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Viking Explorer Society News - Issue 15 - Autumn 2022

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After a day of exploring how did you spend your evenings on the ship? Typically, the evenings were spent with an early drink in the Explorer Lounge with some of the guests chatting about the day, before heading off to dinner at one of the restaurants and then returning to the Explorer Lounge for a nightcap and entertainment. There were usually lectures in the Hide every evening with the Expedition guides de-briefing the day's events/sightings and possibly what to expect the next day. Can you tell us about the dining options onboard? We would have to say 'The Restaurant' was our favourite venue and we were fortunate enough to be able to dine in both restaurants a couple of times. The food was exquisite. Breakfast was usually at the World Café which offered a wide selection of great breakfast options. We mainly had lunch at Mamsen's for the delicious Norwegian specialties or on the odd occasion at the World Café. Dinner as I said was mainly at the world-class restaurants, but we also did dine at 'The Grill' and Sushi Bar. What was your stateroom like? Our stateroom was quite impressive, it was large, well-appointed and again beautiful. The balcony window is a fantastic piece of engineering that allowed you to experience Antarctica's beauty as if you were on the deck without actually leaving your room. We also had a drying closet, another great idea as you could come back from your excursion, get changed in your room and hang up your expedition clothing to dry ready for your next adventure. I also have to comment on the bathroom, it was spacious and easily accommodated the both of us at the same time and I could easily use the shower without having to worry about hitting my elbows or head as it was so large. Clockwise, from top left: Jeff & Anna; Nordic Balcony Stateroom; Seals on land; Antarctica landscape; On the viewing platform SPR ING 2020 | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.UK 49 H orse riding on a deserted beach had been a dream of mine ever since I was a little girl hacking out ponies on weekends in the UK. I never thought the day would come and I'd never imagined it would happen in Norway. Yet, here I was riding Silfri, a sweet-natured Icelandic horse whose name described his tufty silvery blonde mane, along a stunning white-sand beach. I was in Hov, on the tranquil island of Gimsøy in the Lofoten archipelago, where less than 200 people live. Since falling from my horse just over a decade ago and breaking two 'wing' bones in my lumbar spine, I hadn't ridden at all. It had resulted in six weeks of life altering bed rest and I became too frightened to ride again for fear of Viking taking fjords pristine risking a similar injury or worse. But when I read about Viking's horse riding excursion on the Into the Midnight Sun cruise, I felt it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity too good too miss. It was then that I realised how a cruise experience can offer you just the right level of adventure, exploration and relaxation for your needs. I wasn't ready for official riding lessons at the local equestrian centre or a full-blown adventure holiday, but since discovering a passion for trail running earlier on in the year, my fitness and confidence had increased considerably, so it felt like the right moment to finally face my fear. e ride would only take a couple of hours, I'd told myself, so even if I couldn't overcome my anxiety I wouldn't have to be in that situation for long. Afterwards I could relax on the new and luxurious Viking Jupiter. e morning brought a panoramic tour of Lofoten, which included sightseeing to spellbinding Haukland Beach, one of the most picturesque beaches in Norway, and to Ballstad, a scenic and traditional fishing village. Later that day, with the dramatic setting of Lofoten's mountains behind and the beach to ourselves, I learned that one of my fellow riders hadn't ridden a horse since she was in her twenties. She felt excited to be on horseback again and was so moved by the experience of riding in the beguiling seaside location. We also rode trails that showed us more of this wild island, from the fairy tale-like Norwegian turf viking.com 75

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