Thon Hotel Bergen Airport Kokstad

... applekuchen and Turid and Lisa made traditional waffelen or heart shaped waffles. Traditionally, you eat them New York pizza, stuffed with sour cream and marmalade, but we sweetened it up and put ice cream in instead, yumm. She even brought out some Southern Comfort “to take the chill off” for the Americans. We said our goodbyes to the Kozens and all the relatives knowing that this these last three days in Oystese were very special.

... to pass us, this could have ended in us literally falling off the mountainside but our driver was clearly experienced in negotiating this treacherous journey! Arriving in Voss, the adventure sports centre of Norway, we boarded the train back the Oslo. Another 5 1/2 hours later, this made the entire day a non stop journey of 14 hours. It was epic, it was beautiful, it was expensive but a once in a lifetime opportunity. I wouldn't have changed a minute!

... no local wine industry you're often choosing from something you can buy at the local supermarket in NZ. We've even seen a bottle of Montana Sav being flogged off on one of the cruise boats as top shelf stuff, with a suitably inflated price to match. Bergen is Norway's second largest city and built mainly around it's old, well preserved wharf. The original buildings on the waterfront that used to be trade houses for merchants of the ...

... We reached the town of Myrdal around lunch time where we transferred to the Flåm railway which is a privately run railway that descends the Flåm valley passing gorges and waterfalls along the way. Once at the bottom of the valley we were at the edge of the Sognefjord with huge mountains climbing out at all angles. We boarded the ferry there for our two hour trip along the ...

... packed. Being offended by the food prices here, I looked for something cheap and ate at a sausage stand. Unsatisfied, I stumbled upon a kebab shop - wrap-style, stuffed with corn, a sweet sauce, and ground lamb. The wrap was a little too chewy, but still tasty and not a bad value, compared to the sausage I had earlier. I sucked it down back at the hostel, where I noticed some Chinese people have a VERY high-end hostel dinner ...

... understood (English finally) and seeing amazing architecture everywhere. Highlight of the day was sitting outside the Pantheon eating our takeway pizza. Now to the Trivi fountain to make a wish and have Great Gelato and then more walking, through town on this 30 degree day, towards the Spanish Steps. It is really crowded, really hot and still just having a marvellous time. Can't really 'explain' it, I have run out of words to describe my happiness!

... hvite strender, her kommer vi..... Jippi !! (Alle) De siste timene har gått veldig fort. Men vi begynner og merke den lange natten. Reise feberen raser og alle er så klar for å sitte seg på flyet til både Amsterdam, Hong Kong og det endelige målet: Filippinene.

... and trucks and equipment for all the ports and for the fishing industry. It is only their upper decks that contain passenger cabins and cruise amenities. This tradition stated at the turn of the century, and slowly over time, a larger and larger part of these coastal vessels has been given over to cruise amenities. With state of the art facilities of the Midnatsol, you would never know you are on a "working" ship. This picture shows the view forward from the ...

... to connecting flights. We followed the signs and guess what happened? We had to go thru security "again". Going thru the routine once more, we went to get information on our flight and we were pointed to passport control. We are waiting for the Oslo gate to be assigned now. The airport seems to be a very quiet place. Most people walk and speak very softly. At times it can be deafening. Well ...

... had had baggage to check in we would still have had to join the queue at the baggage counter so I could see no point to the auto check-ins for long haul travelers with cases. We found a cafeteria and coffee'd before we proceeded through the security barrier where, for only the second time, I had to take off my shoes. Apparently there was a metal strip somewhere in the sole but not every security system picks it up...I'm glad to say. Anne was in a row ...