Day 30: Norway, Kirkenes

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Day 30: 5th. June 2006: Clear and sunny with mist over the mountain: Flight to Kirkenes with baggage allowance 15Kg and hand luggage max 5 kg. We knew this before we left Perth so all was oK especially as we were wearing so much warm gear now. Well Kirkenes very different to the other places in landscape, flora and people. Most shops were closed so, not many people around at all so we went walking round the town. We are only a couple of miles away from the Russian border.
Daylight all the time.

Day 31: Fine and sunny: We had a very nice breakfast with a large selection of fish and 9 fish pastes, also normal Aussie food sort of. People different - dressed like people out of a Poirot movie. We walked up the hill to a Museum where the history and occupation of Kirkenes was shown well. After lunch just the 2 of us went on a boat trip up the river to Boris Gleb on the Russian border. We could see the border guards with rifles and one in the look out tower had his binoculars on us a lot of the time. It is a very strange feeling being in a place where you are constantly and obviously being watched all the time and home is a long way away. We could stand by the post in Norway, but if we even stepped across to the other post 3 metres away we would be in Russia and at their mercy. While we looked around our guide prepared a meal for us of salmon and potato salad. It was almost a relief to be back at Kirkenes.

Day 32: 7th. June: Brekky and to the ship.

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