Journeys and Destinations

"You can't get hung up on what you think your 'real' destination is. The journey is just as important" - Steve McCurry, Photojournalist

First night, wander miles through the suburbs of Tromso, trying in vain to find somewhere dark to stop. Hilly place, camera and tripod heavy. Not really sure where I'm going, not really sure what I'm looking for. After about 2 hours I admit I'm not walking out of the city and head back to the centre. Decide to practice some night shots at harbour side. It's not especially picturesque but it will do. Couple of shots then pack up. Hang on, why's that hilltop green? No way! Scramble stuff out, stick fast lens on, guess settings. Wow!! 20 mins of shots and I SAW it. Pack up and continue wandering. Hour later, you know, that hill is green again! More pics. Over the cathedral too. First night, so lucky.

Fast forward 24 hours. Out with guide and some other visitors from UK. Drive around for hours, get some great scenery pics but no lights. Really doesn't matter, it's part of the journey. Cold though. Get home at 02:30.

And another 24 hours, guide takes pity on poor soul and takes him out again. Top man! Drive round yet more incredible coastline but tonight it's the cloud conspiring against us. Still, persevere, it's like fishing! And eventually it's rewarded, so faint, almost invisible to naked eye, but the camera can capture it! Reflected in the lake. Loving it! But loving the scenery and the company and the experience just as much.

In between times I'm walking miles around Tromso, visiting museums and galleries, taking in the place. It's not the most photogenic city, it's a working port in the Arctic Circle not a choc box alpine town, but it has its own appeal for that. And the people are so very hospitable. Did I mention it has its own brewery too??

My indefatigable guide, Kjetil Skogli, has invited me along again tonight just cos he's going out anyway. Tomorrow I'm doing a three hour coach trip out of Tromso so I can do a four hour boat trip back! Then I start working out my next journey. Destinations are just way-points...

The tension mounts...

After a long old trip I'm finally in tromso. Delayed three hours on the way due to the fog in rygge but it's all part of the deal.

Tromso seems nice but I've only seen one street so far. However the hotel owner has hooked me up with a guide for tomorrow night. Apparently he took Joanna Lumley out on her programme. But I bet they all say that. They did say to bring your passport!

Just had the world's largest (and maybe most expensive) jägermeister. It's true the alcohol is stupidly expensive. So are the taxis. However the coffee and the wifi seem to be largely free.

I'm off for some dinner and a wander in the park. You never know what you might see in the night sky...

Of opportunities and the Northern Lights

"In life, just as in sport, you must never ever let an opportunity go" - Laurent Fignon (1960-2010), twice winner of the Tour de France

There's quite a long story behind this trip. Well not that long so bear with me...

Not long after Vodafone left me I was chatting to some friends about the reality of my situation when one of them (Sam, northern, knows me better than myself!) challenged me. She wanted to know what was the one thing, of all the things I could do, what was the one single thing I wanted to do? I thought for only a second or two then with utter conviction said "I want to see the Northern Lights". Don't ask me why this was the one thing that bubbled to the surface at that particular moment, but it IS something I have been fascinated by since I learned about them as a child. And now I could create an opportunity to try and photograph them :)

The next thing that happened was Billy offering me a trip to see the world cup in South Africa that clashed with another trip I had already planned to Bratislava (love travel, tough life!). So I suddenly had a return Sleazy Jet flight to Vienna that I needed to move to somewhere else. So I did. Late sun? Early snow? Nah!! After hours of painstaking research (well a quick scan of the genius that's wikipedia) I booked a flight to as far north as Sleazy Jet could get me. Gothenburg!

So here I am sitting on the train from Goth to Oslo, the sky is clearing, I'm told there might be some chance of activity, and tomorrow I fly to Tromso, inside the arctic circle. And I have NO idea what to expect, whether I'll be able to see them, whether I'll be able to photograph them. To be honest it doesn't matter because I'm going to be seeing somewhere totally new to me. It's hugely exciting and really quite liberating to just travel like this, without a package tour rep, chalet host, charter flight or tedious coach transfer in sight. Beach hols just aren't for me!!

Staying in Rygge tonight, earlyish flight tomorrow. Bet I don't sleep!!