June 29, 2023

Oslo to Longyearbyen

Temp: 42-45°F, overcast, 24-hour sunshine 

No time for sleeping in this morning as our Green team and Purple team awakened to board the 4 AM motorcoach transfer to the Oslo airport. We arrived around 5 AM and checked in for our three-hour charter flight to Longyearbyen, departing around 6:30 AM.

Fortunately, I was assigned the window seat, Bob was in the middle of my row, and Janet was on the aisle. Bob thought he was going to sleep, but that didn't happen since Janet and I were having a great discussion. However, all 3 of us came alive when we descended from the clouds and got our first glimpse of Longyearbyen below.

Our first polar bear sighting was immediate - just inside the baggage claim area! (No travelers or checked bags were injured during the unloading process.)

Longyearbyen and our new home away from home, 

MS World Traveler