Bucket List Adventure Day 2 - We are sailing!

Vanessa de Vere on 17 November 2017
With all trips there is a start date and end date, because we all have commitments and a set time span to do things in, unless we are really fortunate, and I'm not there yet! In working out how best to spend my days I've made a list of all the things I want to do (you will find this list in Part One if you missed my opening article).

Norway is a long country with approx. 14,000 miles of coastline, and land borders of approx. 1500 miles with Sweden, Finland and Russia. Planning is everything and I want to see as much as I can. Living in the far South West, a few miles from Lands’ End, usually means adding an extra night to the departure airport to make sure of an early get away.

A quick look through Travel Counsellors’ reservation systems gives me everything I need to make a cost conscious and workable solution for my flights from Newquay.

Putting those to one side, one of my most important bucket list items was to take a cruise with Hurtigruten from Bergen to Kirkenes way up in the Artic Circle. There was quite a bit of deliberation over which ship but after a few really inspiring conversations with our account manager a plan started to form. Hurtigruten has 11 ships servicing Norway, they are working ships visiting some of the most isolated areas of Norway with post and supplies. Although they all follow a similar itinerary, some of the ships have an expedition crew. Given my sense of adventure this is a must for me; a gentle hike on a glacier is totally my thing. But the essence of this adventure is getting up close and personal with the natural beauty of Norway. This isn't a cruise with the glitz and glamour but a chance to kick back, get your thermals on and soak up the atmosphere, the wonderful cuisine, interaction with the locals travelling between ports and maybe even spotting some whales whilst clad in my Norwegian Cardi and bobble hat on deck!

So, its settled. I'm to sail on the MS Nordlyss, a modern expedition ship whose name and the interior design are inspired by the spectacular Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). 21 port stops, including my beloved Lofoten Islands.

Next, what to do at each port of call? Decisions, decisions.