Monday 15th December 2025

Alta to Tromso.

Up reasonably early, after all but packing up last night, so we can meet the daily tour rituals:

Breakfast

Bags Out

Check Out

On The Bus

Seat rotation 

It’s all a bit foreign for those used to 2 person self guided walking trips where everything is self organised. There are lots on this trip who think the Tour Guide is a Nanny and I can but only admire her patience.

Managed all that perfectly and started our day of ‘follow the fjord’ sitting at the back of the bus. In such a big coach and a smaller group like ours at the back is good , as you can play seat lotto as the views change on either side of the bus.

There were plenty of amazing sights as we wound our way around the fjords which were often dwarfed by huge snow covered mountains.

Small timber cottages JK hugged the waterside of the road whilst bigger clumps of brightly coloured houses sat below the mountains. 

Again the only sign of industry was the fish  related ones, with salmon and oyster farms. Even a few little boats plied their trade on the fjord. When the wind picked up little shore breakers started to appear.

On the cliffs close to the road little stalictite like formations hugged the walls where the ice had melted and refrozen.

By 1230 the sightseeing had finished with darkness descending and the snow driven by a buffeting wind made it difficult to see particularly for the poor driver. His skillset to get us around safely has been highly commendable.

The flashing lights in the distance were not the Norther Lights, just the parade of snow ploughs that at some stages had us travelling in convoys as they forged the way ahead.

With not much to see it was over to the Tour Director to fill our head with facts about the egalitarian lifestyle of the Scandinavian countries.

Most are relatively well off with high standards of living and social security benefits fuelled by the high tax regime – almost 50%. Norway is actually 3rd most expensive country in the world for food behind Switzerland and Iceland.

Government support is a womb to tomb arrangement with

• Baby subsidies
• Maternal Leave 420 fully paid days over an 8 year period 
• Paternal Leave 3 months that must be taken in first 12 months
• You can pass your leave onto a parent or grandparent.
• Free childcare for most
• $400 per month  if you fail the means test, else free or a small food contribution.
• Free education at all levels
• Free medical
• Pension at 67 even if you’ve never worked
• Free aged care

The best is they will pay for your funeral and supply paid mourners if you cannot afford it.

It’s a haven for refugees who are entitled to the same benefits, without contributing a single Krone.

The best rort  for Syrian refugees was the family reunion entitlement where anyone under 16 (a child) could bring the entire family over. Apparently a lot of 25 year olds from Afghanistan from the Syrian War were sitting in school rooms with local 16 year olds. 

I am not going to tell my local Labour Party member about this.

After about 4 hours we ended up at a small village of Nordkjosbotn where we enjoyed an hours break to stretch the legs and ‘chill’ out, our Tour Director leading the way.

Back on the bus threading our way through more mountains in the pitch black before the lights of Tromso shone across the water.

Over the bridge for a bus orientation through a very buzzy town all lit up for Xmas, including a Market.

The town has a great mix of old and new, with old wooden buildings dating back to 1780’s and modern unit blocks with glazed balconies, often triple glazed to keep out the heat in summer and cold other times.

Again no drapes or blinds on windows, so the nude dash from bathroom to bedroom might turn into a peep show for the neighbours.

It was then back over to the other side of town into our trendy hotel – so trendy the Reception Desk is on the top floor. No bellboy’s here as it’s too hard to get staff so it was a Do It Yourself luggage drop and self tipping.

Interesting fact of the day was that 50% of Denmark GDP comes from Ozempic related businesses and town where it’s manufactured has doubled in size. Guessing after all the local field trials there are no diabetics or fat people.

Spent a couple of quiet hours doing the chores and stretching out the aches of a 7 hour bus ride before kitting up and heading off for another Northern Lights excursion, but this time on water.

Slipped and slid along the streets covered in black ice as we headed off the bus and onto the luxury cruiser. 

Knocked off the free champagne and then a couple of non happy hour drinks ( the only 2 out of 22 that had a pay for drink) and supped on the seafood based dinner -yum for some.

Enjoyed a modicum of success finding the Northern light. Only one we sighted was a mildly tinted cloud with a ghost like appearance. Not too many of the group were worried after 4 consecutive sighting nights. The brightest lights were those illuminating the ski fields on the mainland and twin ski jump on the island.

The actual highlight of the tour was the safety demonstration where a crew member tried valiantly to don a two piece safety outfit that  highlighted the fact that a one side fits all solution might not work.

Firstly she fitted a bright orange poncho with an array of safety straps and zippers that had her looking like Sammy the Seal. No respite for her when donning the actual life jacket. People with short arms might have struggled reaching and securing the beaver tail ( their terminology not mine) which went between the legs and secured around the waist.

I have a sneaking suspicion that most people would perish before suiting up.

Three hours of cruising had as back at wharf around 10 to negotiate an even slipperier walk back to the bus over the black ice.

A second late night for us, but no big bus rides tomorrow, just some sea world visit, chairlift ride ( wind dependent) and an evening visit to an indigenous settlement for dinner and entertainment. Looking out if bus in the way over there will be plenty to see in town.