I have crossed the Arctic Circle!

This morning around 7:22am (my time) I crossed the arctic circle at 66º 33 minutes North!!! This point is marked with a globe monument (which I am unable to see with the cloud cover). Although I can not see it... I am still excited to be the 2nd Skyhawk t o traverse this route! Maria Swygert was here earlier this summer!

Todays excursion is to travel to the Svartisen glacier. However, with this mornings weather of rain and cloud cover, I am happy I decided to say on the ship! So I can sit here on the 9th deck observation deck and watch everything float by as I drink my cup of coffee and write.

I thought I would take this opportunity to give you a few facts regarding this country I have been traveling for the past 9 days: (yes it is easily googled.. but I actually found these things out on my trip)

1. Norway has about 4.7 million people living within its boarders

2. Its three largest cities are its capital of Oslo (557,000 ppl), Bergen (247,000 ppl) and Trondheim (165,000 ppl)

3. The area of this country covers a little over 239,000 square miles (385,155 km2) with over 187,000 sq miles of mainland

4. Norway is bordered by Sweden, Finland and Russia

I have enjoyed meeting so many people from all over the world. It is my privilege to share meals with a table of very diverse people. In a nutshell... just at one table you have a person from Austrailia who lives and works in Abu Dabi... you have a Belgium born man traveling with an American partner both of which work for World Bank in Washington DC (she grew up in a school very much like Hammond)... and my favorite are Los Angels based Martin the astronomer and his wife Shirley (who are on their way to India). This couple is so adorable and in their 70's with such a jazz for life and travel.

Beyond my dinner table, I have met Jon! A canadian business man, originally from Norway, lived 15+ years working for the studios in California. I enjoyed a wonderful chat with him on the upper solar deck. Very enlightening and welcomed conversation! He let me know that many Norwegians have not even been on this trip I am taking. He and I agreed that it is some of the most spectacular sights in the world. He also was telling me how young I am and that if I liked it so much I should just be adventurous and stay! I told him I am not too sure how that would go over back home!!!

I think I have also become the subject of a game for 4 little Norwegian kids, who are traveling aboard. These little ones will run around the ship trying to be the first to find me. Then run off and find the others, but by the time they have returned to where they found me... I have moved! At first it was a bit annoying... but I have come to find myself participating more and more! I can only imagine the questions going through their little minds and the stories that they imagine about this strange solo US traveler .....

Let todays adventures unfold!