A wander in Tromsø, an arctic swim and a turn around the deck.

Pulling into the fjord of Tromsø revealed some snow on the hills but no where near as much as had been last time I was here.

It was milder too. Instead of the salt freezing on deck, there was a soft drizzle in the air, dampness underfoot and large puddles of thawing ice.

We took the shuttle into town (about 2km away from the terminal) and had a leisurely stroll around a section of the town near the harbour and the High Street.

It was clear there had been considerable snow at some point but now it was melting into dirty slush and deep puddles, not helped by the heavy gravel layers laid down when the streets were solid ice.

Tromsø was also undergoing a makeover. The high street was being relaid, turning it into pedestrian only by the looks of it.

The rest was the same as before; some stores may have changed hands but the store fronts still looked as they did.

I went back into the same chemists as before (again, no change inside there either) and got myself some more cream for my ultra dry skin (a sign I've been in the spa and pool).

I think Shirley had had enough by then. We had enjoyed a cinnamon bun and coffee (Bergen still comes out number 1 but this was a close second) and caught the shuttle back.

I then got changed and went in the pool, so that's my first swim within the Arctic circle.

Now, it's the afternoon and I'm back in the library. Will play with some more perspective and then go for another walk round the deck.

Still shocked by how mild it is.