Now that I have completed four successful years of undergraduate school, it was time for me to continue my travels. By the time I walked into the hotel room, I got a very sweet note from Viking, the cruise line I traveled with congratulating me on my college graduation and gave me some delicious European pastries. I felt very loved, especially because this vacation is a huge celebration for my success and all the work that I do for raising autism awareness globally. After dropping off the luggage in the hotel room, I went to the Nobel Peace Center, a museum just a block away from City Hall where the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is held every December. During my time in the museum, I was reading about famous political leaders who have won the Nobel Peace Prize through their advocating skills. Once I saw the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, I was thinking about my two hard working instructors from my college career and how they have helped me become a stronger advocate for the causes I care about.
Oslo to Bergen Introduction
After spending the night at the Raddison Blu Hotel, we went on a bus tour to explore Oslo before heading to Bergen. Our first stop began driving up a hill to a skiing arena where there is a large hill to slide down from. Our tour ended at the Viking Museum. It was a very short museum depicting the designs of how Viking boats were made in the old days before it became a cruise line. Five minutes past noon was our seven-hour train ride to Bergen. During the ride, I watched the Da Vinci Code on Netflix. I usually like to watch movies on my computer when traveling to a different location, but I was very intrigued and entertained by the breath taking views that I got to see outside the window. We traveled through gorgeous farms, small towns, and snowy mountains. We arrived in Bergen around the evening and took a bus to our hotel. After dropping off our luggage, we went out for dinner and walked around downtown Bergen through a fish market, and souvenir shops. Even though it was raining, it was still very pleasant.
(Day 1: Bergen, Norway – Boarding the Ship)
After one night in the hotel, it was time to have our luggage sent to the cruise ship. Prior to boarding the boat, we went on a three-hour bus tour in Bergen. Our first stop was at the Bergenhus Fortress, one of the oldest and best preserved stone fortifications in Norway. After the fortress was destructed during World War II it became an exhibition renown to its history. Our last stop was at the Open-Air Old Bergen Museum, a very small town consisting of wooden houses. The most fascinating part of the museum was walking inside the buildings to see how people lived their lives in such an old town. In the center of town, people used to walk on pogo sticks and play horse ring tossing. In the afternoon, we boarded the Viking Jupiter, unpacked everything out of our bags, and had lunch. With a little bit of unwinding, we disembarked the boat and took a gondola to the top of the mountains to see the magnificent views of Bergen.
(Day 2 Bergen, Norway – Time to Sail)
It was our last day in Bergen and the ship was scheduled to depart around dinner time. Utilizing these last hours of exploring, we took a bus through the tunnels up to another mountain for magnificent views. We stopped at very few locations because it was rainy. By the time we embarked the boat, we proceeded to our emergency stations for a drill to go over safety guidelines of the ship and to be aware of signals if something unexpected were to happen. After the drill, we had dinner and celebrated 29 years of togetherness with my parents. When the drill ended, the ship started to set sail for the Fjords.
(Day 3 Geiranger, Norway – Fjord of Water Falls)
We were sleeping while the ship was sailing through beautiful mountains with waterfalls. As we arrived in Geiranger, the ship was anchored since there was another ship docked. Therefore, we had to take a life boat to town when getting on and off the ship. After breakfast, I went to the gym for 35 minutes to get some exercise. We disembarked the ship around 12:30 and walked around town by several boat docks. Then, we went on our three-hour bus tour driving up numerous hills to explore the views of how the water falls separate, connect with one another and touch the ocean. The fresh water come together and turn into salt water. After stopping at one location of water falls, we drove through a different road and stopped by a lake frozen in ice. After the sweet touring of Geiranger by bus, we took the tender back to the boat. Prior to sailing, I got to see the Viking crew get the safety boat back on the ship from my balcony. As we were floating, we kept seeing lovely waterfalls on each side of the mountains.
(Day 4 was a Sea Day)
(Day 5 Lofoten, Norway – Fjord of Beaches)
By the time we reached the Arctic Ocean, we sailed to Lofoten until the next morning. One hour before noon, we disembarked the ship for a two hour bus tour. During the ride, we traveled around high cliffs, small lakes, and a long tunnel to get to a beach, which was our first stop. The grass by the sand had several huge rocks to climb on and small rocks depicting different designs. In fact, people usually go camping at the beach during the summer when the weather is nice and warm. After spending fifteen minutes at the beach, we traveled back through the tunnel and went to a small art exhibition, which was our last stop. The art gallery is next to a dock where boats are built by construction workers. The paintings in the gallery reflect the community of Lofoten, designing the boats, birds flying around the shores, and mountains surrounding the lakes.
(Day 6 Tromso, Norway – Fjord of Earth Science)
Before going on a bus tour, I walked around the city. As I went sight seeing, I walked by a bowling alley, but I did not bowl inside the building. After taking a short walk around the town close to where the ship was docked, we got on our three hour bus tour. Instead of making two stops like previous days, we had only one. We went to a Northern Light planetarium located across the street from the main university. In the planetarium, the Imax took us between the distance of the sun and the earth. Once we left the planetarium, we drove through a tunnel with a round about in it, and we made a complete circle before getting out of it.
(Day 7 Honningsvag, Norway – Fjord of the Coldest Weather)
While driving through the road on the mountains, we saw reindeer moving all over the fields. Our first stop was at a small site with a souvenir shop and a tent with a lot of heat. After the quick stop, we drove to the end of the road to the Nordkapp Museum. It was super cold, windy and foggy. After going inside the building, I went all the way to the end of the landscape where another statue of the globe is located. Thankfully, I was able to get some good pictures, but I had to take my hat off since I did not want to lose it. During our time in the museum, we watched a brief film in the cinema discussing how the reindeer come into the Fjord and how animal workers help them with their lives. By the time we got out of the theatre, we went through a cave with Northern Lights depicting what happens during all four seasons.
(Days 8 & 9 were Sea Days)
(Day 10 Lerwick, Scotland – First stop in the UK)
Upon our arrival to shore from the ship, we went on our first bus tour in the United Kingdom in Lerwick, Scotland. We traveled through huge landscapes with houses far from each other. Our first stop was at an enjoyable view of the Atlantic Ocean. It was very windy. At our last stop, we got to pet some lovely ponies. They are taken care of by two farmers who are married in live right up the hill. Then we drove back to the port where the Viking Jupiter tenders are docked to take passengers on and off the boat. While the rest of my family explored the town, I went back to the ship.
(Day 11 Kirkwall, Scotland – Another similar town)
After one fun day in Lerwick, we sailed to Kirkwall, another island that is a part of Scotland. Instead of docking, we were anchored and had to take a boat to shore. Our first stop was at a small town next to a ferry port. The town had very small roads for vehicles to drive through. Before getting back on the bus, I had a very delicious Peach Ice Cream. Our last destination was at a huge grassland right by a lake full of carved stones. Managing our way through the unpredictable heavy wind, we walked around a circle full of large rectangular stones.
(Day 12 Edinburgh, Scotland – Very Tourist City)
Once again, we had to take a Viking Jupiter tender boat to shore from the ship. Once we arrived at the dock, we got on our three-hour bus tour traveling through the city of Edinburgh. We drove around a mountain and had our first photo stop at a siding to see the incredible views of Edinburgh. After the bus tour, I went to the Edinburgh castle with my dad and brother. Once we left the castle, we walked to the statue of a Syke Terrier named Greyfriars Bobby. The lovely dog is known for working with the Ediburgh City Police as a night-watch-man. As we continued exploring the capital of Scotland, we walked into a store with the world of wizardry. On our way back to the Viking Shuttle Bus, we walked through a gorgeous park.
(Day 13 Sea Day)
(Day 14 Greenwich London, England UK)
Prior to getting breakfast, I got to speak to Atle Knutsen, the captain and ask him questions about what it is like to be the captain of a cruise ship. At the end, I got to be in a picture with him. In the late morning, we got off the ship and met up with my cousin Maha, who is working in London as a Senior Political Advisor. We had lunch and pastries together. After spending time with my cousin and my dad’s older sister, I boarded the Viking Jupiter to watch an Imax about the history of the Arctic. After the Imax, we had our very last delicious dinner on the ship.
(Day 15 Greenwich London, England UK)
With a good amount of sleep, we had an early breakfast and disembarked the Viking Jupiter and took a taxi to the Double Tree Hotel to drop off our luggage. Then we took the train to visit my cousin. To utilize the last day of the trip, I traveled around London. My first stop was the Platform 9 ¾ exhibition of the Harry Potter Series at King’s Cross Station. Once I had my picture taken, I walked into the shop and shared my interests on Harry Potter and how the stories inspired me to become the successful man that I am today. After buying my souvenir and having wonderful conversations, I walked by the London School of Economics and Political Science, a public university that one of my closely connected instructors attended for his graduate and doctorate. After exploring London for four hours, I met up with my family again to take the subway and the Double Decker Bus to a family friends apartment. It was very charming to spend our last vacation day with other relatives.
Greenwich London, England UK Conclusion
Saying goodbye to a spectacular vacation full of treasured memories is no fun. But there is so much I can say about a wonderful two week cruise that will be remembered. I could not ask for a better way to celebrate my victorious accomplishment. I do indeed miss all of the fun activities I did while aboard the Viking Jupiter, such as swimming in the pools, playing shuffle board, and feeling entertained by Stephen Williams Jr. a famous magician, and a group of singersHaving the chance to reach the Arctic and set a new record of 20+ European Countries has meaning for my plans in global awareness.
David Sharif 