Day 5 - hiking in Greenland

Today we landed in Greenland. Our morning walk was on tundra and rock on Immikkeertikajik. First the staff had to go ashore with guns and flares to check the area was bear free. (We always have a guide with a gun on the walks for safety). We opted for the medium walking group and we were fine. It was so pretty. Although we found musk ox droppings we did not see any actual ox. However we did see mountain hares in the distance and a ptarmigan. We got quite hot walking but the big coats had straps inside that meant we could carry the coat on our shoulders. We were glad of the walking poles as it was steep in places.

At lunch we sat with Geraldine and her husband Simon from Harrogate. She’d been to North Korea as she was interested in how people made themselves into cults. He had a t shirt saying grumpy old left wing someone or other.

Jean advised we buy postcards in the ship shop and write them today then post from the village we visit tomorrow. There are only 2 settlements in East Greenland. We visit one, Ittoqqortoormitt, which has a population of 360. Provisions arrive once a year so we mustn’t buy in shop.

Around 4.15 we went out on zodiacs to the shore of Bear Island and from there had another walk. In fact it was a notch up from the previous one as musk ox had been seen so we had to climb up on rocky terrain to get over a few ridges to see them.(Today I walked 5 miles). It was great to see them though tiring as Adrian kept up the pace.

We didn’t get back till 6.30 so it was a rush to get showered and ready for 7.30 dinner. I’m having such trouble getting time to write my diary! The Melbourne couple who volunteer in Kenya asked us to have dinner in the quieter room with them and a couple from Sydney. (They all have hearing aids and find the big dining room too noisy).