Norway, endless beauty

Sometimes you know it's not going to go your way. Yesterday and today didn't go my way, or the way of the 20 odd people who joined me in the search....not hunt, for killer whales. While yesterday i was downbeat and disheartened, today was different. I knew what could happen, i knew what was to be least expected of the tour. Always optimistic, the glass is half full but the realist says the glass is half way. The whole norway trip was a hope, a hope to get in a bobsled, the hope to see wild killer whales and to witness aurora borealis. What i got out of Norway is it's a beautiful rugged, seemingly untouched wilderness, with breathtaking views, and it's bloody cold. How was i to turn what could turn out to be a expensive disappointment, into something good. 

Attitude! 

I woke up and took a look outside, grey, rainy and very windy, 30 minutes later it was snowing. An deal day to go out on the water and look for orcas. This time i was suited up to snorkel! Obviously it's cold in the arctic circle, so i had to get into a series of jumpsuits. This is where the fun began. I really wish someone was filming me. Picture me in my thermals.....haha sorry i couldn't resist. Sexy enough but there is more, fleece lined booties and fleece lined one piece suit. That was the easy part, now for the dry suit....... Well i can safely say i will never be into bondage!! Uncomfortable, tight and incredibly hard to get into! And it's not actually tailor made, but tight in the crotch......for once. Then talcum powder the arms and neck hole, and eeeeeee in! I look like a came from a hollywood party! Then comes the hoodie, wow that is really snug, fold the ears in and pull! When you're all in and waterproof, basically don't move, well you can't. I couldn't stop laughing, the one thing i knew is that i was going to be dry. That mammoth effort put me in a great mood, i had a great sleep and it was a gorgeous day. Well to the locals and other tourists it wasn't but for me and my final day in the arctic circle, i was loving it. I could mope and be shitty about not seeing this and not doing this, but you can't control nature, thats the beauty of it. And look around, its friggin Norway! We didn't see orcas, more eagles and i really enjoyed it, the guides must think i'm crazy because i was loving it! Today was like a grey wall everywhere you looked. Yesterday you could see the fjords littered with mountainous rocks with there peaks covered in snow, today it was just a wall of rain and snow! My favourite point was when we stopped for a break, it generally happens after about 2 hours, we find a quiet area and snack on chocolate and mystery warm liquid. Yeah still don't know what it was, didn't want to ask. Terrible taste at first but a pleasant after taste, mixed with some creamy chocolate, warms the insides, just think of what Carl Barron does when he's asked if he wants tea. Feet and hands always cold, it's inevitably inevitable! While we are snacking it is snowing so much, foo fighters playing on our skippers USB drive. The snow was so beautiful, i just stood there looking straight up, watching every snowflake make it's way down from the sky. It would have to be the most peaceful experience I've ever had. To look up to the grey sky and see such beauty falling slowly down, it was like i was the only person in the world, everything just stood still except for the snowflakes. The guide Anthony then touched my shoulder, not like the gold coast is it....... "No mate, this is beautiful!" These types of moments have put everything into perspective, the money, the missed bobsled run, the missed orcas, this was worth it. I accepted what i couldn't change and I just enjoyed a part of the world that is rarely seen. When we came back to the harbour everything was covered in snow, just the icing on the cake! You could say I'm happy in my hoodie on a Friday!

I'm reading the credits of NCIS on Norwegian TV and they were saying that Gibbs drives like Dale Earnhardt Jr (American NASCAR driver), but on the credits they put Michael Schumacher! And soccer players John Arne Riise and Morton Gamst Pedersen are promoting fruit! And i'm still getting my daily dose of family guy, the simpsons and south park!  

Now my mind turns to the next few days, 4 hour bus to Bodo, 90min plane to Oslo, sleep, then sunday morning fly to Berlin. 

Thank you Norway!