We had travelled to Harstad overnight and by 8am we we on our way again, this time heading for Finnsnes. After breakfast something a little different - we had been asked to take part in a 'focus group' as a local company were wanting to get tourists opinions on local products. They we interested in hearing what sorts of things we might consider buying as souvenirs. As a little sweetener for spending an hour chatting to them were were each given NOK 250 to spend in the shop on board ship. And came away with a free sample of one of their products .. Cod liver pâté. I suggested they advertise it with the strap line .. "Go on - you'll like it really" and explained about cod liver oil that children used to be force fed years ago!
After passing through Finnsnes late morning we headed for Tromso and arrived there around 2:30pm. Before we arrived we had lunch and shared a table with a German couple. With him trying his best to remember his English learnt 50 years before, and Margaret speaking what German she could remember from her earlier years, it was an interesting half hour which we all enjoyed! Danke schoen Hurtigruten.
This afternoon's excursion was the dog sledding so given how far north we now are (69 deg 38min North) even more layers we needed before we went outside. I know I keep mentioning them but once again we were glad to have our spiked grippers on our feet. Now we are so far north, snow is everywhere in great abundance and I think I would struggle without them.
The bus journey to the dog sledding centre took 30 minutes and you can't help but admire the ingenuity and be impressed by the engineering and roads. Given the surroundings and the land features tunnels are used extensively in some areas. It was the first time I had been in a tunnel where you come to a roundabout deep underground and can choose which exit tunnel to take. I don't know how deep this one was but I recalled our guide Benny in Trondheim mentioning a tunnel under the sea to the adjoining island being 150 metres deep.
The dog sledding was everything I expected. As soon as you arrived you heard the sound of the huskies all around you. We were given a tour of the facilities and they explained how the young dogs are kept separate while they get used to humans and each other. And little by little, create their own order amongst themselves with some ending up, literally, top dog. As they grow older they are put into teams with those that fight each other, kept apart. After coffee and cake in a Sami lodge we changed into weatherproof gear and then were led to our waiting sledge and team of huskies.
The ride itself was really good fun. I was fascinated by the way the team of dogs were able to respond to the commands of the driver. They had explained that the strong male dogs are tethered near the sledge as they are the powerhouses of the team. They put the female dogs at the front as they are said to be more intelligent and quicker to respond to the commands. It was snowing as we rode around and I was soon covered by a thin layer of snow - but did I care? Of course not! All too soon it was over and we were back at the centre.
Luck was on our side last night. We eat early (6:30pm) and had finished our meal and were planning a coffee afterwards when the announcement we love to hear rang out over the ship .. "Ladies and gentlemen, damen und herren .. We have lights on the port side of the ship". As quick as we could, we rushed back to the cabin, put on more layers of clothing and went outside. We spent a good 45 minutes watching and photographing the lights again but before long, the combination of the below zero temperatures and icy wind meant we had to head inside for a hot drink.
Having now seen the lights on two nights running, we stopped at reception to cancel the alarm calls should the lights appear. There is a tv channel that announcements are made on so we can use that should they not appear before we go to bed on other nights. I 'think' I have some reasonable photos of the lights but it's difficult to tell on the small LCD on the camera. So I will just have to wait until I get home to see them properly.
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