Travel Theme: Frozen

When icicles hang by the wall

and Dick, the shepherd blows his nail

and Tom bears logs into the hall

and milk comes frozen home in pail.  (W, Shakespeare)

Now that I’m retired, I can watch Dick the Shepherd blowing his nail … or, these days, defrosting his windscreen … from the comfort of my living room, or even my bed. Even when I worked for a pay-packet, it wasn’t much of a hassle, for I lived within walking distance of my workplace, and didn’t have to scrape the ice off my windscreen; I hope I wasn’t too smug about it.

While there’s a great temptation when Jack Frost comes calling to toss another virtual log on the virtual fire, there’s something to be said for grabbing your camera and getting out there. Remembering, of course, the wise words of Captain Helly Hansen … ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inadequate clothing’

Unfortunately much ‘development’ has taken place around here lately, and I have a choice between a housing estate, a building site and a business park in which to take the air.

So, I must go further afield in search of the work of Mr. Frost’s icy fingers. I still can’t believe I’m seeking out cold places for some holidays! Places like Norway, where we stood on a bridge, contemplating the silence of a frozen river.

The guide told us: ‘In summer, there’s a waterfall here. You wouldn’t be able to hear me over its noise!’

I remembered reading an account of how Hardraw Force, in Yorkshire, froze into a column of ice in the 19^th Century, while the local people: ‘ … danced around it, delighted at so novel an appearance …’  Back in those days, ‘so novel an appearance’ would have had me licking my lips, and reaching for the ice-axe and crampons.

I’m past that stage now, but still enjoyed a dog sled ride and a reindeer ride. And heard about the Northern Lights.

‘When it’s still, if you’re very quiet, you can hear them talking’  said a Sami reindeer herdsman. Unfortunately, there was complete cloud cover for most of our visit, so we never heard, or even saw them.

Maybe next time?

‘Better the chill blast of winter than the hot breath of a pursuing elephant’ (Chinese proverb)

‘It’s so cold that I saw a politician with his hands in his own pockets’ (Bob Hope)

This week’s contribution to the Travel Theme. More at https://wheresmybackpack.com/2017/11/12/travel-theme-frozen/