This is the life!! Just cruising along watching incredible scenery passing before your eyes, relaxing and taking beautiful walks on shore ........... (but it can't last!!!)
Cabin/beds are thankfully very comfortable so we had a good night's sleep - needed the alarm to wake us at 8.00!! Still quite dull outside in spite of now clouds to speak of - another beautiful, fine day.
Overnight we had actually called in to four ports - Floro, Maloy, Stadhavet and Torvik - but didn't notice!! Ship is actually fairly quiet even when loading and unloading which they do a lot of. As we are "between seasons" for their tourism, there are only about 50 passengers on board this trip so it is almost like having the ship to ourselves sometimes - at breakfast there were only a few other couples at the time we were eating.
Arrived Alesund just to unload and picked up a couple of "day" passengers - I was at reception as they booked in and found they were a couple who live just near the Matilda Gympie!!
Magnificent scenery as we headed north and into the (apparently famous) Hjorundfjorden (fijord) and sailed slowly through the fijord to the little village of Urke. Some headed off on an excursion but as it was similar to the "Nutshell" tour we had done on Monday we had lunch on board (roast pork!!) and then caught the tender boat (the Vesteralen just anchored offshore) to Urke, took a walk around the village and then re-joined the excursion folk for the ride back to the ship.
Lovely people - only too happy to chat (VERY good English everywhere). Mostly fishing and farming (note for John - if you own 100 sheep here you are very rich!!!). Town has its own hydro plant for electricty as do most apparently - how's that for renewable energy??
Docking tonight in Molde - apparently famous for its annual jazz festival but unfortunately nothing on tonight. Food aboard the MS Vesteralen is terrific - dinner tonight (first formal dinner) was three courses with entre of trout, main course roast lamb and an apple based sweet - all beautiful. We are seated with the only other English speaking couple - a young English couple Chris & Caroline who are great company.
I was a bit afraid this trip might get a bit "samey" but if today is anything to go by, there is tremendous variety - judging by the tour information, we later get into permanent snow country as they are offering dog-sled tours, skiing tours etc. Sounds like fun!!!
Trivia: Outside temperature this morning was -1 (progress reports to come!)
cap report: thinking of sleeping with it on - and Elizabeth has a new Norway" one!
p.s. hello Tommy!!!
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