Tuesday 17 July 2012

It Feels Like We Are On Holidays!


Prince Christian Sound
Photo © Anke Timmerberg

Phew.  A day at sea.  It feels like we are on holidays.  Oh wait.  We are on holidays.  The first eight days of this voyage have been intense.  We have been very busy every day.  We have seen a lot of fantastic scenery, whales, icebergs by the thousands, glaciers, muskox, we have visited Greenlanders in their homes and gone on long hikes.  We have gone on small boat excursions, some of us went on a helicopter tour, some of us went whale watching, we’ve attended many lectures and have enjoyed fabulous food.  
Prince Christian Sound
Photo © Anke Timmerberg
After all of that, a day at sea seems like a vacation from the vacation.  It is a chance to kick back and watch the ocean roll by. On Fram there are numerous picture windows and lots of places to sit quietly and enjoy the scenery.  But a day at sea still has lots going on.  For example, this morning at approximately 06:00 we entered Prince Christian Sound.  Without doubt it is one of the more dramatically beautiful spots on earth.

Chef Johan Ludwig
Photo © Anke Timmerberg
We had dried fish fish and fish oil sampling with our chef Johan Ludwig this morning on deck seven.  What do you expect?  We’re on a Norwegian ship with a Norwegian chef!  
We had lectures and documentary films scheduled throughout the afternoon and the evening at 22:00 was the always entertaining crew show.  Another busy day. True.  But the pace of life on sea days is relaxed.  There is time for napping.  Time for a sauna or stint in the gym. And there is time to do nothing.
Our Repeat Travellers,
Photo © Anke Timmerberg
We have noted that on this trip there are many repeat guests travelling with us. Some people on board have sailed with us three, even four times.  For us it is wonderful to see so many familiar friendly faces.  It makes us feel good that you appreciate what we try to do for you and that you come back again and again and again.  We are obviously doing something right.  But don’t worry.  We will never rest on our laurels.  We are constantly trying to improve and we are constantly striving to discover new experiences and opportunities which we can present to you.  To all of the repeat travellers on board we extend a huge thank-you for coming to see us again.
Everyone!
Photo © Anke Timmerberg
To everyone with us for the first time.  Talk to the repeaters!  We hope that we will see you again (and again).
But wait a second.  This is starting to sound like a farewell blog posting.  Not at all!  We still have two whole days before Reykjavik!