Guess I will start the seamail. It is actually not seamail but lounge mail. Brayden and I are all checked in at LAX and sitting in the LH business class lounge waiting for our flight. Looking forward to seeing everybody Sunday night in Tromso. All good so far. Brayden has is I Touch and is interneting away. I will need to teach him about LCT and have him post.

I am so looking forward to Brayden's impressions of the cruise! Also a picture of the two of you together would be wonderful :)

OH I am so excited for your trip with Brayden, Ralph!!!! Yes pictures of the two of you please - what a neat experience for both of you!!! :hug: :hug:

Thanks, Ralph. Looking forward to hearing about the PAII and your cruise.

yay'
send lots of pix of those penguins. and some of the grandson too

Diane,
Penguins are at the opposite end of the Earth. Hopefully we'll see lots of Polar bears.
We arrived in Tromso last night. Instead of the predicted rain and 58 degrees it was sunny and around 70 at 9:30pm Today is again sunny and we're looking forward to touring this gorgeous area for the next 2 1/2 days. The sun doesn't set this time of the year and the birds don't shut up.
JIm

I am now at Radisson Hotel at the Oslo Airport and will be flying to Tromsoe tomorrow.

We changed our plans at the last minute to spend four days on the Seabourn Sojourn and saw John Barron who was the cruise director. Great to see him he said to say hello to everyone. Lovely ship overall I was very impressed. I will of course do a full report and have started that already. All three luxury lines, Regent, Seabourn and Silversea are all really good, they all offer a different atmosphere.

Now onto the Silversea Prince Albert. I am very excited about this trip and I really love this little ship. Reminds me a lot of the Song of Flower but with better cabins.

I heard from our taxi driver in Helsinki that two men were camping out somewhere on Spitzbergen Island and during the night they were attacked by a polar bear. The bear dragged one man out of the tent but the other man shot the polar bear and amazingly neither of the men were seriously hurt. Seems like camping in Polar Bear country is not the wisest thing to do.

Hopefully we will be able to post from onboard with a good enough comupter connection.

So looking forward to seeing everyone in Tromse we were lonely on the Seabourn ship without our friends. Met some nice people it was amazing how many Australians were onboard.

Sorry--penguins on the brain--but the bears. Those wonderful bears! Right now pix o them are right in front of me as I "try" to work

finishing 4 days inOslo. Fly tomorrow aat 11:45. Will we see you Ngaire on the plane?

I wish we were going to see you on the 11.45 am flight. We tried to change to the 11.45 flight but it was sold out.

Our flight does not leave until 6.00 pm so dont wait for dinner with us.

So looking forward to seeing you both Jim and I can be look alikes with our "life is good" tees.

Sounds like a great start Ngaire ! Can't wait to hear more opinions about Seabourn Soujourn, it sounds like a perfect ship. Glad you were able to see John.

Have a great Arctic trip! Send seamail!

For all coming to Tromsoe, today started out sunny & warm and by lunchtime morphed to rain. Tomorrow (Sunday) is projected to be cloudy turning to sunny by evening and about 60+ degrees. The hotel restaurant stays open late - ask at the desk for times - where local restaurants close around 8:00pm. Last time I was here stores were closed down on Sunday but we're told that museums etc will be open. There's a local tourist bureau a block from the hotel which can give you all the info you need to tour around. See y'all soon...
Jim

Brayden and I arrived about 7pm. Ate some dinner and are hitting the sack. We are tired. Maybe we will see you at breakfast. Yes, it is raining. It better clear up on Sunday. Brayden and I have lots to do.

We're cooling our heels in Newark, waiting for our departure to Oslo in an hour's time. Pam, we are also scheduled on the 11:45 am flight tomorrow to Tromso. We'll look for you in the gate area.

We had picture perfect, gorgeous Jersey Shore weather this morning. Brunch with a few friends on the deck overlooking the water was a wonderful way to enjoy (and shoot) the breeze. My respiratory problem has improved greatly over the past few days .. whew! I was not looking forward to flying with a bad set of lungs.

We learned the check-in areas at Newark have been rearranged - they no longer separate domestic & international. We got to stretch our legs one last time and build up those biceps as we trekked to the opposite end of the terminal. Gary of course packed the max to the min(imum), so it inconvenient as opposed to inconvenient and exhausting. We successfully had Continental check our baggage through to the Tromso flight. We hope it cuts down on the possibility of 'where oh where did my luggage go?' when we arrive in Tromso. I still think of Marcia and George and the nine-day wait for their luggage reunion on FJORDS. Shiver me timbers!

Diane, I saw penguins today! 'Nature' was running on PBS - and it featured the penguins of Antarctica. The Adelies reminded me so much of a most memorable moment from the Antarctica cruise. I think this is a good omen, don't you?

Cheers, Anne

I still think of Marcia and George and the nine-day wait for their luggage reunion on FJORDS. Shiver me timbers!

and they were wayyyyy better sports then I would have been given that long waiting haul :mad: :mad: I know I know all part of traveling - safe travels Anne and Gary XXOO and happy your lungs are better!

We also checked our bag thru from LAX to Tromso. However you will need to collect your bags in Oslo and pass thru customs. Kinda of a joke as there was not one watching or any look at passports. We pick up bags got them up to the first floor where departures is and then checked in and gave them our bags. They left the tags that were LAX-FRA-OSLO-Tromso on them. It took a few minutes but it is a small terminal and went quickly.

We went to bed early and got up early. Looks like it might be an ok day.

Oh, you will all have such a wonderful time, once you have a chance to rest from that tiring travel trip doing nothing.

Anne--a good omen indeed. Life is good.

Enjoy

Ralph, just waiting for more posts about how much Brayden is enjoying his trip with Grandpa!

And too, email from so many others on this cruise!

Have not got up this early in a long time. Neither of us could sleep any longer. We did go to bed early.

Our exciting I-Touch adventure-

Brayden has an I touch that keeps him occupied. It is a sort of i phone without calling. He plays games and can do web , email stuff. Too tiny for me. Any way we were finishing dinner and Brayden starts to look all around his seat. This went on for a couple of minutes and then I said what is wrong. He said my I touch is missing. Where was it I said. He said I was sitting on it. I took three deep breaths and said it must be around somewhere. look in the seat sides and in the back it probably slide under the cushion. We did that for seemed like hours. He was on the ground looking under the seat etc. No I touch. I got out my little book light so he could see under the seat better. Still no I touch. At this point a male flight attendent came by and I asked him for some help. Explained what we were looking for etc. I stepped away so he could get to the seat . Suggest Brayden stay there as his hands are smalller and may get into where ever the I touch went to. After taking the seat almost all apart and help from a second male flight attendent and another flashlight from the plane they think they see it way back under the seat. How to reach it seems impossible. More seat taking apart happens. Finally the one attendent says I think I moved it to the side where I can reach it. Success !!!!

The I touch was now in Brayden's hands. I thanked the attendent as he was putting the seat back together. His name is Sasha. I plan to write LH a very nice note about his extraordinary efforts.



We missed desert as they were serving that during our adventure however we decided the I touch was more important. I suggested to Brayden maybe he should put that in the carryon back pack and not have it out any more during the flight as it might happen again.



I gave myself THREE ATTA BOYS for not losing my cool. Life with a 12 1/2 year old is interesting.

ATTA BOY Ralph!!! We travel with 14 and 15 yr old grands.... GIRLS! and "interesting" is a good word!

Ralph,
We are so happy to hear that you and Brayden are on this trip together. Enjoy each new adventure.

Great story, Ralph - and what a great adventure this is going to be for young Brayden. I can't wait to hear more and see pics!

I can tell I am going to like these stories! :app:

Oh these seamails are already off to a GREAT start !!! :banana: :banana: :banana:

Got in about 8.30 pm or so and shared the flight with Dick and Sharon and Jan and Harry. We took the airport bus to the hotel which was much faster than the long line for a taxi.

Ken and I ate right before we boarded the flight so we were just going to crash but it is SUCH a beautiful night. We looked out the window at the beautiful harbor and decided to walk around. The phone rang as we were walking out the door, it was Jim. They had just come back from dinner with Ralph, Brayden, Jim, Pam and Gary and Anne. We missed seeing that group but Jim said they were going with Jan and Harry for a drink and lo and behold Dick and Sharon appeared too.

We all followed Jim and Pat to the local bar but they had run out of most of their sandwiches and only had soup left. Sharon and Dick were hungry so they went off in search of more options. We got a drink and visited with the others for a little while and then headed back to the hotel.

I had forgotten how expensive it is in Norway for food. We are normally on a cruise ship so this is not an issue. Hamburgers are about $35 a little sticker shock at pricing.

So ready to see everyone tomorrow and to go to the ship. I read the reports from the last few trips and it appears a whale has washed up on shore and the bears are feeding on this whale. Hopefully that is still happening as the last trip there was a mother with three cubs at the site.

It is just after 11.00pm and still quite bright outside, so glad they have heavy drapes. Off to bed now.

I'm loving the SeaMail. Thanks you guys. Looking forward to lots more about your journey!

I've been checking all day for the next installment. (rubs hands together eagerly)

Thanks for sharing!!!
Elizabeth

Brayden and I had a great day. Started with our first Zodiak cruise then Brayden and I played Pooch. Brayden for the first time. Brayden WON the second game. Then after lunch we did the hike. Brayden thought it was great. I thought it was a death march. A really really tough climb up a very rocky trail to North Cape from the ocean leval. Ken was super kind and came back to finsh the last 25% with me and carry my back pack.

This is a terrific group and a terrific cruise so far. I will leave it up to others to give more details as after today I think I am brain dead as well as muscle dead.

Way to go Pooch master Brayden! I wish I could been there to see the death march, get some rest now Boppa!

Sounds like the trip is off to a great start. Looking forward to more seamail and pictures. Bert and I are packed and ready to leave for Rome and the Mariner at weeks end-I will do my best to inquiring minds posted on our adventures as well-

Hi everyone

A quick post and probably tomorrow we will lose internet so we will be unable to stay in touch. Been a wonderful trip so far, a zodiac tour around what we have been told before was called Bird Island” that Ken and I have done before from a port stop in Honningsvag. This time we were told the correct name of Storstappen Island. However from a zodiac it was much better as we were able to get into a wonderful small cave area with brilliant green algae and interesting rock formations. Ken took a great shot of Ralph and I with the green in the background but not sure we can post that picture from here. We had some swell on one part of the tour that was probably the most swell I have ever encountered on a zodiac but everyone was fine so I am confident that those new to zodiacs are going to be fine for the whole voyage.

After returning from the zodiac trip we got in two games of pooch. Fun to play with everyone and Ralph’s grandson caught on faster than most adults we have taught. He won the second game. This is one fine young man we are all enjoying him. Jim scored a game of 140 what a way to start.

In the afternoon the tough ones among us did a hike from the shore up the cliff side and then walked to the North Cape. Most of our group did that walk but I did not. It was much tougher than anyone had anticipated but all made it safely to the top. They had a bus trip to North Cape for the non walkers from a small fishing village called Skarvag that is home to 47 people, with 8 children in the one school. Reindeer were everywhere and they like to hang out on the football field. There was one big reindeer in front of each goal and the others milling around the field. Really looked like a game was in progress. Unfortunately I do not carry a camera as it would have been a great shot. It was a beautiful sunny day and the scenery was terrific.

We had a nice dinner last night of cheese soufflé, scallops and wonderful prime rib and then CRASHED. Food and service has been very good this is indeed the best expedition ship I have ever experienced.

We are on deck 3 the lowest deck and are doing just fine here. It is very handy as this is where the zodiacs and landings leave from so it is a quick in and out of the cabin. These cabins have a LOT of storage for a cabin of this size and really nice décor with warm woods. We have empty storage space.

Today we attended a mandatory talk on responsible tourism in the Arctic region that was interrupted by a humpback and then fin whale. The ship is now in the process of selecting gumboots deck by deck. We will be called any minute.

We will follow this by lunch, a quick game of pooch, a lecture and then a zodiac tour of BEAR ISLAND where we are told we will get to go into small caves and really get up close and personal with thousands of birds nesting on sheer cliffs, looking forward to that. Back on board there is the welcome aboard cocktail party.

The next day we get close to Polar Bear territory and probably no internet.

Thanks for the update, Ngaire. Sounds very interesting. I hope Ken will be able to post photos.

Editing to add: Either the photo was added (or it was blocked at my office) or I'm going crazy.

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Eugene

Thanks for the great report, Ngaire, and the great photo!

Awesome.....keep them coming!!!!

Thanks for the update, Ngaire. Sounds very interesting. I hope Ken will be able to post photos.

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Eugene

What a fine looking duo in that picture! Ralph, I love your headband!

I LOVE that photo! Sounds like they are keeping you busy but a FUN busy. Ngaire, seeing you all bundled up is such a contrast to back home. Dallas is forecast to have 110 heat index today! It must have felt strange packing cold gear in these temps!

Adorable picture.....and as we are sweltering in the heat that icy cold air sounds wonderful!

Kathy

Ngaire,
Loved the post and the picture!!! Sounds like a lot of fun.

Wonderful photo, Ngaire and Ralph. I'm reading these reports with such envy. Can't wait to hear more about it. And Ralph, you are the BEST granddad for taking Brayden AND agreeing to that hike.