Our time in Norway has involved more driving than we expected.   When Google would say 4 hours, we started to count on it taking 5 or more because there were ferries, buses, sheep, winding roads and all sorts of obstacles.  While I was driving and didn't mind it much, the kids did not look forward to the car trips (although they got impressively good at them).  After making our way down the Lofoten Islands we needed to get back up to Tromsø.  Google told us to count on 10 hours and we all knew that it would be much much more.  Even I was not looking forward to retracing our path for that long, so we took the plunge and got a ferry from the southern end of the island chain back to Tromso.

The Hurtigruten or the "fast route" was established in 1893 to make a regular, more predictable connection between the coastal towns of Western Norway and it helped to build up the whole coastline.  Today it serves not only as a ferry but also as a tourist ship.  When I emailed to make the reservations, I was told if we wanted to do the basic boat, not the tour ships, I needed to contact a different department, and so I figured we would go on a relatively small boat, maybe like the Alaska Ferry System. The day of our ferry departure came and it appeared as though we were the only people in line to board.   It seemed odd.  We double checked our tickets, asked the store clerk, and yep- we were at the right place. Then a massive ship towering above the harbor pulls up sideways to the dock, lined with spectators.   We drove our car on where an elevator took us down to the parking garage, and we left the keys so a "forklift" could park the car.

In a slight daze, we walked to the "reception" area- a gorgeous lobby with a gas fireplace, stunning artwork, and a reception desk.  We checked in and took a look around.   It did not take us long to find the dual outside hot tubs where we jumped in to watch the setting sun and an incoming storm.  

The ferry was 20 hrs of indulgence.  Our pass included a beautiful 4-course evening meal, a huge breakfast, and a lunch buffet.  After being very conscious of cost in Norway, let's just say the kids got their money worth. 

It was striking to see many nicely dressed people speaking English.  We have our own little routine and our own "nuclear family,"  and it was fun to branch outside of this, meet other people, hear their stories and answer questions. Sailing past Senja guests were asking: "what do people do on that island?"  "Do they really live in those houses?"  We knew exactly what it was like to live in one of those houses for a month and it made us all grateful for this extended travel time instead of only being able to scratch the surface.