Category: Travel

Posts about my Chapter 5 travel adventures

“Lisa, don’t plan on seeing any polar bears.”

Nanine warned me not to get too excited about seeing polar bears.  She said I may see some musk oxen, walruses, birds…but not to set my heart on seeing any polar bears.

We saw our first on Svalbard on our second day.  Then on Greenland we saw another.  And another.  And another.  In total, we saw 14 polar bears!!!

Even with a big zoom lens, my photos aren’t crisp, but here are some of my favorite polar bear pics!  Some images are of the same bear in different “poses”; others are of different bears.  

August 6:  First bear sighting (Ny Ålesund and the island Blomstrandhalvøya)

 

August 6:  Same bear doing downward dog…I mean, downward bear

 

August 6:  Same bear – rub my belly, please

 

August 6:  Same bear – look at those paws!

 

August 6:  Same bear – “Who you looking at?”

 

August 10:  First Greenland bear

 

August 10:  Same bear looking right at me…or so it seems!

 

August 11:  This bear, sighted on an isthmus while we were walking, required us to evacuate to Kinfish.  Alex and Lauren, using very calm yet higher pitched voices, directed us to retreat.  The photo is very cropped and blurry – how Lauren and Alex could see the bear from so far away is a mystery!

 

August 11:  Bear Convention!  We saw FIVE bears!!!  The guess is there was some carcass they were enjoying…or a meeting of the bear minds!

 

August 11:  Bear Convention – unusual to see bears together unless a mother and cub

 

August 11:  Bear Convention – those paws!

 

August 11:  Bear Convention – looking right at me and seeing…?

 

August 11:  Bear Convention – sitting like a doggie

 

August 11:  Bear Convention – walking over the rocks

 

August 13:  Mama bear and her cubs

The first time I saw Kinfish, it was pulling into port in Longyearbyen.  It looked so small to me, especially next to some of the larger cruise ships near it.  In time, however, I realized that its size was its strength.  Being a 12 passenger vessel, Kinfish has the maneuverability to explore places others vessels can only dream of.  Additionally, the size is large enough to provide comfort and space, especially the heart of the ship, the bridge.

First sighting of Kinfish

 

Kinfish with ice and glacier

 

Kinfish waiting for us while we walked on pack ice

 

Kinfish in a fjord as seen from one of many zodiac adventures

 

The Bridge:  Heart and Epicenter of Kinfish
Cadet Axel, Guide Alex, Captain Robin

 

First Mate Sarah

 

 

 

I climbed up the mast!

 

Reading and relaxing in the Survey Lounge

 

View of the water as reflected by a bridge window

 

Captain’s dinner – last night on Kinfish

 

Polar Bear ice cubes – reminding us of the 14 (yes, 14!) polar bears we saw!

 

Arriving in Akureyri

 

Farewell, Kinfish.  I already miss you!  (View from Akureyri.)

 

 

I am not an epicurean.  I like food – a lot!  And I like wine – a lot!  Yet, I tend to eat more plainly than fancily.

However, I had one of the most delicious meals EVER on, yes, Svalbard!  With reservations at Gruvelageret, located in the arctic wilderness yet serving exquisite food paired with perfect wine, we enjoyed a magnificent dinner.

I don’t usually post food pics, but this time… ❤️

 

 

 

 

Between courses, we enjoyed playing with photos…  Here’s my favorite…Nanine through a wineglass…

 

Another more abstract photo…

 

The four of us, ready to walk from the restaurant to our AirBnB – on the lookout, of course, for polar bears!

Norway in a Nutshell with Kayla was FABULOUS!  And it was only the first phase of my Arctic Adventure.

After bidding farewell to Kayla until our next adventure (stay tuned!), I met Nanine, Francie, and Peggy at the airport to fly from Oslo to Svalbard, the arctic island nearly 1,000 km north of the most northern part of mainland Norway.  Svalbard, known for its polar bears, seed vault, and coal mines, hosts boat docks for expedition vessels.

With one full day and a morning in Svalbard, Peggy and I, who had never been there, enjoyed the Coal Mine 3 Tour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the tour and lunch at the Husky Cafe, complete with dog sledding huskys roaming the cafe scouting for snacks and snuggles, we walked around Svalbard.

 

The final town on our Norway in a Nutshell tour took us to Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city, a historic coastal gem framed by seven mountains and iconic fjords like the Sognefjord and Hardangerfjord.

After checking into our hotel, we took the Fløibanen funicular to Mt. Fløyen

 

 

Views from Mt. Fløyen

 

 

Bergen Fish Market

 

Bergen Sites

 

 

 

 

Nordnes Sjøbad:  I swam in the pool, enjoyed the sauna, and put my legs in the cold fjord

In the morning, we explored the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Nærøyfjord on the classic fjord cruise between Flåm and Gudvangen.  Kayla was a trooper, staying outside the whole time.  I, however, sheltered inside when the raindrops fell and the wind blew!

Sites from the ferry

 

 

 

 

After the ferry, we took a shuttle to Stegastein Viewpoint

 

Kayla, who swims whenever and wherever possible, enjoyed the fjord waters

 

Other views from Flam

 

 

“Norway in a Nutshell” comprises three cities, showcasing different aspects of Norway.  Oslo, our first stop, is a major capital city.  From there, we traveled to Flam, a city of a gorgeous fjord.  The train ride from Oslo to Flam offered some amazing views.

Views from the train

 

 

 

Switching train in Myrdal

 

 

 

The Flam Railroad stopped at the Kjosfossen waterfall where Huldra sang and danced for us.

 

View from restaurant window

 

A benefit of rain

 

The next day, we took a ferry to Bygdøy Penninsula, where we toured the Kon-Tiki and Fram museums.  

“The Kon-Tiki museum shows Thor Heyerdahl’s famous life’s work, which is characterized by a desire for research, environmental protection and sustainability and deep respect for indigenous peoples. The exhibits include the original balsa raft from the Kon-Tiki expedition and the reed boat Ra II.” 9https://www.kon-tiki.no/en/home)

Kon-Tiki Museum

 

“The Fram is the famous Norwegian wooden ship built in 1892 by Colin Archer for polar exploration. Designed with a rounded hull to lift up when squeezed by pack ice rather than crush, it carried explorers on three historic expeditions across the Arctic and Antarctic before finding a permanent home in Oslo.” (https://www.introducingoslo.com/fram-museum)

The Fram Museum

 

Monument to explorers

 

Views of Oslo, taken while wandering

 

 

 

After several months home recovering, somewhat, from eye surgery, it was time to finally board a flight for a new adventure!

Hello, Norway!

Following a 27 hour journey, with two exceptionally long layovers in Los Angeles and Frankfurt, a benefit of booking with miles 😊, I arrived in Oslo where I was greeted by my friend Kayla.  I met my Londoner friend Kayla on Safari two years ago.  Since then, she joined us on the Camino in Sarria, she met me in Norway, and we have two other trips already planned together.  

Our first full day brought us to several of the wonders of Oslo.  Here are my first few photos.

View from the plane

 

Domkirke:  Cathedral with a gorgeous painted ceiling

 

Vigelandsparken:  The sculptures stretched one’s imagination

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changing of the Guard at the Royal Palace

 

Nobel Peace Center

 

Masjonalmussett:  The National Museum

 

 

The final chapter of my fall travels began once I returned to California. I spent Thanksgiving week with my “grandkids” and their parents, and we decided to turn the holiday into an adventure.

We piled into a rented minivan, drove to Long Beach, and caught the ferry to Catalina Island. Our two days on the island were delightfully full: solving an escape room, playing miniature golf (I proudly won my age category!), touring around in a golf cart, exploring the Botanical Gardens and Wrigley Memorial, and spotting fish from the Yellow Submarine.

After ferrying back to Long Beach, we spent a leisurely afternoon at the aquarium before driving up the coast to Oxnard, where we stayed at a gorgeous resort and soaked in the hot tub under the evening sky.

On our final day, we walked along the beach—highlighted by the four-year-old gleefully splashing in the waves in nothing but his underwear—and then wrapped up the week with a visit to the Santa Barbara Zoo.

It was the perfect way to close out a season of travel: full of laughter, exploration, and so many happy moments.

 

 

 

 

 

In October, my niece married her now-husband during a small, intimate ceremony in Cabo San Lucas. A month later, in November, they gathered friends and extended family in Cocoa, Florida to celebrate the nuptials—and that joyful weekend became the second stage of my fall adventure.

Coming straight from my New York trip, I loved slipping into full family mode: hanging out, walking, talking, and dancing with my siblings, nieces, nephew, and great-nieces. Being surrounded by family—both the one we’re born into and the one we choose—filled my heart. Truly, family is everything.

 

 

 

Several months ago, right around the time I received the “save the date” for my niece’s wedding, a good friend in New York reached out to ask when I might be visiting. The timing was perfect. I decided to turn two separate East Coast plans into one extended adventure, spending a week in New York on my way to Florida.

As always, the best part of the trip was the people. I loved having unhurried time with friends and family—long conversations, delicious meals, and some memorable beverages. Reconnecting with my New York community was exactly what I needed.

In between meetups, I played tourist. I wandered through Central Park, explored the Met and the Morgan Library, strolled Greenwich Village, and walked the High Line. And, I finally visited the Statue of Liberty for the very first time—proof that even after many trips to New York, there’s always something new to discover.

Of course, no NYC visit feels complete without a Broadway show. This time it was Buena Vista Social Club, and it absolutely delivered.

A few of my favorite photos…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visiting friends and family—wherever they might be—always enriches my life. This fall, my wonderful niece and her terrific husband celebrated their recent nuptials with a beautiful reception in Florida. Since I’d be on the East Coast for the wedding party, I decided to make a 16-day adventure out of it.

I spent the week beforehand in New York, hanging out with friends and family while taking in a few classic NY sights. After the wedding, during Thanksgiving week, I jumped right into exploring with the kids and their parents back in California.

The whole trip was filled with fun, hugs, excursions, love, and plenty of photo opportunities. And yes, it also came with an unexpected souvenir: a brief little cold on my end that decided to extend its vacation with the kids and their parents. 😑

Here are links to the three phases of my Fall Vacation: