Meeting up

We had a disturbed night. For the first time in ages, Ellie woke after a bad dream and came into our room for comfort. I was going to take her back to her room but Nana told her to get into bed with us. She cuddled up to Nana and then fidgeted for the next hour. By that time she should be well comforted and we were wide awake. I took her back to bed and she drifted straight off to sleep. 

We had to be up and out before 090:00. Our flu jabs were scheduled at the local surgery. We were in and out in a few minutes and headed back home for breakfast. Ellie strayed from her usual breakfast selection and had scrambled eggs in a sandwich. This was a good choice as we would be having lunch late.

We set off for the wilds of Berkshire. We had lunch planned with Denise and Dom, Emma and Louis, and Rebecca. The last time we met up at "The Craven Arms" we had been seriously delayed by the seemingly interminable road works at the bottom of the M3. I deliberately allowed some extra time and aimed to get there early enough to allow Ellie to run about before we sat down to eat. We were delighted to find no hold-ups or delays anywhere along the route, and the roadworks are now complete.

Ellie headed straight for the swings. Our table was reserved in their "Tipi Tent" which you can see in the background. We have eaten there before in high summer, a year or so back. Today, the end of September despite a favourable weather forecast, this was a little cool we wished we had worn warmer clothes.

The others soon arrived and on assessing the situation, Rebecca returned to her car to bring some spare coats and jackets, while Diane and Denise raided the pile of blankets and fleeces provided by the venue.

All we have heard from Ellie during the last week was how she would be seeing her cousin, Louis. Finally, they met up and went off to play until lunch was served. There was clearly some hero worship going on. They played well together (at least until Louis had the chance to play some football with some other youngsters).

We sat and chatted, catching up on everyone's news. Lunch was served. The kids and most of the adults went for the burgers (which were huge). Rebecca chose the beef rendang (which she really enjoyed). Diane selected the ham, egg, and chips (one of her favourites). I had half a chicken in piri piri sauce. The food was excellent and the portions were large. After lunch, with the cousins still playing (though Ellie had grazed her knees falling from the swing), the chat continued along with an examination of the photos from our cruise.

It was after 17:00 before we packed up and went our separate ways. We again had a quick and trouble-free journey home and dropped Ellie off at Zoe's before settling down for a quiet night with the TV.

Iron Filings

 Ellie was dropped off nice and early this morning. We gave her breakfast and got her ready before walking her to school. Back home, having had a lazy breakfast, we snapped into gear and got the day underway. The first order was to get and post a Birthday card. This meant that we took a nice walk to the nearest shopping outlet. Having got the card, we found that we had missed the day's postal collection. We separated, Diane went home, and I headed in the opposite direction to the village where there should be an afternoon collection.

Once home, Diane worked through a pile of ironing while I went to the study to start filing the holiday photos.

We collected Ellie from dance class and brought her home until Zoe collected her. She went home for dinner and then returned here, where she will sleep tonight.

Accounts

 Not a great deal to report today. I started the day with a walk to Zoe's so that I could escort Ellie to school. It was a bit grey but dry as I left home. As we left Zoe's, a few spits of rain punctuated the short walk to school. By the time we had dropped a very quiet Ellie, the spits of rain had turned into a proper drizzle. ~It was a shame I hadn't taken a jacket.

Most of the morning was spent completing the accounts (which I started yesterday). All of the foreign transactions had been posted now, so it was fairly easy to complete. The one outstanding item was to try and reclaim some VAT from our purchases in Norway. This was not so easy. In fact, without the customs stamp, it was impossible. The advice we had been given on board Arcadia was incorrect. It is a good job that it only amounted to just over £3.

We picked Ellie up from school as usual and took her along to the park. She then came home with us for a while. Darren had a quiet day today, so was able to come and collect her at 16:30.

Normality

We are approaching normality. We are not quite there but are well on the way. The first exception to the rule was that we did not have to take Ellie to school. Di had a blood test scheduled, so Darren or Zoe planned to do the school run.

Diane disappeared to the doctors' surgery for her INR Test and I buried myself in the study and made a start on the accounts for the last couple of weeks. There was a fair bit of cross-checking to do, but it all came together - as far as I got. (There''s more to do, but that can wait until tomorrow). In the background, throughout the day, the washing machine has been working through the pile of laundry that we had collected on the trip.

By late morning it was time to collect Jasper. We headed across to see Mark and had a long chat with him before we gathered Jasper into the carrier and strapped him into the back seat for the trip home. He seemed a little quieter than usual, which was a relief. As soon as we got home he leapt from the carrier and started to patrol the house to make sure we hadn't changed anything in his absence. Once satisfied, he demanded food and drink before taking himself off for a nap.

With Jasper home, our next order of the day was to raid Sainsbury's. If we wanted to eat, this was imperative. It was a very successful raid and we came home clutching our heavy "bags for life" full of the main components necessary to keep body and soul together. (With the shopping done today, we now have a fairly clear day tomorrow).

We had a fairly quiet afternoon. Wednesday is now Ellie's day for post-school gymnastics and we are not called upon to get involved. Ian from next door popped in. He was returning our spare keys and wanted to hear about the trip over a cup of tea.

Back home

 Arcadia slipped silently into Southampton at 06:30. We were up by then to be ready for an early breakfast before we disembarked.

The little tug held us steady as we manoeuvred carefully to the correct birth and came alongside without the slightest bump. The slick machine that is the crew and the port workers clicked seamlessly into gear. We were oblivious as we enjoyed our last on-board breakfast.

We returned briefly to our suite to pick up our hand baggage, then made our way to the priority disembarkation point and waited for the gates to open. We exited the ship and found our way to the baggage hall. This considerable expanse was organised into marked-off areas, by deck. We found our way to the zone for deck 5 and then started to search the blocks of suitcases until we found ours. That was it. It was so much easier than I had expected. We left the building and stood at the pick-up point with Jane and Trevor while we waited for our respective taxis. I must say that I felt sorry for some of the passengers who were being loaded onto coaches to take them to Lancashire, Scotland, and Yorkshire. For them, it would be a very long day indeed.

We were home soon after 10:00. Over the next hour we drank tea, got the first loads of washing on, hung the washing out, and unpacked the suitcases. By lunch, we were ready to sit down for a quiet hour before going to collect Ellie. 

The classroom door was open and Ellie saw us approaching. She burst through the door and charged at me, hurling herself into my arms. When I was finally allowed to put her down, she went across to Nana for a much more gentle cuddle. We took her to the park for a while then she came home with us until Darren came to collect her.

Lumpy

Well that was a lumpy and noisy night. The TV in the suite reports we are still in the teeth of a Force 8 and that the sea state is “very rough”. We can attest that this is correct! Today is the last full day of the cruise and time will have to be put aside to pack as our suitcases will be taken overnight so that they can be offloaded first thing tomorrow.

Packing took a while, but went fairly smoothly. Our doors are wide open and the sun is pouring across balcony. The temperature is about 17-18C and is very comfortable.

We had a greed to meet up for a coffee. I sent a message to Jane, but clearly it was Trevor’s turn on the Internet. Di sent him a message to say we were heading up to The Crow’s. Nest. There was no reply. That seemed strange. A few minutes later I received a message that they were heading up in 20 minutes. Di checked her phone… and realised she had sent the message to the wrong Trevor! I’m sure that Trevor Taylor would love to have joined us, but was sitting in Brighton.

We met up and had our coffee in The Crow’s Nest then wandered down for a spot of lunch in The Belvedere. Mid afternoon we went along to the theatre to see a Q&A session with The Headliners. It is clearly a job requiring a great deal of preparation and dedication. They have a repertoire of about 8 shows and alternate through them. On the day of each show they do a full technical run through and then perform the show twice in the evening.

By the time we returned to our cabin, we were passing the mouth of the Thames. The shipping traffic was quite heavy, the winds had dropped and the sea state was slight. The sun was out and it was quite delightful. We put our packed cases outside the suite and by the time we left for pre-dinner drinks with Jane and Trevor, they had gone. Hopefully, the next time we will see them will be in the baggage hall at Southampton.

We had a lovely dinner (as we have come to expect) and said a sad farewell to our lovely servers (Vienna and Novelyn). We made our way to the theatre and diverted to the shops as we still had some onboard credit to spend. The final show of the cruise was “The Era Boys” again, with a completely different set from earlier in the week. It was excellent with plenty of staples from the 50s and 60s again. It will be hard to keep this up when we get home.

We had a quick drink, reset our watches (the time reverts to UK time overnight) and dropped into bed for the last time in this suite.

Sailing South

Goodness, it was a bit lumpy overnight. Though the winds only reached gale force (8), the angle of attack and direction of the swell made the ship pitch and the wind was hitting from a direction that made it howl. It was cosy and warm in the suite and made the whole thing quite an experience.

There was no particular hurry to get going this morning… consequently I woke early! By a few minutes after 07:00 I was washed, dressed, and reading my Kindle. We went up to breakfast (it always seems strange saying “up to breakfast”) at 09:00 and met up with Jane and Trevor. Though it’s a sea day and there are activities available all day, there was nothing particularly screamed “do me”.

We went too the sales desk to ask about joining the loyalty programme. This, however, is automatic when you have completed 15 nights of cruising and then the benefits increase as the number of nights increases. We, needless to say, are 3 days short of the entry level. We then went shopping. We have some onboard credit that needs spending before we arrive back in Southampton. Diane managed to find some handbags that helped reduce the balance.

We spent the rest of the morning up in “The Crow’s Nest” drinking coffee and reading out Kindles as the ship powers through the Force 6 southerly winds at a steady 17 knots.

Though I brought my iPad with me, I haven’t even switched it on since leaving home. I have been using my phone and portable keyboard to write and illustrate this journal. It has worked remarkably well and it really convenient as I can tuck it away in my shoulder bag and use it wherever.

We met up with Jane and Trevor for lunch. We raided The Belvedere (buffet) and had a snack that would keep us going until the evening. Afterwards we returned to the shops. Diane wanted an additional birthday gift for Denise (who we will be seeing this coming weekend) and I wanted some manly fragrance that didn’t smell like engine oil and might trick people into believing I have a degree of sophistication. We spent the rest of the afternoon in our suite with our books and watching as the weather closed in and then cleared a bit. We are still in a Force 8, with seas described as “rough” but it is quite comfortable and no worse than driving over the potholes of the West Sussex highway system.

We met up, in all our black-tie finery for an early drink and then went down for dinner. We were eager to get away quickly to the theatre as we expected it would be busy tonight. The show was another offering from “The Headliners” - this one called “Applause” and featuring songs from the musicals. Everyone (else) seemed to thoroughly enjoy the joy and I could not fault the energy and commitment of the entertainers. It’s just that it’s no my sort of thing and by the time they moved into “Les Mis” I was bored senseless. Finally, it was over and we made our way to the bar for a drink. A duo chirped in and started to sing - we could barely hear each other over the music and sighed with relief as they finished.

It is still blowing a Force 8, and sea state is reported as rough. It is likely to be a noisy night.

Andalsnes

We slipped quietly into Andalsnes first thing this morning. It seems to be a beautiful little port with the protective arms of the mountains wrapping round the town. We wandered up to breakfast on the Sky Deck, there was no hurry because though we had an excursion booked, it wasn’t until 11:00.

We disembarked and gathered by the coach. The first part of this excursion would be on the coach. We slid out of Andalsnes and stopped after about 10-15 minutes at Trollsveggen (The Troll Wall), where we had stopped the other day. I hadn’t realised how close it was to Andalsnes. In today’s light - sunshine and light cloud - it looked completely different from the view the other day. A suitable batch of photos recorded the stop and we headed onwards.

The next stop was at Slattenfossen. This was a gorge where the waters of the Rauma river were forced into a furious torrent as the banks narrowed and rocks interrupted the flow. It was a super spot for some more photos and videos. There was one viewpoint I would like to have accessed but felt that my knee wouldn’t allow a safe climb down. It’s a shame as I would have done it a few months back.

The coach continued onwards and gently upwards through bucolic scenes of farmland and ski resorts until we reached Dombas, some 600m above sea level (where we had started). We left the coach and now joined a train. This would take us on the return journey through essentially the same route. It would descend 600m and deposit us back at the ship after about 90 minutes. Some interesting points on the route included a a tunnel in which the train turned a full 180 degrees, and a bridge that had been featured (and blown up) in one of the Mission Impossible films. We finally slid back into Andalsnes just after 14:00. What a trip that had been.

After a brief walk around the shops we headed back to the ship. We hadn’t stopped for any lunch or coffee while out and about, so we made our way to The Belvedere for some tea and a snack. While there, we were again accosted by Tracy (Dawn French lookalike). We had a long chat with her before heading back to the suite to prepare for dinner

The evening’s entertainment was “The Era Boys”. This trio of West End singers provided a show comprising popular hits from the 50s and 60s. They were very good and had a virtually full house. We stopped for a drink on the way back to our suites. We had hoped to go out on deck and see if the Northern Lights were visible, but by this time we were sailing into the teeth of another Force 8 gale and the decks were off-limits.

Trondheim

There’s something depressing about seeing how full the laundry bag is becoming and how small the piles of clean clothes are. It is a sign the holiday is on the downward slope.

We were up a little earlier today. The ship was slipping gently into Trondheim, through the early morning greyness and low clouds.

After an early breakfast we met up in reception and disembarked. It was raining and there was little prospect of it drying up. We climbed aboard the tour bus and our guide and driver started a banter that lasted for the whole trip. Interestingly, even among themselves, they spoke English. They seemed to be obsessed with Harry Potter and there were plenty of references to the characters throughout the tour. 

We stopped first at the Nidaros Cathedral - and shrine of St Olaf, patron Saint of Norway. It was a very ornate cathedral from the outside, but was built in the local stone. Being granite, this was grey and made the Cathedral somewhat somber. From there we zigged and zagged through the city and up to an overlook where we could see across the city and out along the Fjord. (Trondheim fjord is the 3rd longest of the fjords at 130km - on average it is 3-5km wide, but at its widest point, reaches 20km). The next stop was a tram station where we boarded an historic tram that took us back down into the city centre. We left the tour at that point and set off to find a coffee and pastry (I, of course, skipped the pastry - my body is a temple and requires careful maintenance to achieve this Adonis-like figure).

Leaving the coffee shop we headed to the Old Town Bridge. We failed to take the direct route. Google Maps seemed to be having a moment. As a result we walked in the wrong direction for a while before giving up and using a paper map. We eventually found the bridge. It is a spot in the old town where colourful buildings line the river and, even in the rain (which still hadn’t stopped) look so picturesque.

We parted ways with Jane and Trevor at this point. They wanted to do some souvenir shopping. We decided to walk back to the ship. Soaked, we got back on board and headed to our suite to put on some dry clothes and have a quiet afternoon.

Today is Kim’s birthday. We sent her a message first thing and I have tried to call her a couple of times this afternoon but can’t make contact. I think she is travelling back to England from Italy, so she may not have a signal. (Nope. Got that wrong - she’s travelling home tomorrow but has been sightseeing today).

We had a video call with Zoe and Ellie. Magda and Timek were there on their last evening before returning to Poland. It was nice to see them and nice to see that they are staying in touch. After the call we went on down to dinner.

The evening’s entertainment was “Killer Queen” - a celebration of the music of Queen. This was a high energy show that saw the theatre packed to the rafters. We had made sure to arrive early and grab some good seats. It was a brilliant show with all of the classic Queen hits sung brilliantly and choreographed perfectly. I’ve said it before, I am not a great one for musical theatre - but this was exceptional. When the show was over, we found a quiet corner to sit and chat over a drink before finally heading for the suites.

Back at Sea

Overnight we headed south. The wind had dropped a bit but come the early hours it veered and we could hear furniture being hurled across the deck or balcony above. It was really quite extraordinary how loud it seemed in the middle of the night.

After our usual leisurely breakfast (we always seem to be the last to leave the restaurant) we returned to our cabins. We had to get ready for this morning’s Charity Walk for the Teenage Cancer Trust. This involved gathering on deck in the teeth of the gale (yes, it is still a Force 8 here) and start to walk the deck. There seems to be 100 or more people signed up for it. Diane and I started at a leisurely pace, near the back of the throng. It was not easy for her as it was cold, very windy, and the deck was wet. Despite this, she managed 2 laps before heading in for coffee. I picked up my pace and did a further 7 laps to complete the 9-lap challenge. It was good fun zigging and zagging past dawdles and lapping some several times over. We all joined Diane for a coffee when finished. (Jane and Trevor had also done the challenge but I hadn’t seen them during my circuits).

We had a snack for lunch in the Belvedere Restaurant (which is, essentially, a buffet). Then returned to our cabins for a quiet afternoon with our books and watching the funeral of Auntie Margaret over the internet. It was strange, almost voyeuristic, observing the funeral from Arundel Cathedral’s web feed, while sitting in our suite in the middle of the Norwegian Sea, but it was wonderful to feel that we were there in spirit. Cousin Simon certainly crafted an excellent eulogy.

We met up with Jane and Trevor for pre-dinner drinks then went along to the restaurant. After dinner we went down to The Globe rather than the theatre. This, as I probably explains a few days ago, is the disco/nightclub on board. Tonight they were playing Rock music - both as the background playlist and when the live band, Pulse, did their sets. We saw the end of their first set, and after a break, all of their second set. They were very good and it was clearly a very popular choice as the venue was packed.

Being the dirty stop-outs that we are, it was nearly ten-thirty before we returned to the cabin. The sea has quietened down now and the ship is making steady progress towards Trondheim.

Narvik

We continued to batter our way through the gale overnight. (Stop Press: we heard from the Captain that it reached Force 11 overnight - this is classified as a violent storm). Some time in the middle of the night we entered the shelter of the Lofoten Islands as the ship ploughed onwards towards Narvik, our new port of call. Waking and looking out over the town, it is overcast and only 4C. We have no fixed excursion planned today. We will get a good breakfast and then head into town for a bit of exploration.

The mountain peaks behind the town are already covered with a layer of snow and looked very picturesque as they looked down across the port.

Well we were lucky. Though cold, it stayed dry and the wind seemed to drop as we walked away from the ship. We headed slowly in towards the town. We had to stop a couple of times as Diane’s pulse climbed a little higher than was ideal. It soon settled, however, and we made our way to the local museum. This was focussed on the local railway which had been built to bring iron ore from Kiruna in Sweden to the coast for export. It was quite a feat to build the railway, even though it less the 50 miles long. It was also a very early railway to be electrified for its whole length - with power coming from hydro-electric power stations.

From there we strolled along, past the shops, to the WWII Museum that explained the significance of Narvik during that last bit of unpleasantness. It was incredibly interesting and very well laid out. We must have spent a couple of hours there before retiring for a coffee and then finding a fabric shop!

We returned to the ship mid-afternoon. After a drink we returned to the cabin and spent a couple of hours with our books. Jane and Trevor came and joined us for a pre-dinner drink as we sailed away from Narvik, and we had a video call with Zoe. Dinner was the usual excellent affair and then we made our way to the theatre.

The show this evening was a celebration of Bert Bacharach’s life and music called “Magic Moments”. In front of us sat the violinist from last night and the comedian from the night before. We chatted with them while waiting for the curtain to go up. The show itself was really excellent. I am not a lover of musical theatre, but must say that it was a very enjoyable show.

Eppur si Muove

As we headed north overnight, the ship rocked a little in the increasing swell. We were also hit by some overnight rain (not that we noticed it). There was no need to get going, so we woke naturally. 

I went out on the balcony - it was bright, cool, and very windy. Not suitable for reading or for writing this journal. We wandered along for a 09:00 breakfast.

We all met up mid-morning to attend a lecture on the Vikings. This was 45 minutes of really interesting history and revelations about the Vikings that are rarely discussed back home (but them to be fair, how often do we sit down to discuss the Vikings?)

We decided to stop for a coffee in “The Rising Sun” only to find ourselves participating in a group quiz. It was good fun, even if we didn’t win.

As we headed back we stopped at the Clarendon Art Gallery when we saw some Akiyamas on display. Had a nice long chat with the girl at the desk.

Quiet afternoon with our books as the ship battered its way through an increasing swell as the wind rose to Force 9. Sometime in the afternoon we crossed the Arctic Circle. The ship is certainly taking a pounding and the Captain has lowered our speed to reduce the rocking.

We got dressed up for another Formal Night. Originally we had planned to go to the theatre to see a ”Queen” show, but the motion of the ship has meant that has been postponed. Instead we had the ship’s band accompany a violinist as she rocked through a series of favourite pop and classical number on an electric violin made of acrylic and illuminated from the inside. It was quite a show and thoroughly enjoyable. Joanna Marie was originally from Czech Republic before moving to Poland as a child. Her great grandfather was the composer of the Circus March.

Outside decks were out of bounds because of the gale. The ship seemed very busy as everyone found their way to the bars and lounges. We stopped for a quick drink and then headed for our cabins.

Alesund and Trolls

It was an early start and we had arranged to have breakfast in our room. Overnight the ship had sailed to Alesund and as we finished breakfast we were just approaching the dock. The first order of the day, however, was to get to the ship’s Medical Centre and for Diane to have her scheduled INR test. This was done in a matter of minutes and we were given the results immediately. We crafted an email to send back to St Richard’s so they could update us with the new dosages of Di’s meds.

We immediately left the ship and joined Trevor and Jane. We were ushered to our tour bus - this would be our home for the next 7 or 8 hours. The guide was very interesting and full of stories and information as we set out for the day. Her first observation was that Alesund had, so far, had 290 cruise ships this year. For such a small town, that seemed incredible. Alesund itself was noted for its Art Nouveau style and architecture. There had been a major fire in 1904 which had destroyed the old town. Because Europe was going through a recession at the time, builders from all over Europe came to Alesund to find work in rebuilding the town. As Art Nouveau was the most popular at Yale at the time, the town grew in that style.

We wound along the sides of the fjords and turned inland. The villages all seemed picture perfect and the guide commented that if you ever saw 5 cars or more in a line, then it was rush hour. Indeed the roads were deserted. We wove up into the mountains passing little farms where they grow fruit and tend a few livestock.

We stopped for a comfort break at a gorge at Guldbrand Bridge. The bridge crosses the Valdola which is a fine salmon river up to this point. From the gorge you can look down at a series of kettle holes. It was a nice spot for a 15 minute break.

As we left, Gmail pinged with the results from the Anticoagulant clinic. Dosages were adjusted, and Di can stop the daily injections. This was good news.

As we continued to wind up into the mountains the guide pointed out the huge scars on the slopes of the mountains, explaining how they have been scoured by avalanches. Avalanches are fairly predictable here - not in terms of when they will occur but where they will they will occur. We continued on up to the next viewpoint where we had another break. This looked out across to the Trollstigen. As we left the coach it started to rain and the wind was blasting through the mountain pass. By any definition, it seemed cold. Despite this we walked past the cafe (currently being refurbished after being flattened by an avalanche last year) and out to one of the overlooks. Jane and Trevor were a little more adventurous and walked on to a second viewpoint a bit further along. The views were wonderful as we peered down across the waterfalls to the valley below.

Trollstigen is the Trolls Stairway. It is a road with 11 tight hairpins that zigs and zags down from the mountain into the valley below. The coach driver no doubt said a prayer as started the descent. The views were spectacular. Each of the hairpins was named. One was recently name Nika after a woman (now 107 years old) who had worked to provide meals for the workmen as they built the road back in the 1930s.

We stopped for lunch at the end of the valley. It was very well organised with tables numbered for each of the expected tour buses. We took our seat and then queued for the sumptuous buffet. The signs over the various dishes revealed pasta, sweet corn, salad, salmon, pork, beef and so forth. I was amused to the the sign “Salmon (contains fish)” and “Pork (contains meat)” - I felt that was good to know! 

It was a very good lunch and we had a good 90 minute break. Trevor and I wandered outside to take some photo, stretch our legs, and enjoy the fresh air. By this time, the sun was out and the wind had dropped. The valley was quite delightful.

Leaving the rest stop we went on a fourth 20 minutes and stopped at the Troll Wall. This is the highest vertical cliff in Europe at 1100m. We didn’t stop for long but we were able to get some photos before starting quiet drive back, arriving at the ship around 16:00.

Back aboard we heard that Arcadia’s sister ship, Iona, had diverted from its planned port of Stavanger because of the weather. As we sailed away from Alesund, we passed Iona makings way up the fjord. It was soon after this that we head that our itinerary had been changed. The weather was looking threatening and the Captain had decided not to call at Leknes in the Lofoten Islands, but head for Narvik instead. It is a shame, but safety comes first.

After dinner, we went along to the theatre. The comedian that we had seen the first night was back on. He did a completely different set. It was excellent and had us all in stitches - some jokes were no new but were well timed, others were definitely new (to us) and had us roaring with laughter. It was a super way to round off the evening.

Olden

It was very grey and misty when we woke up. The sun had still not penetrated to the fjord, but soon the mountain tops, poking above the mist, were bathed in the early morning sunshine. Overnight we had cruise up the west coast , through quite a swell, and the along Nordfjord for 106km to Olden. Olden looks exactly how I imagined a small Norwegian village with picturesque little farms perched on the mountain sides.

We went down to breakfast and found the Jane and Trevor were just finishing theirs. They were heading off on an excursion to the Briksdal Glacier and had to leave earlier than us. Not knowing what we would get to eat during the day, we both had a good breakfast (kedgeree in my case).

We left the ship and joined coach number 12 for our excursion. (There were not 12 buses, only a couple, but each had an identifying number). Our guide counted up the souls and we set off through Loen, Stryn, and past the deepest inland lake in Europe (514m deep) Hornindalsvat and on to Geirangerfjord. It was about 90 minutes each way with an interesting running commentary. Parking up near the dock we walked to the boat and set out on a stunning mini-cruise along the 15km of the fjord and back.

I had been worried that the boat would be crowded, but there was plenty of choice where to sit and plenty of room to move around and take photos. The steep cliffs that demarcated the fjord plunged vertiginously to the water and were punctuated by spectacular waterfalls, little homestead/farms, snow capped peaks, and amazing geological formations poking though the blanket of pine trees that dressed the mountains. On a day, such as today, with a cloudless sky and bright autumn sunshine  it was a magical experience that truly made the heart soar and provided pictures that will line the gallery of my mind for the rest of my days.

We climbed aboard the bus to return to the ship. Again the guide provided a running commentary. He had a wonderful lilting (and soporific) voice and I confess that I may have missed some of the commentary. When we arrived back at Olden we had time to go across to the little shops and peruse their offerings before returning to the ship and grabbing a nice long drink!

Jane and Trevor were on their way back from the glacier and reported that they had had a challenging and stiff climb and we both knackered. We’ll catch up with them later.

We caught up with Jane and Trevor for a drink in their suite as we sailed away from Olden. The dockside played Rod Stewart’s “Sailing” and some of the villagers waved us off. (Including one house with huge waving hands on their front verandah. We watched as the scenery seemed to drift by and then made our way to the Meridian Restaurant for dinner. While waiting for the dessert course Diane and I managed to sneak out an have a video call with Ellie.

After dinner we all made our way to The Palladium Theatre for “Headliners” latest presentation “Mr Tickerton’s Clockwork Circus”.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the mix of dance, acrobatics, and song. As this finished, we filtered up to the Crow’s Nest - where the Arcadia Orchestra put on a New Orleans style Bourbon Street jazz show. They were very good and had a good audience but unfortunately the Crow’s Nest was quite cool (not jazz cool, cold cool) so as soon as the set was finished we headed back to our suite.

Early start tomorrow.

Haugesund

We both slept well last night, but it was a little choppy now and then. We had also worked out how to switch off the lobby light, so managed to have a pitch black cabin. This, in turn, meant that I was able to kick every item of furniture in the cabin when I got up for the loo at 1:30 this morning.

We docked in Haugesund just after 8:30. It was a cool 11C and very overcast. It was not the sort of weather that encouraged me to sit on the balcony and write this journal. Trevor headed off on a full day excursion to the waterfalls the rest of us planned a quiet morning aboard ship and a tour called “Leisurely Haugesund” this afternoon.

We went up to the SkyDeck for breakfast with Jane. When finished we went to the Crow’s Nest which is a lounge/bar with panoramic windows overlooking the prow of the ship. Soon after sitting down we were provided with a pencil and an answer sheet and found ourselves participating in a trivia quiz. I am embarrassed to say that we only managed to finish 2nd. In disgust at this performance we left and headed for another bar where we could hide our heads in shame and drink a coffee.

This afternoon we met up with Jane and disembarked to await our tour bus. It gave us an opportunity to see how big Arcadia is, as we queued. The bus arrived and we loaded. Jane and Diane sat together and I ended sitting with Tracy, who was a Dawn French lookalike and even had a similar mischievous sense of humour. 

As we wound our way through Haugesund and up to the overlook we had a steady stream of banter between the four of us. It actually made the tour great fun as well as being interesting. The tour only lasted a couple of hours and took us all around the town with stops at a couple of viewpoints. The guide was very knowledgeable and gave us a running commentary throughout. Back at the ship we returned to our cabins for a quiet hour or so before meeting up for dinner.

The theatre was featuring a comedy juggler - this was not something that interested me. The Globe, however, was having a night dedicated to music for the 1960s and featured the house band “Pulse” for several live sets. This was more up our street. We wandered into this nightclub just as the first set finished. It did mean that it was moderately easy to get a booth. We settled down and listened (and bopped) to the playlist until 9 pm. Then the band started their second set. They were very good indeed with a male and female singer, keyboard player, lead guitarist, bass guitarist, and, of course, the drummer. They took us through a 40 minute set ranging from the Beatles, Stones, through the The Who, Dusty Springfield, James Brown, and even The Drifters. It was excellent (and the place was heaving by then). As the set finished, we took this as our cue to head back to the cabin and settle down for the night. We have and earlier start in the morning.

The North Sea

I slept well overnight. That makes one of us. Diane had a dreadful night - having forgotten to take her medication before bed. The clocks had spun forward an hour overnight. Despite the missing hour, I still woke at my usual 7:00 (local) time. I don’t, however, expect Ellie will be knocking on the door soon after 7:00!

As I sat and enjoyed a coffee on our balcony, (it was bright and sunny but still a little cool) I watched as freighters plied their way into and out of Harwich. We can also see a couple of oil rigs fairly close at hand.

After a super breakfast, we went for a stroll around the deck before returning to our cabin. The plan was to meet up again to attend a talk on Norway and the Fjords by an ex-Navy chap, married to a Norwegian, who was clearly enthralled by the country, its history, its geology, and scenery. It was well attended and absolutely brilliant.

Leaving the lecture, we looked for a spot where we could grab a coffee. Clearly, everyone else did also. When we found one of the Costa outlets, there was nowhere to sit. Trevor stayed and ordered coffee for the girls I went back to the Piano Bar and grabbed a table and ordered a couple of beers. This was far more comfortable. Thirst sorted out, we decided that a small snack was the next order of the day. In the Belvedere buffet we helped ourselves to some fruit, some cold meats and some small baguettes. Not finding anywhere to sit comfortably, we retired to our cabin and the four of us had our snacks on the balcony. Trevor and Jane left as they had some plans. We stayed on the balcony enjoying the sun and our books. Considering we were on a level with Newcastle, it was still wonderfully warm and sunny.

After a while, I got fidgety. It was time to get a little exercise. Leaving Di in the sun, I dropped down to the Promenade deck and started to walk circuits off the ship. I did six circuits, which was 2 miles. (The watch thought it was significantly more, because the ship was moving and it looked as if I was covering a kilometre every couple of minutes - even at my forest, I don’t think I could ever have managed that (even on a bike). It was noticeable how the starboard side - by now, in the shade - was significantly cooler than the sun drenched port side.

Once ready for the Captain’s Reception, we took the opportunity to have a video call with Ellie. We couldn’t do it earlier because she had a dance class straight after school. (Apparently, the teacher said that she’s a natural mover - clearly getting it from her Grandfather.) Zoe went on to explain that Ellie had been worried. She had been tracking us on FindMyFriends and noticed that my location seemed to be different from Nana’s. She was convinced I had left her behind somewhere. Zoe had to explain that it depended on where our phones were last detected. I suggested she switch to the cruise mapper and that seemed to satisfy her.

Tonight was deemed a “Celebration Night” - this meant we had to get dolled up in our finery for the evening. The celebrations started with a drinks reception with the Captain at the Nautilus deck. The captain made a speech and introduced the senior management team. The head chef got the biggest cheer of the lot - of course! We mingled a bit then we all drifted away to dinner.

After dinner we made our way to the Palladium Theatre and settled down for the evening’s show. It was Arcadia’s “Headliners” who gave us about 45 minutes of singing and dancing. This isn’t generally my sort of thing, but I must say that it was very good and featured (among other things) a medley of Gary Barlow numbers and a very good medley based on the James Bond theme.

Leaving the theatre we stopped for a drink before heading back to our respective cabins. A walk had been suggested by Diane thought it was a bit chilly for that. Bit of a swell as we get ready for bed. Ship is gently swaying (no it’s not the wine). As we power onwards towards our first port of call, Haugesund whee we will arrive at 09:00 tomorrow.

Et in Arcadia Ego

The day started in the usual pattern. Ellie was dropped off soon after 7:00 and we swung into the usual process - complete with reading practise - before dropping her off at school.

Home again and breakfast complete we clicked into gear to get the final bits of packing finished and the suitcases closed up (not an easy feat). With 45 minutes to spare, everything was ready, the kitchen was cleaned within an inch of its life, and we could sit down and await the taxi.

The smart, new 7-series BMW arrived and we loaded the luggage into the boot. We set off for Southampton and 55 minutes later we were at the cruise terminal, handing the cases to a porter. The next time we saw them, they were outside our stateroom. Seeing the luggage disappear, we made our way to join the huge queue at check-in. We had to show our boarding passes and immediately shown past the queue and directly to a check-in desk. Five minutes later we were sitting with Jane and Trevor waiting to board.

We were soon called and climbed the escalator and ramps to board on deck 3. First stop was our Muster Station (so we knew where to gather in case of an emergency). We were then shown into the restaurant for a delicious lunch with Prosecco and wine. I chose the salted, crispy squid as a starter and followed it with barramundi and crushed potatoes. Trevor did the same. Diane had duck as a starter, followed by the lamb cutlet. If this is the standard we can expect for the next couple of weeks, I am delighted.

After lunch, we made our way to our stateroom. This was on the aft quarter of deck 5. It is a lovely room with a good sized bathroom with a spa bath and separate walk-in shower. Being on the after quarter we also have a large wrap-around sun deck. I took some videos and photos before we set about unpacking.

Whilst Di finished unpacking, I found my way along to Reception. I had booked an Internet package, but received no details of how to access or use it. I now have the basic information and it seems to be working.

When everything was squared away, we went for a walk to get our bearings and to get Di’s blood test booked for Monday morning. The Medical Centre is as far from our cabin as you could get, without swimming. It is right at the bow of the ship, down on Deck 1. They were very accommodating and we were soon booked for 8:00 on Monday. 

With that sorted, we continued to explore on the upper decks. Somehow, we managed to stop for a beer by one of the swimming pools and were then invited to join Jane and Trevor in their cabin to split some champagne during the sail away. As the bubbles sprang free, Arcadia silently broke free of the dock and made headway down the Solent. We stood and chatted and watched scenery until we were free of the Isle of Wight and in sight of Portsmouth. It was quite an experience.

We were booked for an early sitting for dinner. The menu was enticing and I enjoyed a Caesar Salad to start, followed by pork loin (in fact I think we all had the pork loin - which was delicious). 

We were in no particular hurry and decided, as we left the table, to go to the Palladium Theatre to see the comedian’s show. We settled at the back (so we couldn’t be picked on) and enjoyed a very good hour of stand-up. By this time it was 21:30 and we decided that a walk would be a good thing before bed. We wandered out onto the Promenade deck and started a circuit of the ship (this is one third of a mile). It was still quite warm, but the breeze from the ship’s motion cooled us as we tried to make out the lights of Eastbourne and France. It was a perfect end to an exciting day. From there, it was straight back to our suite and off to bed.

In praise of the Cattery

 The great advantage of the Cat Whisperer being able to take Jasper a couple of days early is that we didn't have to factor the cat into today's last-minute panics. The day started on an even keel with Ellie being dropped off just after 7:00 and then, breakfast complete, we walked her to school.

Back home, the various slings and arrows of outrageous fortune started to gather and set their sights on us. The first was Diane's blood test results. They revealed that she must have daily injections while we are away. We don't have sufficient injections for the duration. The anti-coag clinic was contacted and sent a request to the hospital pharmacy. We hopped in the car and joined the queue. It was clearly a pharmacological rush hour. An hour or so later, we left the hospital clutching the injections. We had also been informed that Diane would need a further blood test while away. I contacted P&O and after 35 minutes on hold, finally managed to speak to a chap who was most helpful and has left notes on our booking form and assured us the test can be performed (but will be expensive).

Kim popped in for a while at lunchtime. She had run out of ink and needed some printing done. She didn't stay for too long, but it was nice to see her. When she left, I raided Sainsbury's for some long-life milk (so we could make tea on our return) and some hand sanitiser.

Packing continued and luggage labels found their way onto the various suitcases and bags. Mid-afternoon we collected Ellie from school and took her to the park for a run-around. We then took her home, where Darren was waiting.

Returning to the packing, Diane realised that she would need a "sharps bin" for the used syringes. After some discussion, we phoned the local pharmacy. They confirmed that for the sum of £2, they could provide a "sharps bin".  I whizzed around in the car and collected said bin.  I think that all is now set. Thank goodness we didn't have to factor Jasper into the confusion!

In praise of lists

 Ellie was dropped off, just before 08:00. Zoe had got her ready for school so we just had to entertain her for 30 minutes before the walk to school. As she hadn't done any reading last night, I was determined she should do some reading before school. She, however, was determined that she wouldn't. She won that skirmish, but won't win the war.

Diane was meant to go to Cardiac Rehab. At the last minute, we received a phone call to inform us that the session had been cancelled as the hall was too hot. This freed up a couple of hours, unexpectedly. Diane made the most of it pottering. with her packing. I cracked on with my planned chores which consumed much of the morning. After a bite of lunch, Diane had her regular blood test and then an appointment at the dentist and hygienist.

During Diane's dental appointments, I retrieved the suitcases and started to work through my well-refined Packing Lists (each time I use the list and make any changes, I copy it forward for our next trip). This trip is complex because it requires formal dress, casual dress, warm and wet weather dress, and everything in between. It has taken a couple of hours, but with the exception of toiletries, I'm done.

In addition to the packing list, I have a "Preparation List" which includes such arcane items as passports, tickets, insurance, switching off the heating, emptying the fridge, taking Jasper to the Cattery... and a host of other items. That list is nearly complete.

Good Hiding

 It started a little grey but the sun soon broke through and we had a lovely day. It wasn't as hot as it has been but it was still in the low 20s. I walked to Zoe's and performed my school escort duty.

There was a little on our agenda today. With Jasper still around, we couldn't stray from our regular routine and couldn't get the suitcases out. I retreated to the study and completed some scanning that had been piling up. We were on tenterhooks, awaiting an email from Mark, the Cat Whisperer, to let us know if Jasper could start his spa break a couple of days early. The email finally arrived. Jasper's room would be ready after 17:00.

Jasper knew. I don't know how, be he knew.

The afternoon progressed as usual and we collected Ellie from school at the allotted time. There had been a bit of an upset over her school meals - apparently, she was not on the list. They sorted her out with some pizza, but this is something for Zoe to troubleshoot. We stopped off at the park on the way home but didn't stay for too long. Darren collected Ellie at about 16:15 and that left us with Jasper!

Jasper had switched into stealth mode. He had snuck under Ellie's bed and settled in the most inaccessible spot. We left him to emerge on his own. (Kitchen plates were laid out, his food was prepared, and all of the usual cues were given. Nada. He stayed put.

In the end, gone 18:00, I lost patience. It was time to try and extract him. Now, I should point out that Ellie's bed is a significant edifice, shaped as a sleigh bed. It has approximately the same gross tonnage as HMS Prince of Wales. Despite this, I managed to lift and slide one end and then the other. Jasper bolted for it - cursing me all the way. I picked him up and tried to soothe him as I took him downstairs to his carrier. I evidently soothed him too much as he decided to empty the contents of his bladder all down my leg. He was dropped into the carrier and strapped into the back seat of the car. Twenty minutes later we handed him over to the Cat Whisperer.

The holiday has begun - even though, strictly speaking, it hasn't.

Cables

Whilst it has been a warm day, it has also been cloudy. In fact, we have had a spattering of rain - though nothing worth worrying about.  We had a very lazy start to the day and once finally caffeinated and in motion, Diane started reviewing her packing options whilst I started an analysis of the devices we might take away and the various charging cables and adaptors we would need for each. Slowly the table was filled with notes, cables and devices. I believe I now have the definitive list.

We are permitted 1 Litre of spirits (each) on board. I headed around to Sainsbury's and purchased the requisite "Captain Morgan's Spiced Gold" as well as various treats for Jasper in our absence. The car was filled with petrol (on the assumption that I wouldn't be bothered when we return).

This afternoon, we popped around to Zoe's for an hour. They were hosting a BBQ for themselves and Kim and Jon. We stayed for a while (and I sampled some of the meat - which was quite delicious) but left them to it so that we could get home and cook our own dinner. No further comment will be made regarding the green streaks that Ellie has put into her own and Darren's hair!

So quiet

 It has been another glorious day on the south coast with temperatures in the high 20s again. I had a quiet start to the day before setting up for the cousins' call. Tim entered into the spirit of things by wearing a flat cap, and scarf, and sat in front of a backdrop of dark satanic mills. I sat in front of a photo of Lake Minnewaska where I often walked when working in Kingston and Poughkeepsie. The call itself was a little subdued this week. No for any particular reason, just because none of us had a "sparkle" today.

I spent the rest of the morning examining "Ancestry's" estimation of my DNA traits. Some seemed pretty good, but most were too general to be relevant. I finished by going through a questionnaire to update their database with what I perceived to be my characteristics.

The afternoon was spent in the cool of the living room buried in the virtual pages of our books.

Celebration

 It has been another stunning day. Temperatures again reached the high 20s here by the coast and peaked over 30 inland. Ellie was dropped off, as usual, and we took her to school. Darren, however, would be picking her up later.

Diane had an appointment at the hairdresser during the morning and I cracked on with domestic chores while she was out. We had some book time after lunch and then Diane phoned Denise. It appears that Becky had fallen while out running and was suffering from severe road rash - having landed on a mixture of stone and gravel. I should think she's feeling pretty sorry for herself... and it will take a while to heal.

We headed out to Chichester. Tomorrow is Jon's birthday so we had arranged with Kim to join them for a meal.

They had been shopping in Chichester during the day, picking up some new trainers and so forth for their forthcoming holiday. 

We met up with them in the garden of "The Nag's Head" for a drink, then wandered along the "Masala City" for a curry.

"Masala City" has received many awards for their food. This year they were winners of the "Nation's Curry Awards": 

After months of anticipation and fierce competition, the awards ceremony took place on Monday 20th February at the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel, with over 150 guests in attendance.

The prestigious event recognised and celebrated the talents and hard work of individuals and businesses within the UK’s curry industry. The awards recognised excellence in a range of categories, including Best Chef of the Year, Vegetarian Restaurant of the Year, and Best Customer Service.

These Awards celebrate the UK’s rich and diverse curry culture and encourage the continued growth and evolution of the industry. The winners have distinguished themselves with their exceptional quality, innovation, and consistency in offering a truly memorable dining experience.

On the night, Masala City was a finalist in the; Curry Restaurant of the Year category. Masala City won both the regional and overall title. 

Well, it was certainly a very busy restaurant and the staff were both attentive and charming. The menu was rich in their own specialities in addition to traditional dishes. We dispensed with starters, going straight to the main course. Diane selected a Chicken Tikka Masala, Jon had the Lamb version of the same, Kim had a Chicken Anokha, and I decided to try a Chicken Naga Subwal. The Tikka Masalas were rather swamped in the Masala sauce but they were very tasty (apparently). Kim loved her Anokha - though asked for a doggie bag to take half of it home. I didn't choose well. The Naga Subwal was a bit underwhelming. It was tasty enough, but somehow lacked the depth of flavour that I would have expected. (Though having never tried it before, I didn't know what to expect).

It was a lovely evening and we dropped Kim and Jon home on our way through. We got in just before 20:30 (a late night for us!)

Calendar

I commented about Jasper keeping an eye on our Google Calendar. I now suspect that Ocado, similarly, monitors our Calendar. On days, like today, when we have appointments or plans during the morning, they always turn up at the very end of their time slot. On days when it doesn't matter, they turn up early. Ocado hit the very end of their delivery slot today. This meant we were too late to visit Sainsbury's before Di's blood tests. We had to hold fire, get the tests done and then raid Sainsbury's. In the grand scheme of things, this was unlikely to hit the evening news. It was, however, a disruption to the fabric of the Universe.

After lunch, we managed to get an hour or so with our books before venturing out into the afternoon heat to collect Ellie. It was in the high 20s again today by the coast and a lot hotter inland - in fact, it was the hottest day of the year according to the Met Office. We let Ellie run off some energy at the park... but only for about 10 minutes. It was too hot for her to rush about for too long.

Darren came along to collect Ellie, soon after 16:00.

Bison

As herds of bison ranged across the open plains of Ellie's bedroom carpet overnight, and young braves riding bareback practised their hunting skills, Ellie slept contentedly throughout the night in her wigwam. I went to shower at 7:00 as Ellie came in to see Diane and greeted her with several scalps and the iPad. (The scalps may have been an exaggeration).

It was another glorious day with temperatures in the high 20s. Ellie, smeared in suncream, was taken to school and we returned for a quiet morning. There was admin and chores to clear, but nothing of significance.

We spent some time with our books before heading to Chichester for Diane's latest tests. These were ostensibly to provide a baseline against which any further testing can be measured. We weren't there for too long - the hospital seemed remarkably quiet, and we were seen almost immediately, despite arriving early.

Shorn

 It was a lovely day again. Temperatures were up in the mid-20s. Diane found it hot during her Cardiac Rehab session but managed the full programme for the day. I stayed put and completed some admin. The most significant item here was the booking of the Internet package for the cruise.

Once Di was back, I walked into the village to get my hair cut. I do like to keep it short and with a trip coming up, it was time to sit in the chair while the shears attacked the ever-thinning thatch on my head. Zoe popped in before going to work. She had just had her review with the Regional Manager and it seems to be going well. She has been assigned a store where she will act as Deputy Manager until the New Year.

After an hour or so with our books, we went to collect Ellie from school. We stopped off at the park and allowed her to play with her friends for 45 minutes while we chatted with other parents. Leaving the park Diane took Ellie to Zoe's so that she could cool off in the pool. I went home to start on tonight's dinner.

Ellie is staying with us overnight. She announced that she wanted to sleep in her wigwam. This meant that we had to check that it fitted in her bedroom and then, somehow, make up a bed into which she could crawl.

After a lot of silent swearing the wigwam was in place and the plan is for her to sleep there once she's had her bath. Whether it happens or not is anybody's guess.

Year 2

 Today sees the return of glorious sunny, hot weather and the return of children for the Autumn Term at school. Ellie was beside herself with excitement and apparently kept asking "Is Grandpa on his way, yet?" This started a good hour before he was due. When I did turn the corner, she was waiting on the path, knowing that now I was there, it was nearly school time. We walked her to school and milled around with the other parents and kids while waiting for the doors to open. Most kids were happy to be back and most parents were even happier they were back. Ellie rushed into the Year 2 class and greeted her teacher, Miss Yardley.

The rest of the morning saw a few domestic chores before I buried myself in the study to clear some admin. The most important item was to obtain a "Proof of Insurance Cover" for the cruise. I had read through all the documents provided by the insurance company but was not satisfied that P&O would agree that any of these were proof. After a brief phone call, they sent me a document that was incontrovertible. I think all the admin for the trip is now squared away.

We collected Ellie from school and took her along to play in the park for 15 minutes. She had had a wonderful day at school but was eager to stretch her legs. We then took her home to Zoe's. Zoe was working at home this afternoon, and Darren was about also. By going home, she was able to cool off a bit in the pool.