** AN ARCTIC ADVENTURE **
** CHAPTER ONE **
** INITIAL THOUGHTS **
I suppose that our story starts in the autumn of 1992 with the
arrival on the doormat of a Brochure for "The World's Most
Beautiful Voyage". I say "suppose" because that arrival could
have been initiated by either one of two possibilities for which
I was responsible. Thus, it could either have been my sending of
a coupon from the Radio Times or a card from an unsolicited pile
for holidays and insurance.
Whatever the reason, I welcomed this brochure which was
totally different from normal Central European productions by the
major touring and holiday firms. For one thing, an 11 day tour
really lasts 12 days rather than 10 days!
For another, it wasn't a cruise or a holiday in the usual
sense. It was for a voyage via a `working ship' that carries
cargo and random passengers, being both a heavy lorry and a bus
on a waterbound route. It goes at 15 knots up the Norwegian Coast
and back again for a total round-trip of 2500 miles.
Like many other brochures that gave my mind options for
holidays, it was filed away, untidily should it ever become
needed! That was because, at that time in 1992, the price seemed
more than average - but it did cover beautiful scenery via the
Norwegian Fjords that I'd learned about long ago. So it was filed
but not forgotten!!!
In the Autumn of 1993, on contemplating possibilities for
using up my `leave' from the Civil Service, my mind ranged
through the European brochures again - and hit on a Nile Cruise
listed therein (not a European Nile, but the real African one!)
I had travelled by that Company before and obtained less than
complete satisfaction, but more than that - Inoculations &
Injections (Yugh!!) were required for the journey. That was,
presumably, I thought, because of the higher temperatures that
cause insects and bugs (the little buggers['agent noun' - see below!]) to thrive.
Maybe one had better try for something cooler (like the
Norwegian Tour) and so the idea had been resurrected. That, to
me, was a contrast worth considering. There, surely, in the
Arctic Circle, one would not have to worry with either the heat
or the bugs!!
'Bugger', the NOUN, should not be confused or misunderstood, with the
unpleasant VERB with its sexual connotations. This word is an 'agent noun' based
on the Verb 'to bug' (i.e 'to annoy'). These creatures or people are, thus, "those that
bug/annoy others"!
Return to Arctic Adventure title page
for next selection
or Go To Chapter 2 .
This page updated 10 March 2005.
EMail (?) to:
Roy's Location.