Norway trip diary day 2

The coach is dark and we are all trying to get some well needed rest. My sleep is only broken from the unmistakable sound of the bus wheels going over the rumble strips on the motorway occasionally. Its still ridiculously cold in the bus and I resemble a glow worm wrapped up in my sleeping bag liner and down jacket combo. I cant get comfy and everytime we go round a tight corner, Im not ready for the feeling my eye socket to be pushed into the window that I'm leaning on once again. 

I awake next when we arrive at the ferry port. Ahead of us lies a huge body of water, with no land in sight. At least it looks calm out on the water, hopefully that will keep my stomach in the right place. 

The ferry port is clean and tidy and looks really well kept and still in its new state. It doesnt look at all like the ferry port at Dover and my mind wonders what anyone traveling to he UK must think when they arrive in that unloved, well worn ferry terminal. 

As we get ready to board the ferry, I am met by a man who in a previous career must have been a proffesional heavyweight wrestler. He is now working on the ferry security and he wants to have a look in my bag. He has an almighty looking sniffer dog in hand and much to my own surprise I have a real desire to pet and stroke it. After having a startling realisation as to the fact that is not a clever idea, I bring my hand back down and slide it into my pocket. Hulk Hogan, aka the ferry security man is happy and I am on my way. 

It is a 5 hour ferry journey and I make it my mission to sleep for as much of it as I can. Im awoken when for some reason they start to play some stereotypical cruise ship songs on the tannoy quite loudly. I don't know whether to join in singing or to complain. 

After an incredibly engaging conversation with Jeremy, one of the other staff on the trip about how to collaboratively work on a project I am putting together, we once again board the coach and "Ted and Dougal" continue to drive us on our epic adventure. 

Norway smells nice 

It looks pretty clean and green too. 

I quite like it already. 

I've been putting this off for ages, keeping calm and refraining from asking the question. On a journey like this, there is one question that is constantly being asked. Sometimes this question is asked openly and sometimes just silently in our minds. I turn to Matt and apologise to him before I even utter those annoying words. I ask him the question and he just looks at me in dismay as if he can't believe I've really just said that to him. He doesn't really answer the question by replying, "We still have a very long way to go Chris." This answer of course isn't very helpful to the situation, but I suppose neither was me asking. 

Rather strangely as there has been a mix up with the coach we have to stop at the airport to drop off one half of our comedy duo of drivers. We are now running at approximately 50% reduced level of comedy because of this. Its like Rod Hull without Emu, Hale without Pace, Ant without Dec, how will we cope. 

As we are now running with one less driver, the journey will inevitably take much longer as we need to have bigger breaks. Matt announces this to the team and I really feel for him, Ive been that person giving this kind of news to a group and it isn't a nice thing. The group seem to take it well and there isn't much groaning, to be honest I'm not sure what other options they have. I offer to drive once again, even if only to have some humorous interaction with our vehicle's captain. He knows that I genuinely can't get in the drivers seat, but he still says yes all the same. 

As the sun sets and I start to wrap myself up once again in my sleeping bag chrysalis, I have a moment to think to myself how lucky I am. Im pleased with this lifestyle I've crafted for myself, even if it means that I spend a couple of days in an uncomfortable chair on a coach. A moment passes where I wonder what I would be doing if I wasn't doing this, if I wasn't into the outdoors. I don't care much for that alternate universe, it doesn't sound particularly exciting. 

I slip on my massive headphones and search through my phone for some music. In honour of our driver that had to go home, I put put on PJ and Duncans "Lets Get Ready to Rumble".