Random Jottings

Random Norway - I am back

I am back from the fjords and sitting here looking at the usual British grey skies and rain. I am sure that when we look back at our childhood we view it with nostalgia and, perhaps, false memories, but honestly I can remember so many sunshine days on the beach or in the country and all we have now is endless dreariness. So dispiriting. No wonder the beaches are heaving with humanity when the sun does deign to shine. We need to grab it when we can.

Well I must not complain as I have had the most wonderful week cruising down the Norwegian fjords.  I went on a Solo trip and freely admit that I was very nervous about it all but in the end I need not have worried.   I have travelled with this company before (albeit on the company that they took over after it went into administration) and, as with my trip to Australia, the ship, the service, the crew and everyone on board were friendly and helpful.   Ambassador Cruises look after the solo travellers and arrange meetings etc for them so everyone has a chance to make friends. I was on a table of ten in the dining room and after a couple of nights of getting to know each other were firm friends by the end of the voyage with lots of laughter and fun.

Oh the scenery. My goodness me.  Almost impossible to find words to describe the breathtaking beauty of the fjords. Sailing along with towering mountains on either side, cascading waterfalls and the colour and beauty of the lakes and oceans.

Every day when I awoke to this beauty I remembered the psalm which says “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help”. It takes a lot to render me speechless, as many can testify, but the glory of the fjords managed it.

One of the trips out was to visit a glacier which, I gather, is in danger of vanishing completely within the next few years as it is slowly melting.   A coach drive and then we all got in ‘troll cars’ which were more or less golf carts and were whisked up hill round and round a winding road. I was slightly worried when I noticed that our driver was using one hand on the wheel and was lying back in his seat displaying a laid back insouciance but he had obviously done this hundreds of times before so no worries.

We then arrived as far as we could go and another walk of half a mile uphill was in front of us. I was a tad worried how my new hip would manage and was delighted to see that I had no problems.   My knee ached a bit though….

I felt a great sense of accomplishment when I made it. Coming down was a tad more wearing on the knee cap and I was glad to find that when we got back to the main area tea, coffee and cakes were awaiting us.

One of the best days though there were many, and when I checked and noted I had done 13,000 steps and walked five miles I felt even better.

I am going to insert photos into this post – I have made a couple of collages to fit in as many as possible – and you will see just how glorious it was.

I am now contemplating another solo cruise and have in mind one that goes round the British Isles, including the Shetlands, Scilly Isles and Guernsey.  As I have grown older the lure of hot sunshine and a golden beach, lovely though they are, holds less charm for me. Mountains and lakes and wild scenery are now my preferences.

Oh and as this is a book blog, I should say that I read a lot of books on my new paperwhite, all of which were light hearted and fun reads more attuned to my holiday spirit. Hardly a week for Tolstoy or Dostoevsky…..

Random Fjords

Here I sit in the lounge of the ship, Ambience, and having had my breakfast and totally unable to drink the awful instant coffee in the buffet restaurant, I now have a cappucino with an extra shot and all is good.  I am going on an outing later today, up a glacier no less, and am having a quiet morning.

I have nothing but good things to say about the staff and crew on board who are, without exception, friendly, polite,smiling and helpful no matter what time of the day it is. I had a problem with a vent in the air conditioning in my cabin last night which was making an awful noise and within ten minutes of reporting it an engineer turned up and fixed it. In the ten minutes reception called twice to say that he would be there soon. I also noted, presumably as I am a solo traveller, that when he arrived he was accompanied by a woman member of staff which I thought was sensible.

I had some doubts about solo travelling but these have now been put to rest.   Solo peeps are well looked after and I have found fellow solos and it is all most enjoyable. I will have no fears about doing it again and hearing tales from other solo traveller is a real eye opener.

So the fjords. First day of the trip was at sea and then berthing on the coast and it was quite dull to be honest. But then we turned into the fjords and oh my goodness the sheer beauty takes ones breath away.   Simply glorious.  

I am having difficulty in uploading photos, not sure the onboard wifi can deal with it so my apologies. I will rectify this on my return.

Random update - Wimbledon and holiday

As most of you already know I am incommunicado when Wimbledon is on and this year is no different. However, I have found this year’s tournament a bit of a washout, literally as well as figuratively, as the weather has been appalling and the roof on the main courts have been closed for a most of the time more or less turning it into an indoor tournament.

There have been few outstanding matches this year and none have captured my usual interest when I am glued to my chair and do not move. The most interesting one was when Djokovic got annoyed as he thought the crowd were booing him in his match against Holger Rune.  In fact, they were chanting Ruuuuune. A few days earlier Sue Barker had appeared on court to say farewell to Andy and the entire court chanted Suuuuuuuuue so it was all a bit silly.   Djokovic is incredibly thin skinned and because he has not had the unalloyed adoration given to Rog or Rafa it has got to him.   So he had a go at the crowd on live tv and it all got a bit pathetic.   Today he will be playing Musetti, a young Italian player and I am wondering what his reaction will be if they start chanting Muuuuuuuuusetti, which they will as he is charming and handsome with a lovely smile and, more importantly, he is not Novak.

I am dropping in to say that I am off on a cruise on Sunday. Of course when I booked it I had not worked out dates so I will be missing the men’s final but as I expect the aforementioned Novak to be in it, I am not too bothered.  BUT, and this is unexpected, England have for the first time in years got to the final of the Euros football competition and the entire country is expected to shut down while we all watch and hope.  I shall be in the North Sea by then but as I am on a British ship and a British cruise line, I am pretty sure that we will all be watching.

I am spending a week cruising down the Norwegian Fjords and very much looking forward to it. A trip I have wanted to do for a long time. I am going on my own which is a bit nerve wracking but I am sure i will be ok and the cruise line has special events etc for solo travellers.   I have already had a few jokes about finding a nice man on the trip which I did not find funny. Heaven forfend after two marriages that I should be looking for another or any kind of relationship.  I point out in response that men who are the same age as me tend to look for a woman twenty years or so younger.  I wonder why….

I have bought a new Kindle paper white as my previous one was pretty old and slowing down. It is lovely and light and smaller and less bulky that my five year old model and I have made sure it is loaded up with lots of reading before I go.

I have not been doing much reading recently because of the tennis etc and when I have read it has been lightweight and easy reading type books. Somebody on a Heyer group mentioned the Regency novels of Mary Balogh so I thought I would give them a try. Well written and with interesting characters but some of the sex scenes would make Georgette shudder! I will admit they are fun.

I am taking my ipad with me and keyboard and shall be posting while I am away so if you are interested in my journey then do drop in.