** AN ARCTIC ADVENTURE **
** CHAPTER TWO **
** DECISIONS & PLANNING **
The decision of whether to go to the popular play areas of
Europe, still unreasonably warm, or whether to try the
as-yet-unvisited stunning Coast of Norway was easy --- as I am
far more happy in cool temperatures than the overpowering sun
giving temperatures of 70 degrees or more!
Thus I recontacted the Norwegian State Railways Office in
London concerning the possibility of obtaining an up-to-date fare
and schedules document. One of my initial concerns was the
`language problem' because I know none of their language apart
from that which appears on Norwegian postage stamps. The London
NSR office assured me that there is no problem because "... all
Norwegians speak English!" (I quote).
Sure, the fares had increased (about 10%) and the same types
of boats and cabins were still available. They do a Summer as
well as a Winter service. In fact, as I already knew, at 10pm,
every night of the year, a boat leaves Bergen going North, by a
very meandering route to Kirkenes and back - taking 11 days.
Kirkenes, in the extreme North-East of Norway, is only 3 miles
from the Russian border. The brochures for this winter (93/94)
hadn't been re- issued yet but the girl promised to send me a new
`Winter Schedule' which would be useful for planning purposes.
This I welcomed, not so much for the important times but more for
the types of cabin on each boat.
The boats, some modern, some traditional,were owned and
operated by 5 Companies in Norway - giving a combined fleet of 11
boats, all integrated into ONE service.
The `schedule' (a `Sailings Listing') duly arrived and then
I investigated the boats, their types, their cabins and the dates
by a serious process of selection and elimination. Firstly, I
chose to go for one of the traditional boats with character
(rather than a floating version of the Ritz). This eliminated
less than half because the majority are traditional!! Then came
the choice of cabin. The aim was for economy because the mileage
is high and so are Norwegian prices. So my eyes and mind `homed
in' on a `single' cabin with basic facilities. After all, the
idea is to look at scenery and the Aurora Borealis - so the cabin
is not really even a secondary consideration! I am going to buy a
return ticket from Malvern to the North Pole (effectively) -
complete with 3 meals a day at sea. Hope it isn't too choppy
!!!
The D1 cabin-type was my selected first choice, being better
than E, not as plush as C, and for one person. Just having a
wash-basin should be adequate for a male with long legs - but
are mine long enough? [An extra THREE HUNDRED POUNDS,
approximately, would be required for the additional luxury of
shower + wc!!] So that gives an indication of their coded
notation! As luck would have it, only the traditional boats have
my required sort of cabin. Thus, I could chose from the following
vessels:-
Finnmarken (totalling 148 berths)
Harald Jarl (165)
Kong Olav (224)
Lofoten (228)
Nord Norge (207)
Nordstjernon (180)
Polarlys (170) and the
Ragnald Jarl (142).
Thus, I still had quite a choice - so the next factors to
consider were the date and route choices. The brochure showed
that NSR (the Norwegian State Railways) would either fly or sail
intending passengers to the start-point in Bergen. Sailings would
(from the UK) normally be from Newcastle upon Tyne whereas
flights would be on their selected aircraft from Heathrow. These
transfers would be in their overall (slightly different) fares.
An interesting feature of the air-option was that passengers
would be given free accommodation in a good medium hotel in
Bergen for an extra night after the completion of the 11 days on
the boat.
Flying from Heathrow, rather than sailing from Newcastle,
was, on the whole, more economical in time and costs and allowed
an extra day's free sightseeing in Bergen.
Thus, I could now schedule a list of possible departure
dates from Malvern and know where I would be on each day on each
option.
The next criterion was not to use British Rail on Sundays
(either way!) as the Malvern/Paddington service is only in
afternoons at its best. That cut out more options and left
possible start-dates from Malvern as 3rd, 5th, 9th, 11th or 12th
of November.
The next criterion was to chose who I wanted to miss least
at the "End of the Trail" Country Music Club at Ombersley in
Worcestershire. As I had already seen one of the duos several
times before, I chose to go for the earlier pair of dates (3rd &
5th) to allow me to see an act, another duo, that I'd never seen
before. That meant a choice of either the Lofoten (with its 228
berths and built in 1964) or the Ragnald Jarl (142 berths and
built in 1956). Well, I thought, maybe the LOFOTEN has 8 years
less rust on it - so that'll be my first choice (giving a leaving
date from Bergen as 4th November). I've a recent bit of info on that
craft - arrived today (9:Sept:00) - which shows that recent modernisations
(without losing its 'character') were made in 1985 and 1995 - the
last of these being done since my voyage.
The fare would be 994 Pounds Sterling (including the
Heathrow to Bergen return flights) plus 16 pounds for the rail
fare (reduced on the Standard price because of NSR!!) plus 18
pounds Insurance, - provided that they had a berth available!
The London office of NSR were not yet networked to the
Norwegian Computer so they would have to contact their Norwegian
colleagues by phone. Because of the closure of that office on
Saturdays, they were expecting a response on the Monday(20th
September 1993). They later confirmed the provisional booking and
gave me a reference number to quote on the formal booking
form.
That booking form was sent off on 21st September '93 and the
formal booking acknowledged on 27th September, although my full
documentation was to arrive later. Thus I had the full complement
of papers. (Travel tickets for "trains and boats and planes"
arrived on the 8th October '93. I then acquired some Norwegian
Kroners (about 10 to the pound) and a quantity of Traveller's
Cheques - all via my friendly Building Society in Great Malvern.
Thus it was now " all systems go" for my adventure to the Frozen
North. Maybe I had better buy some really appropriate clothing. I
produced a Schedule of my movements for friends, relations and
colleagues - and that is shown in Annex `A'. Maybe I had better
buy some really appropriate clothing!
A review of suitable (and the right amounts of) clothing
showed that I was reasonably well equipped already. As indicated
earlier, the cold doesn't bother me; I prefer it to the heat.
Even on ordinary cold days (for which I bought my Parka several
years ago) I am happy in ordinary jackets and shirts. When I
first reported on my Parka's suitability in the UK winters (I had
`cooked' inside it!!), I remarked, long ago, that it "would be
more appropriate to the North Pole's weather than here! If ever I
go to the North Pole it might be worth taking!"
Naturally, the Parka was on my list to pack. However, until
such time as I got far enough North " not to cook" in it, I would
use a lined jacket, also got years ago, this one by my friend
Bill Taylor on one of his trips to the Ledbury Market in
Herefordshire. I seem to remember it costing 3.50 pounds, then!
The lined jacket in its turn, would also cook me if I wore it too
early. It would serve for temperatures intermediate between the
`polar regions' and `South Western Norway'. For the first few
hundred miles, or so, I would wear an `ordinary' jacket (albeit
too thick for use in the UK except in Winters) which I acquired a
few years ago from "Change Gear", a useful shop that used to
exist in Malvern Link.
Headgear is included in the Parka (its own hood) but I would
take my `Russian-type' hat (bought in Magg's of Malvern about ten
years ago) for use with the ordinary and lined jackets.
The only new purchases required were better gloves plus a
few pairs of Thermal socks for the Arctic itself! I already had
acceptable treaded boots in case the `going' got slippery. They
were used in the UK, sometimes, for Hill & Fell walking. I say
"sometimes" because they are long-winded to put on, - requiring a
half-days exercise. In the Arctic, with its longer hours of
darkness, there should be more time for such activities. Thus the
Malvern Market provided my only new needs (gloves and thermal
socks) in late October before the `off'.
Return to Arctic Adventure title page
for next selection
or Go To Chapter 3 .
This page's reformatting dated 2 Nov 98, and re-editted on 5 Jan 2000 ,
and several times up to 11 March 2005.