Hunting The Light - Part V (Journey Up North Part II)

In this part, I will reveal two important things : my encounter with Ms. Boreale, and my favorite parts on Polarlys.

So, let's talk about Ms. Boreale first. I just finished with my dinner, I haven't even touched the dessert (how bad was that...let's my dessert wasted...darn), and we heared the announcement that "there were northern lights appear on the sky", I grabbed my camera and tripod which I carried with me to the restaurant (how freaky I was), but I left the most imporant thing behind...my jacket, but that's the detail, I ran to out to the passage on the 5th floor (the restaurant was on the 4th floor) asked everyone to excuse me if I blocked their view or stepped on their feet, took my place and started to take pictures. After sometimes, I started to shake and that's the time I realized I was taking picture in the artic circle without any jacket on me, duhhhh..............anyhow, I took about 200 pictures of it (how lucky I was, Ms. Boreale was in the good mood so she made the appearance for about 2.5 hours on and off), even though only a fraction of them I really like.

Now, about my favorite parts on Polarlys. I like the cafetaria area, because they have the best hot chocolate and waffle. Prices on the cafetaria were quite descent if you compare with the price at Tromso (don't compare with prices on your home country, then you will let yourself starving in Norway). A cup of hot chocolate for 26 NOK, and about the same for a hot waffle fresh from the maker ;)

I also love the passage on the 5th floor. I could make the tour around the boat without anything obstruct my view. What I experienced with the massive cruise ship is that, I always have to find my way to get to the place where I could take picture without anything that blocked my view, and without the marked of restricted area...ugh.

If there is anyone on the polarlys that will hate me, I think it'll be the lady on the tourist advisory desk. I kept disturb her with the question about "how's the chance for me to see Ms. Boreale tonight?" LOL...I believe she felt relieved when I left the boat.

During our stop at Honningsvag, I went out for the excursion to the Nordkapp with other passangers. It's an hour bus ride from Honningsvag to the Nordkapp, which based on Francesco Negri was the end of the world. We're quite lucky because the weather was "nice" on that day, so I still had about 10 minutes of "sunlight" to take pictures with when we arrived there.

(to be continued...)

Hunting the Light (Part I - Arrival in Tromso)

Some people think, still until now, I am a bit strange, while people try to avoid the cold, I was looking for one, with my idea to travel to the northern most part of the europe. But I am kind of "snow" girl type, I love cold, especially snow, and I am not a big fans of sunlight, so this trip should be perfect for me.

Begun with "late" train to Geneva airport, thanks to the so-called "accident" in Geneva city, my train was 20 minutes late, and I was already tight for my check-in time. The line in front of the SAS was so long, I was afraid if I will be the one who delayed my flight LOL. But I made it, the lady gave me all the documents I need, checked my luggage (half hearted) - my camera bag was about 15 kgs (about 33 lbs), she wasn't very happy to let me carried it with me but she couldn't bear the consequences either if I let her checked my camera's bag.

So, it was a super long trip for me, I started with my flight from Geneva at 11.55 am, and finished at Tromso at 7.30 pm. The exact route is Geneva - Copenhagen - Oslo - Tromso, and all with Scandinavian Airlines (darn...I forgot to give my star alliances FQTV number!! Will do later).

The stop at Copenhagen was quite fast, just had enough time to got my Coffee Mocha from Starback at the transit. Then, I hurried to the gate to caught my flight for Oslo, while during this flight I said good bye to the sunlight for the next week.

"I said good bye to the sunlight on my way to Oslo"

As ruled, all international passangers had to carry out our own checked luggages and drop it back on the check-in area. So basically I had to pass the custom area (with no one care what I did) and drop my bag on the check-in area, and did all the creepy security check all over again.

I should say, Oslo airport wasn't as what I had expected. It's quite small and "empty" per say for the international airport of one of the richest country in the world, thanks to their oil deposit. Finally, I decided to change more of the Norwegian Krones and hurried to my gate which is only 20 meters away from the money changer LOL.

I was quite lucky, in all my flights (except from Geneva - Copenhagen), I had a very nice neighbour who like to share some stories with me. The nicest one I got was for my flight to Tromso, the final flight. I forgot her name, but she was a Kenyan now living and working in Norway. She explained lots of things for me about Tromso, including where to go, what to do, etc. She even shown me the beauty of Oslo from our window just before the flight landed.

I should say, the first time I saw Tromso from the sky, that's the time when I fell in love with it. It's beautiful, one of the most beautiful place I ever saw in my life. Seriously, I even thought it's prettier than Swiss Alps LOL.

So we arrived at the airport, I hurried to one of the luggage belt (there were only two, so it wasn't give me too much trouble to find mine LOL), grabbed my luggage and got to the Flybuss which will took me to the city center (Sentrum) in 10 minutes and cost me NOK 55 - best of all ,the bus stop is right in front of my hotel - Rica Ishavhotel.


(To be continued...)