Did I Really Just Sign-Up for a 14-Day Cruise Around Norway in February?
YES I DID !!!
My friend Donna needed a room-mate for the cruise and I wanted to travel. What a great combination. Then I started thinking about the destination. Norway! in the middle Winter!!! As most of you know, I am a southern gal who has lived along I-10 for most of my life. The only exceptions were for graduate school, first in Dallas and then in Blacksburg, Virginia. Not very cold and not very long.
Clothing
First thing I needed was to gather clothes to keep me warm and dry. In addition to the information the travel group provided, my Swedish friends, Margaret and Tord, were very kind and patient answered all of my questions. I learned about REI, wool or silk long johns, layering, snow pants and boots, and layering.
Test Run
Mother Nature also kicked by providing a couple of days of freezing weather (not a normal occasion down here). So when the temperature was around 23 degrees F, I bundled up and went for a walk around the parking lot.
I was delighted to enjoy the warmth that I expected. What surprised me was the noise!!! Walking around became very ‘musical’ as the material in the snow pants rubbed together with each step.
I even made ‘friends’ with my set of walking sticks that I had sitting around. They even came with a different tips that I had no clue about. So, since I am not a big fan of fallen down at all, let along in freezing weather, I asked my new ‘friends’ to come with me on my regular walks.
Geography Revisited
I know that I studied geography in my early years. But being a product of southern USA, my view of “way up north” focused more on my brother moving to North Dakota, six miles from the Canadian border. I found the thought of living “way up there” was un-doable for my souther blood.
Last summer, I traveled to Fairbanks, Alaska. When I heard that Fairbanks is less than two hundred miles from the Arctic Circle I began realizing I had a lot more to learn about the “North”. Now my travels are taking me to Norway to explore areas within the Arctic Circle.
I sure am enjoying changing my point of view.
