Norway is amazingly beautiful. Even the long bus or train journeys that would otherwise be dull are incredible tracks through mountains and across waterfalls. The waterfalls are in full flood at this time of year due to melt water and are coming down at every point from snowy mountains. Some areas are just like Scotland with moorland and rocky fields and other landscapes like New Zealand with the snowy mountains. The people are super friendly and glad to help us out wherever possible. We've had a mad week trying to sort things out - you would have thought that because the tour has been run before that everything would be in place, but no, buses are not running yet and walks are too wet or snowy. We've had to redesign the tour and organise all the dinner arrangements as we haven't liked any of the previous restaurant suggestions!! Food is ridiculously expensive here. It has been fun to head off and find new hikes that would be suitable and we've found some great farm restaurants that serve organic local foods so that's perfect!! Jordana and I haven't stopped laughing - I'm planning on visiting her in either in Tromsø (northern Norway) or Sweden in one of my lay-overs between tours to see the Alaskan Huskies that she uses for her dog sledding business - nice.
At the end of my recce now, in Bergen. I know so many crazy facts about Norway from composers to artists to vikings to the length of the longest fjord. Hopefully all prepared to give my talks about religion, politics, geography, food and to fire general facts at these people so they have all the info they would ever require!
I've just received my first list of 16 people who are coming on saturday - which has just made me shake!
Hi!
Well i've finally dropped my group off at the airport so i'm free now for a few days to sleep, sleep, sleep, eat, sleep and get back to Oslo to start again!!
I was nervous at the airport, it was strange being one of those people with a sign saying 'Explore' at the arrivals area, but instantly I could see they were nice.
Back to the hotel for the briefing (couldn't hold the map because I was shaking) but found some kind of inner confidence and came through. A rocky start as some of the group had been sent to the wrong hotel, one member lost his phone on the flight, and one person's luggage was lost in heathrow! One day in Oslo, with some great talks from me then an onward day of travel (leaving 2 of the group behind to find lost luggage!! - not good to lose group members!!).
The journeys are amazing and even though we travelled for the whole day, the group loved every minute of it with the incredible scenery - jumping from side to side on the train to take pictures out the window. We travelled up the Trollstigen pass which cuts its way up the mountain from 0-1000 metres with 38 hair pin bends, very famous route.
2 nights in Geiranger, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List for the beautiful fjord. I took them on a killer hike, supposed to take 2-4 hours, took us 7!! I hadn't done it in my recce, warned them it was difficult, but the locals say its not too hard. Actually we scrambled straight up a mountain face, worth every minute, they loved it. Walking with a group has made me realise that a stroll for me is equivalent to a week's hike to some people - something I need to remember. Patience is going to be a growing quality.
The weather has been absolutely amazing and hot, even Bergen, the city where it rains up to 270 days in a year didn't rain!! Definitely a good time of year to come as the waterfalls are full and the flowers are out (incredible Lupins growing wild everywhere).
So onwards to Loen for one night to do the glacier hike which they loved, another spectacular day of sunshine so the blue ice looked amazing (think i'll be a glacier guide next).
Off to Flåm where we did some optional sea kayaking (i got a free trip - great perk of the job) and I led another hike up the valley. Its was rainy here but the group was still buzzing and saying...'oooh how atmospheric it is'. Ate at an amazing farm, all organic and local foods, delicious and the owner gave us loads of stories and Norwegian info - definite highlight of the trip.
Then over to Bergen for a full day and final group meal. They did a speech saying thanks to me and gave me an enormous tip then I told them I was new...they couldn't believe it!! Even one of the group who had been on 17 Explore trips didn't guess, so that's great. I read the questionnaires (naughty but I was curious) and I got great marks which aren't expected for a first tour. A few things for me to work on I think, but I now have 4 days for that.
P.S. Reindeer is yummy and whale will be eaten next trip :-) (its not controversial here so don't get upset!!!) Food is expensive here, but managing to blag all my meals for free.
Hei,
Well, tour 3 is over and it was a good one. Only 1 couple and the rest were single travellers or friends so a good mix and similar ages. The groups vary so much with the different dynamics. This group asked so many questions and were a clever bunch which made it interesting. So many questions...what time is the bus, what number is it, how many seats are there, what colour will it be, does it stop right here...etc etc! All apart from the airport shuttle bus not turning up this morning, it went smoothly. I know the tour well now and know lots of information so it makes that side of things easier, but each person and each day's challenges are different. I had some really nice feedback from people whose opinion I value, even one comment from a quite hard-to-please guy who said I was the best tour leader he's had from Explore!! :-)
We've had quite a bit of rain recently as I gather you have in the UK too, but its been nice over the last few days which picked up spirits.
I'm loving the hikes here, especially the 21 km hike along the valley and gorge in Flåm, its simply incredible and I was pleased to see that they had fixed the bridge over a raging waterfall that was non existent last time we had to wade through!!
I was blown away by how much the glacier has changed since I was last there only 2 weeks ago - due to the rain but also warmer days - it has receded and there are lots more ice formations. Its great seeing the country change every time I come through...the flowers are different (Lupins gone, Great Willow Herb in its place) and lots more birds in the newly cut fields.
Still having fun and looking forward to my last tour.
