Fantastic Fjords... cheezy- I know.

We have begun our cruise around Norway and I must say… I am overwhelmed.  It’s the most incredible place I may have ever been.  It’s certainly one of the most naturally beautiful and I have really been enjoying it so far!  We started this cruise 2 days ago and now are officially doing duties, socializing, and performing. 

The first duty I performed was socializing at the “Block Party.”  This is a chance for the guests to come out of their cabins on the first day of the cruise and meet their neighbors, drink champagne and get initial introductions out of the way.  I was basically among a bunch of hilarious, wealthy characters and loved getting to meet some really fantastic people in my particular area.  The next day was a sea day to get us right into Norway and that morning I also ran a ping-pong tournament.  (Mom, Grandaddy- you should be proud!)  It was a lot of fun, especially since an 11-year old kid named Alex showed up and kicked everyone’s butts!  Ha ha! 

Today was the most full and exciting day I have had since leaving the country.  We are now traveling into the fjords of Norway.  A fjord is an inlet of the ocean that is still deep but is surrounded on three sides by very steep mountains that jut right into the water.  It makes for incredibly dramatic scenery in this amazing country.  Now, as performers we have the privilege of getting to escort tours on the ship, which basically includes keeping a head count and being courteous along the way.  It’s an awesome way to get an even more insider’s look at the ports. Today I went on my first excursion as an escort. 

I woke up early to what was described as the best weather you could ever get in this area of Norway.  (Sunny, completely clear skies and hot!)  and the ship was anchored in the middle of a fjord at Hellesylt.  The ship stays anchored out in the middle of the fjord where it is deep and they tender boats to the port.  This means that guests are actually taken to the ports in lifeboats, lowered down into the water from the ship.  Upon arrival to lad we hopped on a bus where I introduced myself, our bus driver, Verner, and our tour guide, Normann.  We spent the next hour or so traveling around lakes and glaciers and taking in the most breath-taking views. Normann is a local and was extremely informative and funny.  We made for a great team.  Next was a 3 hour hike through a valley and around a couple of lakes.  Seeing this water was just unbelievable; it is crystal clear and so calm it reflects everything right off of it.

Here is Normann teaching.  He said it was preaching since it was a Sunday morning.  Hee hee.
Following the hike the bus met us on the other side and took us to a hotel for lunch and then up some incredibly precarious winding roads to the top of Dalsnibba, a peak overlooking the Geiranger fjord.  As we reached the summit we looked down over a huge valley from far above and got to see our ship, now ported in this fjord to meet us.  We traveled down and ended the day tendering back to the ship.  It was quite a sight to see our big ship, completely dwarfed by God’s creation in these fjords.  I couldn’t have asked for a better view.  (Look at my HOME down there!  I have a pretty stellar view from my front porch this morning.)After all passengers were back on the ship we headed out of the fjord.  Normally leaving a port isn’t such a big deal, but because the fjords are so amazing, EVERYONE was gathered on the deck.  I got a spot at the very tip of the bow, a place they especially opened up for the viewing of the fjords today.  Our Captain did a phenomenal job pulling us right up next to the most famous waterfalls in the area and putting on a really great show for passengers and crew alike.  It is just amazing that the water is deep enough for the ships to be able to come within FEET of these cliffs.  It is certainly like NOTHING I have ever (or will ever) see. 

I was thrilled with the day, but then got to go and have dinner in the dining room, Compass Rose with some more guests!  It was so much fun to take part in such a fantastic, fancy meal.  (And I won’t complain about the steak and crème brulee!)  Finally I ended the night with a crew Bible study, which I was thrilled to find.  The crew is made up of a lot of Philippino’s and when I walked in the door they were so generous and announced, “Now we are international!”  Ha ha!  It was amazing to see them all basically sacrificing their own understanding and clarity of the message for me so that it could be in English.  At one point when the teacher wanted to really drive a point home he apologized and read a scripture in their language over again so that they could understand more clearly.  It was really outstanding to hear the word in another tongue and to see such passionate followers of Christ on board the ship.  There were about a dozen of us, but it was a great night. 

Needless to say… I am EXHAUSTED!!! We are in the city of Trondheim tomorrow and I am excited to go exploring.  Love you all!  Miss you tons!!!

Tripp