...and an nb while I'm online...

Hi ppls, thanks for comments which have flown in just like we're not almost exactly on the most opposite side of the world from you as we could be...

Today we stopped in Tromse, which is (another) beautiful Norwegian coastal town in (another) beautiful bowl of harbour surrounded by steep slopes, reaching up to rock and permanent snow. We visited a Polar Museum, which was fairly good in tourist terms, mostly because they had several bearded seals in a huge enclosure, who were being fed and played with for their 'mental health' - no NO not doing tricks!!!! We were assured there is a biiiig difference. Oh yeah?

Then we had a tour of the town, which naturally led to many photographs, and one day I do hope I'll work out how to upload at least a small sample of them. But for now I've worked out how to get them onto the computer, which is a very good start (use the port on the side of the machine, der).

Finally FINALLY it is cooler, the days are about 12 degrees, and there's a lovely chilly wind all the time we are sailing. Didn't manage to prevent me getting very sweaty as I went for a fast walk around Tromse town in search of an English newspaper. No luck, the closest I could get was Speigel celebrating with a whole issue about WW11, or French porn. C'est ca...

We are 'second service' diners, so we have to wait for 8.30 and sometimes later to sit down, let alone eat. I'm finding it a bit of a trial, partly cos the alternatives are so costly on board (altho I could just get more ice and gargle neat gin in me cabin), and partly cos by the time we eat and wind down and so on, and of course it's still light outside, it might be midnight or later and then tomorrow has gone pear-shaped before you've started. That said, we enjoyed filling in our pre-dinner hours last night by tackling the ship laundry and managing to work out the coin-operation system AND get our clothes clean, and nearly dry. The Miele machines are all smarter than me. I only speak Fischer and Paykel.

It's fun having interwebs in the ocean! It's NOT fun having mobiles... beep beep diddly-doo-da-day all the time. Nowhere is sacred. Beware, gentle readers, when you plan your travelling - I challenge you to find a place where no-one can suddenly start ordering cat food and reminding little Johnny to do his homework...

For the record, I am still not well, my left sinus has exploded. I think I shouldn't have stopped ze intenze trittment last week when I thought it was ok. So, sigh, back to the old regime, squirt schnort gargle. At least the koff of deth has stopped. M is fine, he went out at an earlier port (sorry about all the question marks in the previous uploads btw, they will be filled in asap) while I was getting myself vertical and in his precious 30 minutes on land, managed to find the Tourist Info Centre, who then helped him find the newsagent, and a florist! So I was (re)woken by a man bearing red roses. SCENTED red roses, they don't do plastic real here. Wonderful. Brilliant man. And mine, all mine! (He won't like me saying that..).

Today brought to you by not very much in the way of scent except the hint of roses I can just smell if I put my whole face into them. Cos sinus trouble means no sense of smell. But I know I'm wearing clean clothes, Gucci, and plenty of coffee. Oh yeah, I bought some more Norsk coffee beans to send home. Heh.

Miss you all. Send me some gum leaves!