Norway’s Northern Lights

He sat softly in the cold white snow as the mysterious hovering orbs of light surrounded him and he stared in awe at the sight that has been happening in this country for more than a century.  Particularly puzzling to him is the wide variety of different lights that seem to appear, including some that flash blue, then green and then white, some that are the size of large animals, and some that seem to zip around at high speeds before fading away.

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“A cold wind was blowing from the north, and it made the trees rustle like living things.”

–  George R.R. Martin

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Experience Norway’s Northern Lights

“A recent study into the phenomenon, however, has revealed that the lights are more likely to have a geological origin. The glowing effect, far from being the product of spirits or aliens, is instead believed to be the result of air turning into plasma”, according to Unexplained-mysteries.com.

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“I don’t care what they say, I like to think of the Northern Lights as magic!”

– Cacinda Maloney, travel journalist

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Norway’s Northern Lights

I decided that I want to do really BIG trips. You know the kind: trips of a lifetime, the ones that I dream about, the ones where when I dream they make colors dance in my head.  Those that make me stand silent in awe and say “This is life”.  I have visited Norway several times and written extensively about it, but those Northern Lights are the ones that keep calling my name. They draw me in like the pull of a magnet.

NASA predicts that 2015 is at the peak of an 11-year cycle for dazzling displays of the Northern Lights! Apparently, the closer you are to the Earth’s magnetic poles, the better the quality of auroras you will see. Tromsø, Norway, is situated right in the middle of the Magnetic North Pole, and traveling along the celebrated ‘Hurtigruten Route’ from Bergen to Kinkiness will offer travelers the time needed for an unforgettable Arctic and Northern Lights experience.

Bucket List Norway

Since the Winter season is upon us, this would be one amazing bucket list item to cross off the list!
When  Hurtigruten contacted me to tell me about their cruises to see the Northern Lights, I jumped at the chance to dream again about this trip to come true.  Not sure they knew it, but they had me at “hello”.  It has been a bucket list item for me for a very long time and one that has been a bit more difficult than others to cross off the list!

Norway’s Northern Lights

Let me tell you a bit about Hurtigruten

• They are known worldwide as the best coastal voyage in all of Norway to get you to see those lights!
• Hurtigruten fares have never been lower than they are now.
• They also offer cruises with astronomy experts who can tell you about this phenomenon.
• Just the scenery alone along Norway’s “Hurtigruten Route” is spectacular!
• On a Hurtigruten voyage, you don’t just visit Norway, you become part of it.

The hauntingly beautiful vibrant display of dancing orbs that coat the dark sky creates an amazing sky that tends to evoke sheer silence from those witnessing the spectacle. There is no better time to cross the Northern Lights off your Bucket List than now! Go here to learn more about the various Hurtigruten voyages that are being offered this winter.

Recommended Reading:

Stavanger: Things to do in Stavanger, Norway

Oslo: A Viking Queen: The Viking Museum, Oslo, Norway

Oslo: Edvard Munch:  What Makes You Scream?

Oslo: A Magical 48 Hours In Oslo, Norway

Oslo: Shhh!  It’s a secret:  Emanuel Vigeland’s Mausoleum 

Bergen: The Clarion Collection: Elegance Refined

16 Things to do during a Norway Winter

Experience Norway’s Northern Lights

 

Disclosure: This article was sponsored by Hurtigruten, but the dreams that dance in my head are all my own.