8th February 2013

I woke up early around 5.00 a.m. having given myself ample time to get ready and set off for the airport in time for my departure at 9.30 am. I had prepared everything I needed for this trip of a life time with in arctic temperatures. I had bought new thermals, specialist warm and windproof coat, boots with fur lining and ski hats, gloves and socks. I left the house a little after 6.30 am and due to traffic on the M25 road works I arrived at the airport later than planned but still with enough time to have a warm send off courtesy of Costa coffee with a cup of tea and a muffin.

On the Jet2 Charter flight to Tromso, it was interesting to note that my fellow travellers had an average age of 60 plus.  I guess that was to be expected on a Northern lights cruise along Norway’s Fjords.  The cold weather and the long dark nights in the North isn't going to attract young families with children and nor did I want it to. So I started my trip with the expectation of not hearing children crying or parents shouting at them. I was looking forward to having a gentle and quiet conversation with my fellow travellers and marvel at the twists and turns of each of their lives that have brought them to this point of coming to see the fjords and the Northern lights.

I got an aisle seat as I was a little late checking in but that was my preference in any case – quicker and freer access to the toilet.  Once I was settled into my seat and 10 minutes in to the flight, I looked ahead from my seat at 16D, all I could see was a sea of silver heads. When walking to the toilet in front I also noticed that at least 50% of passengers have an iPad or Kindle. The other 50% were engrossed in solving the puzzle on their newspaper or working out the right numbers on their book of Sudoku. It was again a reminder that it is a different experience travelling with older passengers. Half way through the flight, there was a musky smell in the air which was hard to describe. It reminded me of the smell that used to greet me when I entered my grandparents’ house. At the time and as a child I don’t remember liking or disliking this smell, it was just there as a fact of life. But now years after their passing, this smell fills me with warmth of my grandparents hug and kisses on my arrival to their home. I miss them so much.

The couple sitting next to me was a silver haired and bearded man of around 70 years old who looked like a taller slimmer version of Santa clause. His wife was a sweet looking old lady with round brim glasses. It took them about 15 minutes to organise themselves and settle down to their seats. But they were happy that they had their coats and bags in the overhead compartments, and their puzzles, books, reading glasses and refreshments at hand with them, they were happy and busy all the way until landing.

The transfer from the airport to the quay was a smooth one. On arrival to the Hurtigruten ship MS Richard With, the check in to the rooms turned out to be a lengthy and disorganised process. The area on deck 3 which was the arrival deck was a small area. So, all new passengers of around 300 (I estimated) and their luggage had a hard time fitting in to this space let alone form an orderly queue to the checking desk.  It was surprising that Hurtigruten did not have this process down to a T by now given that they have been doing this since 1893. We finally got the key to my cabin number 307 and found my way to my new home for the next 4 days. The cabin was on the same deck as the reception area, so I did not have far to go.  I found the cabin to be small but sufficient in size and with surprisingly a lot of storage units; amazing how ships and boats are expert at utilising all the knocks and crannies for storage. There were two single pull down beds on each side of the room and looked out on to the sea through two big round tubes penetrating the full thickness of the ship’s hull and the diameter twice the size of a football. I was pleased that we did not have a cabin with square windows as the tubes were always a reminder that we were actually on a ship. 

Once unpacked, I went to explore the facilities that the ship had to offer, but I was tired and anxious about having to wait several more hours for dinner.  My stomach was rumbling and to take my mind off of it I busied myself with the excursion options for tomorrow on the notice board.

At 6.00 pm there was another long queue for passengers who wanted to sign up for the “cruise card” and “tea and coffee” option. Getting the cruise card meant that we could charge any purchases on board to it and pay for it at the end. Signing up for a tea and coffee card meant that by paying 195 Kroner, I would be given a thermally insulated mug that would allow me to drink as much coffee or tea as I wanted throughout the ship.  I took both these card options.

There was also a wine package which meant that for £170, one would be entitled to four bottles of wine during this trip that could be drunk anywhere on the ship (at dinner, at the bar, etc...). I decided to give this one a miss as it was an outrageous price and more than I could drink in 3 days!

After this I went to deck 4 where I could use the Wi-Fi Internet and to check my emails. I decided then to go to the bar on deck 7 before dinner. I ordered a small bottle of rose wine for which cost nearly £30! I think it is safe to assume I will not be drinking very much during this trip.

There were two sittings for dinner given the number of passengers. There were around 600 passengers on board some of which were already on the ship (that started from Bergen) when I boarded. I was assigned the second sitting for dinner at 8.15pm. So after my drink on deck 7, I proceeded to go to deck 4 where the dining room was located. There was a long queue for dinner and it was 8.20 before they opened the doors. So far I was not impressed with the level of organisation and the amount of time spent queuing. One would think they would have smoothed over the checking in, getting the cards, dinner processes etc.

I was allocated to table 55 (which was a table for 6) with two other couple from the UK. They seemed friendly and pleasant; one couple was from Devon and the other from Chelmsford.  During dinner the purser came over the speaker and announced that the Aurora was sighted ahead, so we all leapt from the dinner table and rushed to the viewing deck with our cameras.  The Aurora was very dim to start with and a little disappointing but by the time I had finished dinner it was working itself up to a beautiful spectacle of green waves and swirls.  There were strong intense areas where the particle collisions in the atmosphere were particularly strong.  I took a lot of photos all the while the ship was gently rolling in seas close to the Norwegian Fjords as we headed to Skervøy.

It was a spectacular first day but it was time for bed by 11.00 pm after such a long and eventful day.