Do you dream of sailing the fjords of Norway? I did. Then, Alan and I traveled on a 15-day Regent cruise through the land of the midnight sun and my dream came true.
- Life on the goat farm
During our journey, we visited the cosmopolitan cities of Oslo and Tromso, hiked the mountain that overlooks historic Bergen, and watched with amazement as our ship negotiated the narrow fjords to Geiranger and Flam. As an added bonus, we sailed to the very end of Europe, the North Cape, and beyond to Longyearbyen.
Weather is always “iffy” in this part of the world, but we didn’t let the rainy June weather stop us from exploring. The ship offered active excursions that ranged from an “Overland tour to Geiranger” including a four-hour hike, a ride on the Flam Railway culminating with a 2.5-hour hike in the mountains of the Sognefjord to a bird safari by boat in Honningsvag. And, of course, I’ve already posted about our hike up Plateau Mountain at Longyearbyen.
Waterfall in Geiranger fjord
In Geiranger, Alan and I were pleasantly surprised with our excursion to Splendid Herdal Mountain Farm where we learned about goat farming. The drive to the farm was scenic beyond words as the road twisted between mountains and valleys. And, who knew that goat cheese could taste so good?
Of course other cruise lines sail in this part of the world. In 2009, Silversea offers an interesting itinerary that adds Iceland and Ireland to the Norwegian mix. The Yachts of Seabourn provides a sail and stay cruise that includes a 3-day stay in Copenhagen before sailing to Norway’s fjords. Or, try the Hurtigruten-Norwegian Coastal Voyage, if you’re a baby boomer looking for a more adventurous itinerary.
Standing on the cabin’s balcony as Voyager slipped up fjords decorated with thundering waterfalls fulfilled my Norwegian dream…until the next time.
Have you traveled to Norway’s fjords? Post a comment. I’d love to read about your journey.
