I'm not that far behind, walking to the tram stop, like a regular native...
..catching the tram into town. (Except taking photos of the tram stop immediately puts me in the 'tourist' zone!)
To the airport to catch the train...
The trains have magazine racks and coffee dispensers - coffee on the left...
Into the airport and we're off. By the time I got there, the fully booked flight had allocated most of the seats and I got a middle seat! Thankfully, the nice girl on the aisle was happy to swap. Two hours later, we arrive in Tromsø - which is sort of pronounced 'Tremsay' rather than the very ocker way I was saying it - 'Tromsoh'.
So nice to just go to the Ut (exit) rather than the baggage claim - (didn't get the Norwegian for baggage claim coz it's about 15 letters...)
Onto the flybussen and into town - first stop Visit Tromsø. I had two tours booked here in Tromsø. I had received an email from both saying there was not enough snow and we couldn't go. They both offered alternative tours but they weren't quite what I wanted.
One of the tours was dogsledding and I had been having a difficult email communication with the dog people and their English was just not great. The lovely Jørgen called them yesterday to try and sort something out. They had offered me northern lights and whale watching - but I had just done that! So they eventually said I could do a husky hike, but I don't think they wanted to coz it was only me.
So first stop Visit Tromsø and they sort it all out so I can do variations of both my tours - happy days! I'm not too worried about missing out on the sledding - I had always had that planned for the Canadian bucket list, so it remains there.
After getting my next two days sorted, it's off to the Amalie Hotell. Very cute, family run hotel - just what I like! Cute room.
The beds are all made like this - the doona folded down the middle of the bed.
Then a walk through town. Very quaint little Norwegian town.
I do stop for a proper lunch as I don't think I'll be eating much of the food provided tonight - they are wanting to serve reindeer stew... I am not wanting to eat that...
Then it's a walk to the Arctic Cathedral. This walk was through to the massive bridge. The walk on the bridge was a bit bouncy and extremely windy. I had all the winter gear on so I wasn't cold, but it's not my favourite thing to do, walking over tall things! And it took a long time. The view was pretty amazingly though.
See the snow on the mountains in the distance? That is all around - it's so pretty! Finally get across the bridge and it's totally worth it. This place is beautiful. They have concerts in there in the summer - shame there are none on in the next two days.
And the side...
And inside... There were people outside waiting when I got there. I was surprised it wasn't open yet - it's meant to open at 3:00. It looked like 6:00 or 7:00 at night but it was 2:55! It just wasn't time yet. You can see in this photo the stained glass at the end. You have to go outside to see that at its best. Stand by...
Back the other way to the organ...
And here's the outside!
It's beautiful!
After that, I hopped on a bus, I didn't really want to walk that bridge again! Back through town and home to have a coffee and a rest before the evening's activity.
6:00 and I walk to the meeting point for the northern lights and huskies tour - which I'm mainly doing for the huskies! Marta meets me there and there is Jay and James there as well. They are from Salisbury in England and have come to Tromsø for a long weekend. Marta gets us organised and puts us into the little van to drive the 25 minutes to the Villmarkssenter place. We go into a long tunnel at one point and there is actually a roundabout underground - in the tunnel!
We arrive and it's dark, with fairy lights around the doors...
Paul meets us (Paul as in Paulo without the 'o'). We start in the Sami tent - all toasty warm and very cosy. We have coffee in traditional wooden cups...
Then we head out to an open area where we sit in furs and watch a short, informative video about the formation of the northern lights - all from the sun, separates out like an elastic band and flings around.
Then back inside for an informative session on the dogs - the packs, the training to get them to mush. The lead dogs (two at the front) are usually female coz they're brighter and easier to train and lead well. Behind them will be the deputy leaders who can fill in if the leader has to step out. At the back are the wheel dogs - the strongest dogs - usually male.
They have over 300 dogs here and each trainer has 60-odd under their care. They love to run and get excited when they are heading out on a sled ride. They also howl in thanks after dinner.
We went to have a long chat and meet and greet with the dogs in their kennels.
These two were gorgeous. Kept coming back to me and wanting pats.
Then to the puppies...
The photos didn't work terribly well as it was dark and it didn't want to put the flash on but it was great, lots of pats and snuffles. They were lovely!
This guy sang as we left...
Then it was down to the fire to toast hotdogs and bread (bread for me with cheese to go on it) and lots of chat. Interesting stories about the old days when they thought the northern lights were spirit based and cursed. The lights were out again - not as much as in Iceland but definitely there. James got some photos - it's amazing how much colour comes into shot when you take a picture. I can't photograph them, sadly.
I can photograph the fire...
This is Paul and Jay...
..and James and me.
It was hilarious and fun. Jay is a chatterbox and half of what he said went straight over Paul's head. And Jay didn't really notice and kept throwing out things like, "you're living the life of Reilly." And Paul just smiling and nodding, no idea - hilarious.
We went back into the Sami tent for coffee and cake...
..before heading back to town. The boys went straight to a nightclub. I went straight home to bed! Great fun night. And I got to see the dogs!
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