This past August, Nick and Joanie Koplos of Neighborhood 32B enjoyed a wonderful 16-day trip to France, England, and the Norwegian Fjords, located on the SW coast of Norway. While their experiences in France and England were strong in historic encounters, Norway provided the Sun City couple with daring physical challenges. Their Princess cruise ship, Ocean Princess, docked in four ports, where they selected only the most strenuous excursions to test their 73- and 67-year-old bodies.
Stavanger, third largest city in Norway, was their first port, which proved to be a place of endless gorgeous walks along its North Sea coastline and throughout its interior parks, lakes, and souvenir shops. The ship’s second port, Olden, offered Nick and Joanie with a much greater challenge as they navigated a steep 5-mile walk to and from one of the area’s incredible glaciers, the Briksdal Glacier. As a reward for their work, the couple was greeted with myriad waterfalls and aquamarine- colored glacial lakes. In Geiranger town and along the 500-foot steep walls of the Geiranger Fjord, the third port, the Koplos’ met the experience of sea kayaking. Using a sea kayak for the first time, Nick volunteered to steer the rudder by pedaling the invisible pedals found inside the kayak. While Joanie helped with the oars at the head of the kayak, Nick lost the pedals for about three minutes during which the kayak traveled in circles. Finally gaining the knack of this difficult chore, Nick (and Joanie) were off to explore the fjord (a glacial-formed saltwater lake) and dodge the heavily trafficked cruise ship and ferry boat waters for the next 1 1/2 hours. The last port and second largest Norwegian city, Bergen, provided the Koplos’ with another 5-mile and extremely steep climb and descent of Mt. Floien, overlooking the city and its many fjords (no switchbacks here, as found in Colorado highlands). On all four of the couples’ physical fitness encounters, their Vail, Colorado hiking boots made their trips possible.
While on the ship, Nick and Joanie engaged in a 5K Cancer Walk together and numerous runs for Nick and numerous swims and walks for Joanie, not to speak of their total avoidance of the use of elevators. How does one keep from gaining weight on an extended vacation? “That’s simple,” the Koplos’ said. “Just try some aerobic exercising!”
