Just a quick overview of our recent travel to Scandinavia, Scotland and Ireland. 3 weeks of the dreaded lurgie upset earlier good intentions.
COPENHAGEN and HELSINKI.
First happy stop after flying from Perth to Singapore was in Copenhagen for a 30 hour quick look before landing in Helsinki and the start of our fabulous Northern Lights journey up thru Finland, into Lapland and the Arctic Circle and the the top of Norway… 30 km from the Russian border at Kirkenes.
JOURNEY NORTH.
It was a long trip north from Helsinki via train and the snow to Rovaniemi to experience LAPLAND, wonderful husky, then reindeer sled rides, Santas home village, before bussing into the Arctic Circle and Saariselkä and staying in a glass topped ‘igloo’ and watching an unbelievable Northern Lights display… from the warm comfort of ones own bed!!
On via bus and the deepening snow to the Snow Hotel in Kirkenes before boarding the Hurtigruten coastal trader/passenger ship south, down the coast of Norway for 6 days, stopping at around 9 townships deep in the fiords and very dependant on this trade.
How they survive in this environment, let alone live, is an unfathomable question?
THEN SOUTH AGAIN.
Unbelievable snow scenes from the ship, with the craggy mountains dropping into the Arctic blue waters.. lots of salmon farming, and not until we were again south of the Arctic Circle did we see the green of trees and agriculture again appear.
The cruise ended in Bergen, Norway before a stunning ferry trip on the lakes and then a stunning train journey across the alps to Onslo, the capital.
BONNY SCOTLAND, then IRELAND.
A couple of days in this wonderfully clean city before heading to Edinburgh and an amazing Highlands Tour, taking in the harsh landscape of the western half of Scotland, including a couple of days on the Isle of Skye( including Portree for Mal!), on to Inverness and the old battle grounds of Culloden, then Loch Ness, a whisky tasting and so much more of the Scottish history. No wonder Murray wears his ancestry with pride!
Back to Edinburgh for more exploration, including the Castle, and off to Dublin, for 4 days of the best of Ireland and its wonderful history and site seeing opportunities.
Then the long flight home.. Dublin to Heathrow, Singapore then Perth.
So good to hit the home pillows after so many wonderful sites and memories.
A comment on long haul flying: Travelling Premium Economy on those long legs is a wonderful uplift to ‘down the back’ and can certainly commend Singapore Air for their offer. Almost Business Class at a big discount!
A great journey and could recommend to anyone.
Kenn (and) Peta.
Kenn Williams
0428 472619
PS: Checkout some of Peta and Kenn's holiday snaps
