Dear all SEP heading for the Norwegian coastal cruise.

I would like to send you some few words prior to your arrival in Tromsø on 10th August. I am sure that after some very hectic days in Stockholm and Copenhagen, you must all feel quite exhausted and will look forward to a silent sailing along the Norwegian North and West coast, where you can just sit back, relax, listen and view the spectacular scenery and enjoy the lunch and the dinners. There will be no tough lectures.

You are expected to arrive in Tromsø on 10th August at 1815, after having changed flight in Oslo. I will meet you at the airport in Tromsø, possibly together with Margareth and Norbert, who have volunteered to go to Tromsø as an advance party to check the conditions. A bus will take us from the airport to a down town hotel where we will store the luggage, before proceeding to the restaurant Skarven for the evening's dinner. After the dinner, we go back to the hotel, load the luggage on the bus (which has been engaged on other business in the meantime), which will bring us to the Ishavs Cathedral for the night concert. Thereafter, about midnight, the bus takes us directly to the cruiseship, which will have arrived shortly before. You may proceed directly to the cabin for a good nights sleep, or you may anchor for a drink in the bar, to have an even better nights sleep.

Next morning it will be individual breakfast and wandering around the ship and enjoy the scenery. More details for the cruise will follow when we meet in Tromsø. John Sundal, our agent for the cruise and all arrangements in Norway, will join us in Tromsø and accompany us all the way to Bergen.

The dressing code on the the restaurant in Tromsø is casual and onboard the ship it is casual/sporty, but for dinner some of us may have a jacket without tie.

The weather in Southern Norway has been extremely nice in July. This week in Oslo has been almost 30 C plus. Northern Norway has experienced the opposite side of the temperature scale, between 8-12 C plus and rain for the whole month of July. However, today I am glad to report that the weather forecast for Northern Norway is changing to the better, almost 20 C tomorrow and the future outlook looks good. The opposite now for Southern part. Therefore, there may be a good chance for nice weather.

However, prepare yourself for both weather categories. I recommed you to bring both shorts, a warm sweather and a wind breaker. It might also be a good idea to bring one or two good books and binoculars.

Eva and I are looking very much forward to see you up in Norway and enjoy your stay in Stockholm and Copenhagen.

Best regards,

Chris