Hello! It’s been a bit of a slower week, but we’ve embarked on a new adventure: a fjords cruise to Norway and Iceland!
We spent the beginning of the week in the North of London. Nathan used the Haringey library system’s pianos for several hours each day. We took long walks and enjoyed some tacos and sushi. We also went to the movies (F1) and one musical (The Devil Wears Prada). In general, it felt a lot slower than the pace we’ve been keeping as we’ve road tripped around multiple countries.
On Thursday, we packed up all of our stuff and made our way through rush-hour on the Tube, which is not a small task with all our backpacks! We again boarded a train to Southampton and then boarded another cruise ship. This time, we get to travel to western Norway and all the way around Iceland to see the beautiful fjords.
We really enjoyed our first two days on the ship as we were just at sea. We really needed the rest and since we are on the same ship as last time, it feels a bit like home and we could relax and enjoy.
Our first port was Haugesund, Norway. It’s a town that was established in the 19th century at the height of the herring fishing boom. The day started out really foggy. The ship blew the super loud horn every 5 minutes as we sailed in since visibility was essentially zero. Once we were off the ship, we took a tour to see a couple fjords and Langafoss waterfall. Once the fog cleared, the weather was perfect! It was warm and sunny and we really enjoyed the gorgeous scenery.
Next up was the tiny town of Skjolden at the head of the Sognefjord. We enjoyed a walk up to another beautiful waterfall, Drivandefossen, and a stroll around town. Since the weather was really warm (mid-eighties!), we spent the afternoon at the pool, gazing out over the turquoise glacial water of the fjord at the forested slopes of the cliffs. It was absolutely stunning.
We are loving the fact that we can still see lots of news places without Nathan having to do all the driving. The food is great and it’s easy to get what we like. So far, this cruise has been lovely. More to come!
Paradise
Happy October! We hope you are enjoying this beautiful time of year! Some people dream of paradise on a quiet tropical beach, listening to the surf with a drink in hand. Not this girl! Give me mountains, especially drenched in autumn color, bursting with new spring leaves, or covered in snow. We are spending October in one of our favorite places–Big Cottonwood Canyon just east of the Salt Lake Valley. We are loving the gorgeous golden aspen with the deep pine greens. Hiking is great and so is the smell of fresh forest! Nathan’s sister, Liz, and her husband, Christian, joined us one morning for a lovely hike through the woods. We got to experience a powerful thunderstorm and then a full day of snowfall. Our condo for the month is just right for us and we love having access to a pool, hot tubs, sauna, and workout facilities. We especially like that we can pop back to the valley to do some shopping or see family and friends. So far, so good!
Fun Family Time
We have had a lovely couple of weeks in Utah. We’ve been able to rest and recover from five months of travel, help Nathan’s mom at her house, and spend time with family.
Full Circle
Five months ago we flew to Rome from Utah. We had a summer of trying new places and experiences and revisiting old favorites and now we’re back where we started. Since we get the question a lot, I thought I would share some of our favorites from our travels in Europe this year.
Sounds like lots of fun! We miss you guys 💖
So fun! I love these beautiful photos. Which cruise ship is this? And you’ve been on it before? I’m so it feels a bit like home. 😊