Sunday 30 May 2010

TROMSØ – for two days


29th and 30th of May

WELCOME to this blog. And this trip. Climate Voyage 2010 from Tromsø to Spitsbergen. First Climate Voyage for Hurtigruten ever. First time to Spitsbergen as well.

We will tell you in key words what is happening every day on this trip. Some days we will present ”A guest of the day”, their thoughts, experiences and expectations. But lets start with yesterday, also called Saturday.

When the vessel arrived Tromsø. For the first time. Congratulations! It is 114 years since  last time another Fram was in Tromsø. Then with Fridtjof Nansen. When he returned from his attempt to reach the North Pole in 1896.

Saturday we all embarked. Amongst us: Chinese, Germans, Scandinavians –192 people all together, business people, professors, scientists, journalists and so on. At the Polar Environmental Centre we got wine and canapees – and together with the very shining sun this was a warm welcome.

Sunday the ship opened the doors for visitors from Tromsø. The sun was gone, and we went back to the Polar Environmental Centre to learn more about the climate changes and the polar bear.
– Should we go on a cruise like this? was one of the questions to the Director of Norwegian Polar Institute, Jan-Gunnar Winther.
– This is a cruise with substance. Don’t have bad conscience. You will be good ambassadors, he told us.  
– Have a nice trip! You have a lot to look forward too! he completed.

At five o’ clock we waved good bye to Tromsø, then we waved to Lyngsalpene and we are still waving – to beautiful mountains and low, grey skies as we are heading north.