellent because apart from the train which takes you directly to Charles de Gaulle airport, it is surrounded by a number of small restaurants. We dine in one of those and crash early.

    The big day has arrived, I have turned 70. We are still tired both from jet lag and the travel we have done up to this point. Bob has on numerous occasions asked me what I want for my birthday I have no idea, given many of us who reach this age do not have a need for anything much. One idea comes to mind, given we are in Paris a nice trinker to remember the day is what I settle on. Unsurprisingly, after all these years together, Bob picks up on the idea that that just might be something involving jewellery, which of course is what I had in mind. He has already googled local potential jewellery shops and we head off to gaze in windows to fnd something suitable. This takes us to a part of Paris, little India, where there are numerous shops selling sarees and wedding jewellery. Not quite what I had in mind. The struggle I have is I want something that doesn't look cheap or fake, isn't overly ostentatious but at least is a small statement piece, I know a tall order. Fortunately the first shop window I looked in had a pair of earrings I liked and at a price that I thought was not excessive. We headd back there and purchase my trinket.

    That task completed we head out for a walk in an area that unfamiliar to us. We had towards the canal and the day does brighten a little bit. After quite a long walk we find a small local bar and stop for lunch. It was very local and the food was good.

    The next task is to get ourselves to Charles de Gaulle airport where we will spend the evening before an early flight the next day to Tromso. I suggested we leave the luggage at the hotel given it was close by rather than standing acute with suitcases. It is the Saturday before Easter and it seems everyone in Paris is wanting to catch a train to somewhere and for whatever reason there are no staff selling tickets and no staff helping with the machines which dispense a small paper ticket. It's hard to imagine this can possibly be worth their while given most modern cities and train systems will accept a credit card at the gate. Not Paris. We staying in a queue for 40 minutes and with the help of a local succeed in buying our two tickets and we head out to the airport.

    Dinner in the hotel to celebrate my birthday and early to bed before having to rise at 5:30 to catch our flight.    Read more

  • TravelerNorway and the Artic Circle
    Day 3–6

    Melbourne to Paris, long journey (24-27)

    March 26 in France ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Our trip to Paris has involved one night in Sydney, over night in Tokyo, two nights in London and two more nights in central Paris - Gare du Nord. Five countries, five hotels (airport hotel tomorrow night) over seven days. Yes there were times I wondered why we decided to do it this way but at the planning stage you forget about the hassles of packing and unpacking, transport and trains and focus on the destination not the journey.

    All Nipon Airlines business class is the best we have flown. Food was amazing, I elected to have the Japanese meal. The seats for the long haul leg provided us with more room than we have ever had before. Both legs were during the day so we arrived in London at a sensible hour, 2.30pm. The airport hotel was a short walk and very comfortable. Next time we will choose a better hotel in Tokyo though.

    To get to Paris we plan to take the Eurostar given we had not had that experience before. The challenge however was how to get from Heathrow airport with two not quite 20 kilos suitcases, two carry-on cases plus two bags. It was therefore a prudent decision to have a trial run of getting to St. Pancras where the Eurostar would leave and try and avoid escalators with so much luggage. We had to change trains twice and take two different lines but it was successful and something we knew we would be able to do the next day. I had arranged to catch up with friends and we met at St. Pancras. This was a station I was unfamiliar with and is around the corner from what could best be described as a ' gothic pile'. A Victorian hotel with turrets and ornamentation. Can't imagine how expensive it would be to stay there. We wandered off to the British library where we had a very pleasant lunch and an opportunity to sit and chat as we watched the rain outside.

    The next adventure was getting back from Central London. The obvious was to go back the way we came. We had after all paid a small fortune for two return tickets to London and one one way ticket, cost $100. On arrival at Paddington station we were greeted with the news that an electrical fault meant trains would be delayed for more than half an hour. We were dubious as to whether they would run at all so to ensure we got back we paid another $70 for one way on the Heathrow Express. We were concerned as to whether the problem would continue the following day when it would matter. The electrical fault however was resolved and we got to St. Pancras before 10:00. a.m.

    Our adventure to get to Paris continued. When these arrangements were made we had no idea that we would be traveling so close to Easter, our 11:30 train to Paris was the day before Good Friday. The station was packed. We were told we must be there before they close the gates half an hour before the train leaves. We joined the queue just after 10:00 a.m. and it took almost an hour and a half to get from where we started in the queue to actually sitting on the train. Two passport controls one for leaving the UK and one for entering the EU. All I can think is thanks Brexit. The waiting area was standing room only as the train earlier had been delayed, which to some extent explains why there were so many people everywhere and almost no information. The train ride was uneventful but I can't help but reflect on the fact that we were at Heathrow and had we caught a flight to Paris it possibly would not have cost anymore and possibly would have saved us quite a lot of time. From leaving the hotel at 8:30 in the morning, we arrived at our hotel in Paris at 2:30 in the afternoon. At least we can now. So we have been on the Eurostar. It is very much like traveling on any other high-speed European train which we do enjoy.    Read more

  • TravelerDunedin to Sub Antarctic
    Day 26

    Wanaka and the mountains

    January 6 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Early morning drive from Dunedin through glacial gorges close to where we took the train to nowhere. You don't have to travel far in New Zealand to experience completely different landscapes. One place we drove through has a hydroelectric power station with a dam that seems to be kilometers long flanked on either side by sheer cliffs with no vegetation. It is used for water skiing and other activities, fishing and of course electricity.

    Wanaka is about an hour from the Queenstown airport and an hour and a half from Queenstown. As we get closer to Wanaka we see the snow cap mountains near Queenstown. Mt Cook is near here and this place is obviously a summer and winter holiday destination. Clearly this is where all the kiwis go for holidays rather than Queenstown. As it is school holidays, the place is full of families and there are any number of activities of available apart from just sitting around and relaxing. It is a lovely warm day which is quite a contrast to where we have been. Might have to get out the t-shirt.

     The hotel well really a ski lodge repurposed as a holiday let, is an interesting concept. There are just seven rooms, no bar fridge, rooms are not serviced and not much in the room but the room is spacious and comfortable. What it does have is a fully equipped large kitchen enabling us to buy supplies for breakfast and beer for Bob. The kitchen has large tables as you would expect in a ski lodge and outside. There is a very large deck with tables overlooking a very nicely planned garden. Our room also has a small deck with two good chairs and a table overlooking the same garden. The garden has a small water feature, an artificial stream. The birds absolutely love it and come down to bathe in the water and feed off the various plants that surround it, a very pleasant outlook.

    Our time on the ship had been so hectic. It was nice to have the opportunity to really unwind. It is surprising how tiring it can be just seeing and doing what we have experienced and that's without the early morning zodiac rides. Downtime before we get home is much appreciated.    Read more

  • TravelerDunedin to Sub Antarctic
    1
    Day 25

    Farewell the Subs and Le Soleal

    January 5 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Tomorrow morning we must disembark by 7:45 to catch a bus to the airport. We will hire a car and drive back to Queenstown.

    Today has really been about getting ourselves organized for our disembarkation. That said, we still had a lecture on shipwrecks and our final briefing to say farewell and thanks to the fantastic group of naturalists onboard. There was a review of where we have been and some of the naturalists each did a funny recap . One tested our bird knowledge, another the value of bird poo and another highlighting the challenges an expedition leader faces managing naturalists.

     The sea has been very rough with up to five meter waves and 37 knot winds which has made it a little more challenging to move around. Have actually felt seasick today for the first time, not too much though thanks to dynamic stabilisers (I know that thanks to the captain). Saying farewell to passengers we have befriended is hard but we must do it now because we are all leaving at different times.

    Leaving the ship is harder, we are all flat. Cannot help but reflect on what an amazing trip we have had, how fortunate we have been to see what we have seen in perfect weather and how privileged we were to have such an incredible, knowledgeable group of naturalists to accompany us. All the naturalists are there to say farewell and to my surprise a number had tears in their eyes as did I. Not for us so much but for what we have shared. The expedition leader said to me the team had spoken last night and discussed how hard it was going to be for them to now turn around and take the next group to the Subs beginning that evening. He said he cannot imagine ever repeating what we did. Wow that was a sobering thought.

    Back on dry land albeit still moving as far as our brains are concerned and on to Wanaka.    Read more

  • TravelerDunedin to Sub Antarctic
    1
    Day 24

    Antipodes island

    January 4, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ 🌬 11 °C

    Our last excursion. Our original trip did not include a visit to the antipodes Islands it was a surprise when it appeared on the itinerary later. Our ship had made good progress and I guess the change in plan with Macquarie had allowed us to get here. The islands are a rocky volcanic out crop uninhabited, and very inhospitable. Furthest SE land in the world. Very few people even get as close as we got but because the weather gods have again been kind to us we are able to get into zodiacs and sail around the islands.

    The zodiac ride was again. Very rough and wet but we were well prepared. What an incredible experience The rocks themselves are fantastic. So many different colors. And so rugged. There are caves and signs of where the volcanic explosion started. These are very recent islands so there is limited vegetation but we can still see grasses and mega herbs. The sea life is abundant with fur seals on the rocks with their pups and another species of penguin, these are the erect crested penguin. That brings our penguin sightings to eight different species. These are incredibly agile penguins, the rocks are really steep, yet they're able to hop up and find one of the rear flat spots to nest. There are many small colonies of these penguins.

    Apart from the penguins we also see petrals, albatross, antarctic terns and skuas. We hear a ruckus above and watch as a flock of terns fight off a skua which was obviously looking for eggs. No one wants to return to the ship, the 2 hours seems to have gone past so quickly.

    Our last daily briefing and a gala dinner. Before dinner the crew are as usual introduced and thanked. We have been invited to the captain's table. He is a younger captain and more visible and engaged with the passengers. There is a surprise for the captain main course is carried in by the waiting staff dressed in white and carrying a cloche with our dinner underneath. One waiter per diner, the plate is put on the table and all together the covers are lifted. The end of the meal when dessert is served. We are each given a dish with goodbye and our name piped in chocolate. So sad that this is the end.

    Our musical entertainment is our regular pianist joined by the sax player. Just six people are in this lounge on the observation deck so it feels like a private performance.    Read more

  • TravelerDunedin to Sub Antarctic
    111
    Day 23

    Day at Sea

    January 3, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ 🌬 10 °C

    The predicted storm and rough weather have caught up with us. We need to be careful, the doors to the outside are closed.

    Today is a day at sea and our last excursion tomorrow the Antipodes Islands. We have had our last bio-security check. This has been well managed and not as much of a hassle is I had expected. They are very well organized, we take all the external clothing we wore including our boots and our life preserver. These are checked for seeds and any organic material. Even the inside of our jackets pockets are checked. Using a vacuum cleaner zips and Velcro are cleaned. The team of naturalists work really quickly and it takes no more than a few minutes, we sign off that this is done and go back to our rooms. I have learned that if I keep things to a minimum and make the most use of pockets or don't need to carry a backpack, this shortens the bio security check.

    This process is relatively easy for us. However, we have heard of one passenger who is in a wheelchair. It is therefore a much more complex operation to get her off the ship. The crew manage it so well. The chair is put through a full biosecurity check, it is taken to the beach by zodiac and then she is taken across, carried to the chair enabling to sit on the beach and watch everything that was going on that we saw. The elephant seals, Royal penguins, king penguins, gentoos if she was lucky and various other birds. What an achievement for everybody.

    Despite having one day at sea, we were fully occupied for the day. Several lectures, one on bird flu and a second on mega herbs, still not sure why they are called this. Lunch a special dessert is made for me. The evening is as usual after dinner digestive and music. Our Ukrainian pianist Vlodomir is really good and has a great sense of humour, Bob tries to get him to play more slowly, it has become a running joke with him. We relax and enjoy a cognac, a pleasant evening with only a few other guests    Read more

  • TravelerDunedin to Sub Antarctic
    Day 21

    Auckland Island (Enderby Island)

    January 1, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ 🌬 11 °C

    Just as well we are not inclined to party until the final minute of the year as we have an 8:30 trip to Enderby Island. This is a small island part of the Auckland Island group. So how to get out of bed this morning. But once we board the zodiac all that fades away. The beach is covered with sea lions and their pups. Landing is a little bit tricky as the zodiac driver must be sure not to come too close to the sea lions. On this Island we must be at least 20 m from birds and seals.

     One of the features of this island is the yellow eyed hoiho penguin and our reward for getting up early is to be able to see them. They fish early in the morning and are, unlike the penguins we have seen to date, a lot more cautious. They live in the vegetation above the beach and are very timid. We catch sight of them almost as soon as we land which was a surprise. They are critically and dangered and only live on Enderby island.

    We gather at the top above the beach ready for our walk to the other side, unfortunately a large male sea lion is not inclined to let us through. He has taken up residence on the path so we just have to wait. The males can be 500 kilos in weight. Although the estimate for those that are here at the moment is more likely 400 kilos. Still a lot of seal to be confronted with. We eventually are able to start our walk and it begins through a heavily vegetated part of the island which is protected from the wind. We emerge from that onto a boardwalk and into the wind. This walk to the other side is not that steep. However, the wind is so strong. it makes it very difficult. We see the most amazing array of vegetation particularly the mega herbs, at the top of the island. A tiny white sun orchid, hard to see and not many of them. We also see albatross and shags.

    Quick dash back to the ship for lunch and then out again on the zodiac for a tour around the island. This time the focus is on the geology, particularly the rocks that which are very evidently part of a volcanic eruption. We do see another two of the Hioho penguins as well as lots of shags nesting on the rocks huddled into the cliff top. We didn't get too wet.

    .    Read more

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