Tromso - the last post

We are now in Tromso, 400 km north of the Arctic Circle, latitude 69 degrees north. Tromso is the last post (of any significant size) in Norway.  It has a university with a buzzing student population.  It is a tourist centre in summer   (midnight sun) and winter (Northern lights, plus lots of X-country skiing).  It is set with a back drop of snow-capped peaks. We have been cooking our evening meals - with salmon on special at $11 a kilo (!!)  guess what's been on the menu every night?

Prior to driving here yesterday we had 2 days on Senja Island, on the way here from the Lofoten islands. We explored the island by car, but due to a small car accident, did not get time to hike.

 Our driver did not see a concrete barrier at the entrance to the lookout car park. It had quite a drop on the other side and we flattened one tyre and caused a bulge in another.  With not even one spare tyre we called Avis for help. Over 2 hours later we got towed, and the tyres were replaced next morning.  Dinner ended up being at 11 pm  :-(

 Waiting for the ferry off Senja towards Tromso - perfect weather all day

 aboard the ferry

 arrival in Tromso

 Today we did a 200 km trip east of Tromso, driving past 1600m high mountains.

It was a bit cloudy so the peaks were hidden.

 poppies flowering near our lunch spot

 the others agree to a short hike alongside the fast flowing glacial stream

 a garden back in the village where the walk started

 views from the car heading back to Tromso

 Tromso

 Tromso Botanic Alpine Gardens - it's quite amazing what they can 

get to grow this far north.  They have plants from all continents.

This is my last post for the blog.  Tomorrow the Sheards fly to Bergen, and we fly to London.  We then have 21 hours there (the plan is to visit Greenwich) before the horrible flight home - about 22 hours including a 2 hour transit in Dubai.  We arrive 530 am in Melbourne on Monday.  Any volunteers to pick us up?

Midnight Sun Hiking

The "midnight sun" refers to the concept of the sun dipping to the horizon, touching it, but not dipping below it, before rising again. This occurs perfectly on June 21st right on the Arctic Circle, but even either side of that date and north of the Arctic Circle the effect is almost the same.

So who spotted the gross error in my last post?  I talked about having to go to a west facing beach to view the midnight sun.  But if the sun went down in the west how could it immediately start rising in the east?  Of course it couldn't.  Its low point is actually in the north.  So on Sunday we headed to Hov, a north facing beach on Lofoten.  We arrived at midnight to see some golfers playing (a mere $135 for 9 holes on an uninspiring course).

We partly hiked up the mountain in the first photo, to get better views.  We hiked from midnight to 1 pm.  There was much discussion about how close to the horizon the sun would get. Graeme thought that the fact that we were 2 degrees above the Arctic Circle would be cancelled out by the fact that we were a week past the shortest day, and the sun would still touch the horizon.  But when we left near 1:15 am the sun seemed to have not moved since our arrival at midnight. So Judy and I think his hypothesis is wrong.

 Putting with my hiking pole just after 1 am

 Driving home - now after 1:30 am

Leaving Lofoten

Yesterday we had a long drive NE, including one ferry, to get to Senja Island.  It is Norway's scond largest island and reputed to have spectacular scenery.  We are about to head out and see.