We left the car behind today - choosing to stretch our legs (or wear them down to aching stumps) and head out from the cabin for a couple of hours walk.
According to my unFitBit we walked over 23 000 steps and 16 km. And now we're both close to death. There's something about walking on ice or in snow. It's hard going after a while. And of course we had to do a Debbie Detour. Up a hill. Until we came to a sheer drop and had to turn back. But all's well that ends well. We got home before dark. We didn't get eaten by bears. We got back safe. We just can't get up off the sofa. Of course there's always a bonus to taking a detour. This time it was two sea eagles. One soaring above us. And the second one we scared into flight by stumbling across it - while it was resting. We also spotted another couple of moose. Stu read somewhere that if you creep up on them they scarper. But if you make lots of noise they don't run away. As they are expecting you and not startled. Well thats a load of baloney. We weren't intentionally making lots of noise...just the sound of our spikes in the snow and our chattering. We scared them off sure enough. We'd make crap hunters. Not such a bad thing. The sky has clouded over tonight. So there won't be any green on show. Stu might just get his much needed early night. And tomorrow... Another walk or a drive out a bit further afield. Not sure yet. Decision depends on amount of pain we're in and the weather. Today's pic...one from the walk. At the start. When we could still stand straight.
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Just when you think you've seen the best display of aurora that you will probably see in your lifetime...another even better one just blows your mind.
Today has been a day of wow moments. The views, the reflections of the mountains in the still fjords, the frozen snow-covered lakes. a sea eagle coming in to land and then the aurora. Tonight we drove down to the edge of the fjord. To the Heaven and Earth sculpture. No lights on display but we thought we'd sit and wait. So glad we did. And the photos...for once...don't do it justice. Normally the camera captures so much more of the colour than the eye can see. Not so tonight. Partly because the camera can't be set up in all directions at once. As the camera was taking its next shot...we were just looking all around us. A breath-taking display of colour...green, orange, pink and purple. As the moon is very bright at the moment the colours weren't too strong. But easily seen with the naked eye. A first for us. We've only seen the green before and not the other colours which I guess are more rare. It's been another chilly day. -11 ish at the cabin. Crisp and very clear. One thing has evaded us so far this year...the reindeer. Not a sign..or sound (the bells the stags wear). Tonight's photo: Heaven and Earth at night ..It feels like an epic journey to get to this cabin. Two flights, a night in Bodø, a three hour drive, a ferry ride, a further half hour drive then a trek up a hill with suitcases.
And it is so worth it. When you finally get into the cabin (after half an hour of trying to contact the owner for the code) and dump the bags and take in the view. That feeling right there. It was an interesting drive this morning. We were aiming for one of two ferries...11:45 or 2pm. No pressure from Stu as he casually informed me on a number of occasions... "if we continue at this rate we'll miss the first one by three minutes". Or "if you put your foot down we'll make it with two minutes to spare". Etc. Well. We made the first one. With two minutes to spare. The temperatures are mad here. Throughout the drive the temps literally ranged from 0 to -20 ( I saw -21.5 but Stu didn't as he was checking ferry times...so I don't have a witness). We saw two moose en-route. One munching by the side of the road. The other dead...by the side of the road. We've not spotted any Moose or reindeer up here at the cabin yet. But there're plenty of tracks around. Last year we didn't need to light the fire. Not the same this time. That fire is roaring right now. So we'll be off to buy more logs and kindling tomorrow. Anyway. After a little snooze (me...I'm a lightweight), we've moved the sofa to the big window and we're currently sitting and contemplating the remainder of a gorgeous red sunset. A beautiful clear night. Fingers cross we have some green tonight! Today's iPhone pics: -20, Stu on the ferry and cabin views. If you want to test your stress levels...
Try leaving your laptop bag on the plane when you arrive at Geneva Airport. Then...run very fast through security to catch your train to Lausanne. Get on the train...then realise the laptop bag is not on your back. Get off train as the doors are closing. Run very fast back to the airport. On arrival at the airport... carry on running like a loon in all directions. That was the start to my working week last week. A bloody nightmare. Laptop bag containing IOC surface book and posh wireless mouse, iPad Pro, a sneaky bit of airport shopping, umbrella and a bag of popcorn. Left on the plane. No one could help. “We have processes to follow”. Then no word for two whole days. I can honestly those two days were more tense that watching MCFC. I even puked with the stress. Yep. It was that bad. Anyway. The good news. Bag turnd up. Cost me 20CHF to collect it from Geneva Lost property sharks. The most frustrating thing? It was never lost. I knew exactly where the bag was. Underneath the seat in front of 2F. Anyway. Just don’t ever do it. Just remember that bag. No photo today. Can’t be arsed. Quite often Stu says what I have been thinking. He did it the other day.
" It feels like we're always waiting for something' he said. And strangely I had just been thinking the same. It's not a bad feeling...a feeling of doom. Nope. It's a bloody marvellous feeling. Waiting for new and exciting things. I think for us, Winter is always a waiting game. Waiting for the annual trip to Iceland, for Christmas, for the trip to Norway. And this year..waiting for the move to Wales. It's an excited bubbly tummy feeling (not wind). “When you see someone putting on his Big Boots, you can be pretty sure that an Adventure is going to happen.” - AA Milne “You're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So... get on your way!” - Dr Seuss. And today's picture?..just a little Dunham rabbit |
DebbieMe, my life, my family and my travels Archives
November 2022
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