Flam and the Briksdal Glacier.

 The Flam railway was everything it should be and more, even though the famed waterfall was mostly still frozen over it was just lovely being in the old vehicle and going up through the mountains to where the snow still had a thick covering over the land.  

The actual town of Flam is very small as are all these Fjord towns, though the numbers must swell considerably when the tourists are in town.  However, it is still more convenient a stopping off point than Olden which felt cold and distant when we arrived so I was really glad that I had booked a formal tour on this final day, which was a coach trip up to Briksdal and then the "Troll Car" - a rather terrifying twisty route up and back which deposited one nearish to the glacier followed by quite a steep walk if you wanted to get closer, which I did.  All of us on table 80 found it absolutely mesmerising and loved being out in the snow and in nature despite the presence of so many others. Once back down the mountain tea and cake awaited us so what more could one want.  

Standing stone near Flam. 

Back on board, there was food, dancing, more shows and so on. I absolutely loved being in the spa and watching the ship sail majestically up the fjords, I was also very impressed with the staff and wished I had had the inspiration to go to see to either put on shows or be a chamber maid and travel at the same time. However, there were aspects that did feel a little uncomfortable for example I would not have got work as a chamber maid as I am not Filipino and whilst a number of the musicians around the ship were they did not feature in the shows, which were all British, so whilst the ship was very international, some of the roles did not seem as mixed as they could be.   I have checked my finances and I am not sure I can justify splashing out again, but in many ways it is a very nice and comfortable way to travel so I can see why so many older people go for it, but how on earth some do several trips a year heaven knows.  Anyway I am glad I know what a little cruise on a little ship feels like.  

The Most Unbelievable Amazing News and Beautiful Bergen.

 I know I still have not finished writing up about Norway, but this news is too important and amazing, so have to share it.  The neighbouring Green Party has swept away the local Conservatives.  They have gone from having two councillors to having seventeen. It is an astonishing achievement.  I know many of the people who have just become Cllrs, I am aware how hard everyone has worked in the area and am absolutely delighted for them.  Well done. 

The political make-up of the council is now:

•    19 Green  
•    16 Conservative
•    10 Liberal Democrat
•    5 Labour

I did not stand this year, partly because of my travelling but it was nice to do some Telling yesterday and to be at the Count to see all the postal votes being opened, so well done to the Broxbourne Green Party for a solid consolidation of the vote in the target ward.  What has happened in East Herts shows that with enough people and an open population that change really can happen.  

Norway's history shows it is a very interesting and open place and on  my second day there in Bergen I did learn more about the country at the Hanseatic League museum and again later in the day at the Resistance Museum tucked away near the castle grounds.  

I had really been looking forward to Bergen, and it was a nice day and interesting, but one I was very tired and two many of the key museums (e.g. Grieg's House) were shut but I think it is because the first day had been so wonderful that Bergen had a lot to live up to and in the end it was probably a slight disappointment compared with everything else.  But it is still beautiful, just love those wooden houses, so beautiful. 

One of the lovely things about being able to dock so near to the centre of town, I managed to rush out and get to the Tourist Office at 9 and check out what was open and so on get a map and then nip back to the boat for breakfast and then head out to the town for the whole day. Despite having just had breakfast I stuffed my face with coffee and the best carrot cake ever but then determindly kept going as long as possible to see as much as possible in the town before heading back to the ship for a well earned fish and chips supper!.  Life on board. that being Saturday night I then went and did my laundry and then popped back up to see my fellow dinners on the second shift of food and had a very naughty plate of cheese and biscuits with which to end the day. 

:) :)

Nautical week in Norway. Getting to grips with onboard life.

Swimming pool, shows, lovely food, and good company all sound great, but even having just completed my first one, the word cruise oozes something I am still not comfortable with. I suppose I just think they sound boring.   Seeing the  one grey mass that boarded with me it did say something about the age cohort of people free to holiday during the school time, it is us older people.  No getting away from it.  I am old and seeing this reflected all around me was a challenge.  Seeing the bulk of the ship above me it was also a challenged and I wondered if I had been stupid to book it, but by the time I sat down for the first evening meal in very good company,  I was beginning to see the positives too. 

 Everyone I spoke to who was a first time participant in cruising, found it odd and surreal, but many were thinking of going on a second trip by the end.  The advantages are enormous, you just get on in the UK, get whisked around, dropped off in interesting places and then brought back again. Far less stressful than most modern day travelling, the disadvantage is that it seems a bit too privileged and not a real trip to another country.  One really is just dipping a toe.  I did not really even meet any Norwegians this time, but in truth quite often when travelling it is only other travellers that one meets.   Lots of the people travelling for the first time alone, had lost a partner and that was humbling.  And although most of us were above 50, that still meant a wide range of ages and experiences and hopes and dreams.    So I have laughed, swum, seen lovely entertainment, eaten some wonderful food, found out more about the many Filipinos working on the ships and made new friends.  I have also seen something of Norway,  such a beautiful country and one with a very interesting and at times inspiring history. 

                                                                                  

A few years ago I got an unexpected inheritance and almost all of it went West curtesy of a certain Mr. B and the CPS who decided that a person who had admitted that he had my money was not guilty of a crime as one day he might give me back said money!.   So this new very unexpected bonus is being spent by me - now.  How anyone affords to do regular cruises heaven knows, but apparently one person on board sails for 5 months of the year.  I would love to do the round the world trip, which is why I thought I should at least try one cruise, but I will have to keep working and working even more if I want to do that.  It is a dilemma as that would be amazing. 

Hot all over but over mail, rather than, male.

 More gree and f   f     f as for days been trying to resolve a problem with Microsoft Hotmail.com emails as my box seems to be full. Microsoft Community is full of people with the same problem, who like me have tried to empty their mail boxes and now find nothings seems to resolve the problem.  Stupid or perhaps clever as any company that wants to avoid the shit that should come their way they have a phone number that just tells you to go online, and says that is easier, when you are ringing as online solutions have failed. I suppose for years I have taken my account for granted, I have paid nothing for it and until this week it had the history of my work, my relationships, my taxes, my losses and gains, my searches for houses and now virtually nothing is left of any of it and all the people I was in contact with re politics, outings, holidays and so on - they are all in abeyance. 

Taxing problems.

 Grit my teeth, grit my teeth, grit my teeth.  My lodger regularly moans to me about local and Government services and things being online.  I just take my frustration out in this blog.  

I have elected to receive emails from HMRC which is good, but no good if you cannot reply to their emails and they do not include an address you can reply to or phone number you can reply to.  Apparently my tax code has changed, but to access this information online I need two additional bits of information one my passport - nice and easy - two the other one information about when I last sent them something.  Well heaven knows the answer to that, so I do not have the required information to pass security but no way of getting back to HMRC to check what they have told me.  Perhaps scammers make it easier to be contacted whereas august official bodies like HMRC are so guarded you cannot access your own information.  Cannot be bothered right now to search through papers for an incorrect address to work out what is going on. 

Pushing the bus out.....

Adrian Ramsay, Co-leader of the Green Party delighted locals and party activist by visiting Hoddesdon on his East Herts Big  Action Day.  Whilst there he had the chance, along with local Candidates - Sally Kemp, Bob Gledhill, Owen Brett and Roy Clements - to find out about the quality of local bus services.    Responses ranged from "appalling" to "good".  A third of those questioned used buses as their primary source of local travel (cars and trains were the other most equally popular forms of transport) and a number felt service had got worse recently but that night buses had long been bad.    Other concerns raised were the frequency of buses, cleanliness, connectivity and price.       Interestingly only about half of those questioned had actually formally complained about the services, but one person said they did so regularly and found the responses inappropriate and unhelpful. 

Broxbourne Green Party has called for improved services on existing estates,  as the services are none existent in some places,  and they have stressed the importance of them when new estates are being given the go ahead.  Nationally the Green Party is calling for a "£1 fare to take you there". In our survey cheaper prices would definitely get more people out of their cars and onto buses - provided they run on time - helping to reduce congestion on the roads and pollution in the area and helping us to reach net zero.   BGP will be submitting the results of the survey to HCC and welcome any further feedback on bus services in the Broxbourne areas. 

Our Party leader is coming to town. Come and join us.

 

Adrian Ramsay, Green Party Co-leader, will be visiting Hoddesdon on 21st March 2023. He will be located at the Clock Tower, Hoddesdon from 6-7:00pm. He will be out and about with local members, supporters and activists.

Members of the public are encouraged to come and meet Adrian and ask him any questions you would like to raise.