Fjords for days.

Hopped over the North Sea for a week long adventure to Norway and it's famous Fjords on P&O's flagship, Britannia.

The North Sea was surprisingly calm, just very foggy at night which was quite eerie when you hear the ships horn blasting every minute or so! It was also strange to see all the oil rigs so far out to sea.

First stop was Haugesund, a small town enshrined in Viking legend and norse mythology. We arrived on a Sunday so most places were shut but we were still able to walk around the town and explore. The main spots to visit are the town hall, Our Saviours Church and the King Harald 1 viking statue. A half hour walk further up the coast brings you to the Kvalsvik Skulpturpark which is interstsing to walk around with the horse statues.

Next stop, the Captain said to get up early, around 4-5am if we wanted to see the sail into one of the famous fjords on route to Flam. This was so worth it! Lots of us on our balconies and on the top deck quietly sipping our coffees watching her sail through the stunning fjords. Beautiful snow capped mountains, deep craggy valleys, waterfalls cascading off the tops and small villages.

We docked in Flam, at the end of one of the Fjords, ready to board the famous Flam Railway two hours round trip up to Myrdal and back again. The views on either side are breathtaking, winding through valleys, picturesque Norwegian style houses and stopping at a waterfall - be prepared to get wet if you get off!

The next day we arrived in Olden, another small town within another of the deep fjords. This time I opted for the Loen Sklift, a cable style car that takes you the top of the mountain with amazing views far and beyond. When I was there, the cloud cover would come and go, covering us on the mountain top so that added to the pictures and experience.

The final stop was the town of Stavanger. This port city with it's pretty white houses by the port and cathedral dating back to the 12th Century. The pretty cobbled streets are surrounded by classic Norwegian architeture and the Petroleum Museum illuminates the oil industry with submersibles, a large drill bit and an escape chute. The dock area has also been turned into an adventure playground with the old oil part whcih was quite unique. The shopping street Ovre Holmegate is known for it's colourful houses and bunting.

Definitely worth the short cruise across the North Sea from Southampton and weather permitting, I can imagine it's even more beautiful in winter with the snow, if not freezing cold!