*A MASSIVE apology 2 those of you who actually took the time 2 look at our blog but found that it hadnt been updated. We had no connectivity nearly all the time on the ship so obviously, if we didnt have any internet, we couldnt go ON the internet, and we couldnt add any new posts. SORRY!!!!! So there u go, thats my grovelling over....
On a happier note, we had an amazing time so i will quickly giv u a brief overview of the trip (although i get monday n tuesday a bit mixed up....)Apologies if some of the dates and occasions dont match up - some days i forgot 2 do the diary thing.
*Wed 4th - set off for Svalbard, arriving around 1:30 next morning and staying in Spitsbergen Guest House.
*Thu 5th - we went 2 SvalSat - the world's biggest satellite station and ate at a posh restaurant called Kroa.
*Fri 6th - Safety training with UNIS. Learnt how 2 react 2 polar bears including guns, how 2 set up camp on Svalbard and water safety using those sexy orange survival suits......
*Sat 7th - Went 2 UNIS museum in morning - every animal in there except the whale is real, it was really good. We later boarded the Russian cruise ship Polaris.
*Sun 8th - Saw an entymologist (insect guy) @ UNIS and later went to Ny-London and Ny-Alesund. In Ny-Alesund, we studied arctic anthropods and met the arctic artist called Antonia (note my use of alliteration)who was very kind n gave me a pack of oil pastels!
*Mon 9th n Tues 10th -
(Things i know were on Monday) Went to an island with Texas Bar and went hiking - really good and had a MASSIVE snowball fight with over 50 people - even the journalists joined in! Went 2 Barentsburg which is an abandoned ghost town.
(Things I think were on Monday but could've been Tuesday) WE SAW OUR FIRST (AND ONLY) POLAR BEAR!!!!!It was walking along the mountain with a fish dangling out its mouth....
(things i know were on tuesday) Went hiking again and later had the opportunity 2 swim in the arctic ocean. Me n Alex (my bf) dived headfirst down a mountainside of snow in only tsirts n trousers. (i lost all sensation in my arms from the elbows down....)lol! and me n mary (1 of my m8s from effelence)(in only her bikini) made (possibly) the most northerly snow angels in the world. lol! WE also crossed the 80 degrees north barrier and made it 81.9 deg north altogether in the pack ice
*Wed 11th - Went to an old whaling station in the morning and went for a long hike up the side (and down the other) of a mountain. Lets just say a FEW of us didnt manage 2 stay upright.....
*Thu 12th - Sebastien (one of our guides) gave a talk about ice cores at UNIS n let us stand in a human freezer that was -3 degrees. Surprisingly, it wasnt actually that chilly in there. Also had a treasure hunt n got 2 fling an ice cube @ the judges using a catapult made out of tweezers and a hairband... lol! Classic.
*Fri 13th - WE WENT HUSKY SLEDDING!!!!!! it was amazing! Stopped for lunch in a hut that was completely blacked out apart from a campfire n candles scattered about the room. The guy was even nice enough to make us a soup with meat n potatoes which was very yummy. Started r packing. And repacking. Thank God i was room-m8s wiv michelle who just happens 2 b extremely good @ packing..... Also went 2 a ghost town. Y WOULD SUM1 WANT 2 MAKE US GO 2 A GHOST TOWN ON FRIDAY THE 13TH????? Ive gotta admit though, it was pretty interesting. Oh yeah, we also saw a bottle house which was made completely from glass bottles. How amazing would it b 2 live in that!?!?!?!?!
*Sat 14th - Home again. They say there's no place like home but we all just wanted 2 stay. We caught r flight 2 Oslo n looked round the Kon-Tiki museum n then the Framheim musuem n then departed Norway for London Heathrow. (i must say that the norwegian lasagnes are the best i av ever tasted!) Needless 2 say, tears flowed all round. However, there is gonna b a reunion (probs with even more tears)n we r already counting the days!
Just wanna say hi 2 every1 - in particular: Alex, Kerry, Mary, Manda, Rachel, Becky, Lucy, Kim, Jess n Christine. LUV U ALL LOADS N CANT W8 2 C U ALL AGAIN!!!
Missing everyone already***********************oxo***********************
Thanks 2 every1 who made this experience possible for us - u really r one in a million.
As sum of u know, I had Race For Life 2day so even though i was extremely tired (as always) i somehow dragged (run) my way around the 5k course in pink fairy wings n a white micro-mini so as promised 2 many of u, heres a pic to PrOvE it! lol
