18th August 2014

Another good night’s sleep, though we lost another hour as the clocks moved forward. We headed to Alfresco for breakfast at 8 am, though it naturally felt earlier.

To shake off the cobwebs, we took a brisk walk around the deck before returning to our cabin to review the day’s activities. Sue chose to attend a port talk on Trondheim, while I opted for the next lecture on Bletchley Park. During the morning, I missed a call from Charlotte on my mobile, but her follow-up text confirmed it was a mistake. Shortly afterwards, I received a text from Philippa, wondering where we were, as she and Paul had just returned from their adventure along the Silk Road.

Sue and I met back at the cabin and headed to the Lord’s Tavern to join a quiz. We thought we’d done rather poorly (having talked ourselves out of a few correct answers), so we were surprised to learn we’d come second, with only five wrong answers.

After returning to the cabin, I changed and made my way to the gym to burn off a few of the inevitable calories that come with the ship’s large meals. Sue opted for a rest and to ponder alternative ways of calorie reduction. Later, freshly showered, we headed off to indulge in more healthy options at the Oriental Restaurant. While we ate, the ship passed through a heavy shower, and the sea grew noticeably calmer; no doubt we were now in the lee of the Norwegian coast.

After lunch, I picked up an accessory for my reading glasses, and then we returned to the theatre for a lecture on the Moon Landings. Half an hour in, Sue left to catch ‘The Other Woman’ in the ship’s cinema, armed with a handbag full of cakes to enjoy during one of the few activities where continuous snacking wasn’t an option! As for me, I stayed and finished the lecture, feeling virtuous and thoroughly self-improved.

We met up for coffee in one of the aft restaurants and enjoyed a chat with a couple of our dinner companions. Afterwards, we attended a presentation on the Lofoten Islands and were pleased to learn that the only fully booked excursion was the one we’d already selected and booked online.

We changed early for the evening meal, as it was a Black-tie night and we’d been invited to the Captain’s cocktail party. All dressed up and smelling our best, we joined the queue outside one of the lounges, only to be photographed with the Ship’s Safety Officer while the captain was greeting guests at the other entrance! Next time, we’ll be sure to check which queue we’re in. After a glass of champagne and an entertaining, humorous speech by the captain, we headed to dinner.

Since Marco Pierre White had designed one of the evening’s menus, we decided to give it a go, and it wasn’t half bad! I did, however, swap his dessert for the cheese board; there’s only so much of this foreign fare one can handle.

The evening’s entertainment was a classical singer, whom Sue appreciated more than I did, though I have to admit he could sing well. His choice of songs seemed more geared towards charming the ladies than satisfying any Vikings among us! Tomorrow, we arrive in Flam.