Blogs from Longyearbyen, Northern Norway, Norway, Europe - page 2

Early morning checkout from hotel with transport to Oslo airport. There is something about guided tours that is a bit lazy….everything just happens. The trade off is that you spend a bit of time waiting for others but I think this is more than outweighed by the fact that it is all laid on for you. A two hour flight to Tromsø on the Norwegian coast, followed by a bizarre deplaning, checkout, passport control and check-in through a separate gate, getting back on the same plane in the same seat! We worked out later that this is because Longyearbyen is outside of the Schengen customs zone which explains the extra layer of beauracracy. Airport signs in Norwegian, English and Russian suggest we are heading to a unique part of the world. Norway is FULL of lakes. ... read more

Ny Alesund This tiny settlement is home to researchers from around the world. We were instructed to stay on the paths and not to go out of the settlement. Buildings are scattered around, many from the days when coal mining was king here. There is a mining museum that has artifacts from those days. Then here are some larger wooden buildings that house scientists from various countries. There are modern glass and concrete structures that house the permanent researchers from countries such as Norway and Germany. Austria’s building looks like an outhouse. China’s has lions guarding the doorway. There are very strict environmental laws and the fines are hefty, around $7,500 for littering. They are very serious about preservation here and permission to visit is contingent on the good behavior of the passengers. While in these ... read more