A Supersize cruise ship passed to starboard just before dawn. Her ten passenger decks boasted two swimming pools, a casino, health spa, French style bistro, 200-seat cinema, and no less than five dance floors.

My Hurtigruten ship had none of the above, but I didn’t envy the two thousand cruise passengers their slot machines, complimentary dance classes, or nightly bingo. During my eleven day voyage in the Mv Nordlys I’d get to experience more of Norway than they would ever dream of.

The sun rose as Supersize’s monstrous white hull fell astern, and turned the waters of Norway’s inshore shipping channel – the Hovedleia – shades of gold. It was going to be a magical day.

The Nordlys is one of eleven ships that ply the coastal route between Bergen in southwest Norway and Kirkenes close to the Russian border, a voyage pioneered in 1893 when the Hurtigruten (literally ‘Express Route’) was established to carry cargo, passengers and mail between cities, towns and isolated communities along the coast.

Despite recent substantial investment in building impressive bridges and subsea tunnels, the Hurtigruten is still a vitally important transport link, although sadly the ships no longer fly the Norwegian Postal ensign and carry mail. Road journeys can be long, tiring and tortuous, with tedious waits for cross fjord ferries.

Although two vintage ships dating back to the 1950s remain in service, the majority were built at the turn of the 20th Century, carry between 400 and 650 passengers and have state of the art cargo handling equipment and a vehicle deck. Most of the passengers these days might be tourists, travelling for pleasure rather than necessity, but these are still working ships.

A ship leaves Bergen every evening of the year for the voyage north, except December 24th – when all Hurtigruten vessels remain in port to celebrate Christmas – taking 11 days to complete the round trip. All 34 scheduled ports en route are served twice daily, once by northbound, once by southbound sailings.

It was high summer when I joined the Nordlys, literally ‘Northern Lights‘  one of three Richard With class vessels, (With was the iconic Norwegian pilot who surveyed and inaugurated the coastal route). Built in Germany and entering service in 1994. She has berths for 475 passengers and space for 45 cars.

Checking in at the modern, custom-built terminal was easy. The line collects bags from Bergen’s main hotels and delivers them directly to your cabin for free. I simply picked up my plastic credit card-sized cruise card and a deck plan of the ship from reception, took the escalator to the gangway and strolled aboard. No queues, no fuss.

The cruise card acts as boarding pass, room key, and ID for onboard purchases. As I boarded, I was asked to use anti-bacterial hand gel – part of the ship’s strict hygiene regime. I got used to doing this each time I came back from ashore. Hand sanitiser stations are located by the purser’s office and at the restaurant entrance as well.

First impressions of the Nordlys, her hull bearing the distinctive broad red stripe of Hurtigruten’s current livery, was of a scrupulously maintained and well turned out ship.

In addition to the restaurant aft on four deck (some tables have views through picture windows at the stern), there’s a children’s playroom, internet café, cafeteria, a shop for souvenirs and the sundry items I always forget, the Sirilund lounge bar with plenty of seating and a small dance floor, and a library and card room.

The Orion Lounge, perched above the ship’s navigation bridge on seven deck, has panoramic views forward through floor to ceiling windows, and together with the midship’s Sirius lounge and bar is a comfortable space to see the constantly changing scenery in the warm and dry, protected from the elements.

Passenger accommodation ranges from snug inside doubles to spacious two room suites. Typically, a standard cabin will have two separate beds, a wardrobe, dressing table and desk. The well thought out if tiny modular bathroom has a shower – only the suites have a bath – and, a nice touch this, a heated floor. Most have a picture window. Storage space is limited, but adequate given that this is a very informal ship, so I travelled light. No black tie dinners to attend, no jacket required.

When booking it’s worth remembering that cabins on the boat deck (five in Nordlys) will have fellow passengers walking by (and peering in). Hurtigruten ships always moor with the port side alongside to discharge cargo and passengers, this can happen at any hour of the day or night. Light sleepers should ask for a berth on the starboard side.

Rooms are serviced by a team of hard working and resourceful young women, mostly Norwegian, who double as waitresses and bar staff. Just about everyone on board speaks excellent English.

The Aurora Café serves drinks, snacks, and more substantial hot and cold meals 24 hours a day.

But like me, most passengers had meals included in the price of the passage ticket, and take their meals in the 240 seat restaurant. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner on departure from Bergen are served buffet style with free seating. On other nights, a three course set dinner is served, (an appetiser, fish or meat main course, plus pudding. Second helpings were always offered) and tables are assigned. Given notice, the kitchen will happily cater for special diets.

The seemingly endlessly replenished Hurtigruten buffets are splendid affairs, featuring Norwegian and International dishes. Lunch has a choice of soups, crayfish, mussels, shrimp, and trays of Norwegian cheese, smoked and cured salmon, fish and meat terrines, cold cuts, hot and cold meat, game and fish dishes, salads, vegetables and fresh fruit. A calorie laden dessert table completes the experience. Norwegian strawberries and blueberries, ripened in the long days of the northern summer, are a real treat. The chef makes full use of native ingredients available en-route. Freshly harvested asparagus, king crab and air dried reindeer were all on the menu.

Norway is a high income economy, with prices to match. The government has a monopoly on the sale of wine and spirits, so alcohol is especially expensive. On board, charges for drinks are pretty much in line with good class hotels ashore – around £6 for a draught beer. Seasoned travellers tended to bring their own favourite tipple with them. Norwegian travellers especially were not reluctant to ask for glasses, ice, and appropriate mixes at the ship’s bars, but taking your own booze into the restaurant is definitely frowned upon!

Throughout 2010 a full programme of Theme Voyages are planned, covering topics from polar history and bird watching to the National Day celebrations in May and the Sami reindeer races in February. Some of these sailings feature practical workshops hosted by guest lecturers and guides.

On my trip though, apart from a rather glum and lacklustre keyboard player, there was little in the way of organised entertainment. Just the splendid, heroic vista of the Norwegian coastline and the offshore islands. Most passengers seemed content to read a book sitting comfortably in one of the observation lounges, play a quiet game of cards with friends, or stroll in the open air. On deck, it’s wise to have warm, windproof clothing to hand.

Even when the sun is shining (and in summer, temperatures can reach 30C), the weather can change for the worse in minutes. And always have your camera and binoculars to hand. Whether scenery or wildlife, the most memorable sights can appear suddenly, when you least expect it, and disappear just as fast.

Many port calls are brief. As short as twenty minutes, with the mooring lines at the bow being skilfully managed by a single deckhand, the stern being held alongside by the ship’s engines. Forklift trucks buzz about the wharf, working the cargo, and a handful of passengers might be landed and boarded. Larger towns and settlements will see the ship berthed for up to four hours. The northbound and southbound vessels are scheduled to meet briefly at Trondheim and Molde.

Half of the voyage is spent north of the Arctic Circle, and to celebrate Crossing the Line King Neptune comes aboard and anoints passengers with ice. Great fun for the kids, and the perfect excuse for grown ups to toast each other in complimentary schnapps at ten o’clock in the morning.

There was an opportunity for all passengers to visit the Nordlys high tech bridge, and chat with the Captain, a 35 year veteran of the coastal route.

A full programme of shore excursions allows passengers to briefly experience the real Norway, and get a flavour of the country’s life, culture and cooking.

All excursions sold on board were well organised and most were good value. I was disappointed with the early morning trip to the North Cape though. As I peered into the rain and grey gloom from the Visitors Centre, my guide confided that the sun had only been sighted on 11 days that season.

From mid April until September 14th ships sail into Geiranger on northbound voyages and Trollfjord in both directions. Geirangerfjord is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and praised by National Geographic Magazine as one of the world’s top tourist destinations. I was able to climb the Eagle Road and cross the beautiful Eidsdalsvatnet Lake to briefly explore the high alpine landscape before negotiating the eleven hairpin bends of the Trollstigen Pass. I had a leisurely dinner in Molde and enjoyed some impromptu al fresco jazz before rejoining Nordlys in Molde seven hours later.

The sheer mountain walls and narrow waterways of Trollfjord are another breathtaking highlight. Travelling south, the vessel stopped while passengers were transferred to a small tourist boat for a Sea Eagle Safari. The sight of these magnificent marine raptors seizing fish in their claws from the fjord’s ink black waters – I saw eleven close up in under an hour – and dramatic scenery is unforgettable.

Many of the sights and excursions are seasonal, snowmobile safaris and visits to the Ice Hotel in winter, the Northern Lights, best seen in between October and March, the Midnight Sun in the Arctic Summer. The Gulf stream provides the climate that produces luscious soft fruit north of the Arctic Circle, and keeps Norway’s coastal harbours ice free throughout the winter. With so much spectacular scenery and attractions it’s difficult to choose the highlights. Saying good bye to crew and fellow passengers back at Bergen, I just knew that I’d taken one of the world’s most beautiful voyages, and experienced a little of the unique history of Hurtigruten.

Visit the Hurtigruten website for details of the coastal voyage schedules.

1. Northern Lights time lapse video.

This sums up the beauty of the lights in just over a minute, with some extraordinary scenes. We particularly love to see the sky gradually getting darker as the lights swirl. Seeing stars glitter on top of the lights is delightful!

2. Magical Northern Lights

The beauty of this clip is that it captures the movement and different shapes in the lights. For all those conspiracy theorists out there, watch closely at 0.20 seconds- we can’t explain those oval shapes flying through the air, either!

3. Coca-Cola does Northern Lights

Here’s a great animation of the Northern Lights in a 1993 Coca-cola advert. We particularly enjoy the bears taking a swig under the lights all at the same time. How refreshing!

4. Scientific Explanation of the Northern Lights

Yes, they are beautiful, but how are Northern Lights created, and why? For all those who may be researching the Northern Lights phenomena , we think this video provides a great explanation:

5. Northern Lights: the view from space!

This clip was shot by the astronaut Don Petit, and is actually a selection of images he captured during his mission to the International Space Station. These images have been merged together to create a very inspiring clip:

6. BBC 4’s The Sky at Night experience Northern Lights

Sky at Night presenter Dr Chris Lintott travels to a radar facility just outside of Tromso in the hope he will catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights, and he does!

7. Kjetil Skogli- Northern Lights photographer and film maker

Not only are the pictures and video within this clip beautiful, we applaud Kjetil for using the perfect snippet of music to accompany his film- truly out of this world.

8. Tromso: the best place to see the Northern Lights?

This clip shows a selection of Northern Light shows from the Tromso area. Imagine living here!

9. What’s it like to experience the Northern Lights?

Hurtigruten offer cruises to Norway to see the Northern Lights, and we think this video about the cruise sums up what it’s like to explore Norway and see the lights perfectly.

10. Joanna Lumley loves the Northern Lights

You may have seen our previous post on the Joanna Lumley documentary, but we had to give special mention to this YouTuber who has created a fantastic video. Watch below for the best bits of the documentary edited down and put against Grieg’s Solveig’s Song (Peer Gynt)

What it your favourite Northern Lights video? Leave a comment and let us know of any we may have missed!

“In the Land of the Northern Lights” has also been nominated for a National TV award for Best Travel Documentary. Results are announced on the 20th January which means there is still time to vote! Click here and forward through to the second category to register your vote.

Need a reminder of just how spectacular the documentary was? Watch the clip below, which shows Joanna finally witnessing the Northern Lights for the first time:

Danish Musician Henrik Hytteballe is inspired by Norway’s Northern Lights!

When you visit Norway’s magical My Northern Lights microsite, you are greeted by an eerie yet beautiful and uplifting soundtrack. It is the music of contemporary Danish musician Henrik Hytteballe.

The track, included in Henrik’s 2006 album ‘haiku’,was inspiredby his experiences of seeing the Aurora Borealis in Norway while on holiday:
“I have been skiing in Norway six times. During four of those times, I stayed in a cottage with friends and family at Fåvang, Ringebu, north of Lillehammer in Oppland. Just outside the door is the most wonderful nature covered in thick white snow.
“When the nights were clear, we went out looking at the amazing starry sky and twice I have had the luck to experience the fantastic Northern Lights. It is absolutely breathtaking and amazing.
“I have seen lots of great photos of this phenomenon since, but a picture cannot describe the greatness of this natural light.

“Being a musician and composer, I am really inspired by nature and personal experiences, and I wanted to describe the Northern Lights in music to give an impression of the grandeur and the formlessness. It is not an easy task as the phenomenon is so different from anything else, I have seen.

“I ended up with a piece, Northern Lights that is both pastoral and fluttering, hoping to give an idea of how wonderful it is to watch this fantastic natural light.”

Henrik Hytteballe/haiku
www.haikumusic.dk

Top tips for photographing the Northern Lights in Norway

Our blog this week comes from Lars Ivar Henriksen, an amateur photographer from Norway who also runs the website http://www.shutterjoy.com. He tells us some top tips for capturing the Northern Lights on film and shares some of his best shots with us.

1.    Northern Lights photography guide tip one   – Work for it
To be able to take good photos of northern Lights you have to seek them out, they will not just appear. Therefore my first tip is to travel to dark places where even the smallest light from the sky is visible.

2.    Tip two for best Aurora shots – Location

Taking photos of Northern Lights isn’t that tricky, but for those who haven’t seen them, it might be hard to imagine how to take them.

The best place to be is to be in a very dark area. Tromsø is a fantastic place to spot the Northern Lights in Norway, but a little difficult to capture them because of the lights coming from buildings and streetlights can interfere with your camera exposures.  If it is landscape shots you want, travel a bit outside of town and you’ll probably get a better chance of seeing the lights and taking better pictures. You can still get great pictures of the lights in Tromsø but the display will not be as vivid.

3.    Aurora Borealis photography tip three – The equipment

Get your gear sorted before you go. The most important piece you’ll need is a tripod. It never truly gets light in Norway in the winter, so you’ll need a tripod to ensure you capture long exposures without any camera shake.

4.    Tip four for capturing the Northern Lights on film – Prepare for the cold!
Batteries. Northern lights tend to come when it’s really cold so you’ll need some spare batteries because they will run out fast. And bring warm clothes, you could be out there a while!

5.    Aurora photography tip five – Lenses
I would recommend you use a wide-angle lens. You may think the Northern Lights will look amazing in a photo by itself. But on screen or film, it will look boring if there is no landscape to accompany it. Putting the Northern Lights against a backdrop of beautiful Norwegian landscapes just makes them look even more magical!

6.    Northern Lights photo guide  tip six – Method
And here is where it gets technical. Northern Lights are moving, so there are two ways to take pictures. The lights in detail, and blurry lights. I like the detailed ones because they look more like the real Northern Lights, as you would experience them in person. To get the detailed look you’ll have to get the shutter time as short as possible by increasing the aperture.

And that is all, however, I believe there is a curse upon me when it comes to Northern Lights. They show up every time I set off to go home, just to tease me! But when I get home and grab my camera they disappear. However, this seems to just make me even more eager!

I also love to take pictures of Tromsø. You can see them here, on:  Shutterjoy.com. Feel free to check out my Flickr thread too, and leave me comments if you like them!

Have you made your own Northern Lights on our new microsite yet? Visit http://www.visitnorway.com/uk/mynorthernlights

When was it?
Well, in winter I see the Northern Lights all the time as I live in Tromsø. I saw some two days ago. It’s a bit milder temperature now, but if I go out and look I might see some lights tonight.

Where were you and who were you with?
Well, I see them a lot during winter, my girlfriend and I sometimes go for walks in the winter cold and try to spot them, and often they appear, but it always seems to be when my camera is at home!

Describe the setting, what were the conditions like?
It’s cold and frosty, there has to be no clouds in the sky so that you actually see the stars. There is a saying that if you walk away from stars, you see them better. Well it is the same with the lights, you walk away, and you see them better. And get better photos!

I also have a great story about the Northern Lights. A few years ago I went on a winter trip with my class. The school was arranging the trip and we had to sleep in snow caves for the night. I had never ever slept inside a snow cave and didn’t know how much work it would be to make one. We started at 5 pm and we worked until 10 pm. We were just about to get into our sleeping bags when our teachers excitedly told us to get dressed and step outside.

When we did, we saw the most insane Northern Lights I have ever seen. The entire sky was lit up by green light and it moved faster then I have ever seen. No sound, just the swaying back and forth. Then we started to dance, not just because of how magical the Northern Lights looked, but because we wanted to keep warm! It was an awesome experience.

Describe what the lights were like. How did they make you feel? Was there any sound?
When the Northern Lights are strong you feel like you almost can touch them. It creates a strong illusion that the lights are only ten meters above you. It’s just so beautiful to look at, and very calming.

Which camera and equipment do you use to take pictures of the Lights and Norway
Personally; I use a Nikon D200 with a normal wide-angle lens when taking landscapes and pictures in Norway.

Do you have any other tips on how to get perfect shots, such as positions?
I love depth and feel that every landscape shot should have that. You need to get some foreground to get the depth in pictures. Here is an example of that:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sjivar/3509205285/in/set-72157617569351875/

I also think it’s nice to sometimes get the foreground in one of the sides as it is another way of including depth within pictures.http://www.flickr.com/photos/sjivar/3507144986/in/set-72157617569351875/

Do you have a favourite picture of the Northern Lights (doesn’t have to be your own!)

Yes, there is one on Flickr I’m a big fan of. I’m a sucker for reflection in shots! It’s by user called orvaratli. http://www.flickr.com/photos/orvaratli/3338980431/

Do you recommend any specific locations to grab good pictures of the lights from?
Just get some place with a view. Or as in my favourite picture above, try to get the reflection on the lights. Make it a little more unique and stand somewhere away from the classic shots- make the Northern Lights your own!

Lars is an amateur photographer from Norway, some of his amazing shots can be found on his website, www.shutterjoy.com

Have you created your own Northern Lights yet? Visit www.visitnorway.co.uk/mynorthernlights and show us the results!

Few nations celebrate Christmas with quite the charm and tradition of Norway. The air is filled with scent of spices, gingerbread and tangerines and the house is filled with candles, poinsettias and of course a Norwegian spruce decorated with baubles, tinsels and home-made ornaments.

As in the other Scandinavian countries, the main event and focus of festivities for Norwegians is on Julaften (Christmas Eve) on December 24th, when there is a long Christmas dinner followed by receiving the presents which are under the tree.

Norwegian Christmas Elves
Rather than leaving a mince pie at the door for Rudolph, Norwegian children, particularly those who live in the countryside, follow the tradition of leaving a bowl of rice pudding for a little gnome or elf known as fjøsnissen. This little elf’s job is to guard the farm animals but he will play tricks on the children if they forget to give him a bowl of special rice pudding (risengrynsgrøt).
This rice pudding dish is a favourite at Christmas time, and is often eaten for lunch on Christmas Eve. A single almond is added to the mix, and whoever gets the almond wins a pig made of marzipan.

Traditional Norwegian Christmas Feasts
There are many different regional traditional main courses served on Julaften around Norway. Pork rib roast (svineribbe) is the favoured dish in Eastern Norway, whereas on the Western coast people eat steamed, salted or smoked mutton ribs (pinnekjøtt).

In the north, boiled cod or lye fish (lutefisk, cod treated in lye and eaten with mushy peas and bacon) are popular dishes. Favourite desserts include rice pudding mixed with whipped cream and berry sauce or caramel pudding.
To wash it all down, Norwegian breweries produce a traditional Christmas beer, juleøl, which is darker and stronger than the common Norwegian lagers and special Christmas soda called julebrus.  Akevitt is a traditional schnaps flavoured with caraway seeds, to wash down the fatty food.
Norwegian Yuletide cookies and cake.
As if there’s not already enough to do, Norwegian mums are also traditionally expected to bake seven different types of Christmas cookies called julekaker. Every household has its own favourites and there are different types of treats made in different regions of Norway. The most popular are pepperkaker (ginger snaps) with icing sugar frosting, which are also used to hang in windows and decorate the Christmas tree.
Norwegian Yule treats – without tricks

During romjulen, the week between Christmas and New Years Eve, some Norwegian children continue the tradition of “julebukk”, going from house to house in search of sweets and treats in a similar fashion to trick or treating. However, there is no trick for neighbours who fail to deliver as this is an entirely good-natured custom stemming from the Viking era.

God Jul! (Merry Christmas!)

Have you created your own Northern Lights? Take some time over Christmas to make your own Northern Lights here!

Famous for their bright red traditional costumes, the Sami are traditionally hunter-gatherers who roamed the region tending their reindeer herds and relying on fishing in the rivers, lakes and coastal waters for their survival.
Today, experts estimate that there are around 30,000 Sami living in Norway.
The Sami culture withstood pressures from the state in the 1700s to adhere to the mainstream society and its way of life and in modern times the Sami culture has been considered something to both preserve and celebrate.

While Sami people are now just as likely to be found practising medicine or law, or running garages or restaurants, they remain fiercely proud of their heritage and culture, from their costumes and language to their traditional lavvu (tents) and joik (songs).

The Sami and the reindeer
The majority of the traditional Sami people who lived along the Norwegian coast were farmers or fishermen with a far smaller number of groups dependent on reindeer herding.

Yet, even though the traditional Sami reindeer herding is under threat, Sami culture is in many ways more vital today than it was a century ago as a result of progressive attitudes. The traditional Sami language, which has many dialects and is related to a mix of Finnish, Hungarian and Estonian, is also enjoying a revival. The Sami in Norway speak Norwegian but the North Sami dialect is now also spoken by growing numbers of the Sami population and used in education.

How to meet the Sami
Numerous specialist operators offer holidays in Norway that incorporate cultural excursions to meet the Sami and experience their culture.
Among the best is the Sami Day and Reindeer Races adventure with Hurtigruten Cruises. This exciting itinerary combines a cruise from Bergen to Tromsø to see the northern lights with the annual Sami Day festival, which includes the Sami reindeer racing championships.
The official Sami National Day is now celebrated every year on the 6th February – the date when the first Sami congress was held in 1917 – and the vibrant Arctic city of Tromsø plays host to a week of festivities.
For locals and visitors alike, the annual reindeer racing championships held on the 8th of February is the big highlight of the week.
Book your holiday to Tromsø and you can watch the competitors struggle to stay upright on their skis as they’re pulled along by their reindeer for the race through the snow covered course. This race is not for the faint-hearted as the reindeer racers can reach speeds of up to 60km per hour!

Have you created your own Northern Lights yet? Visit our magical website to have a go and share with your friends!

Put simply, the Northern Lights are the result of complicated interplay between the solar winds, which bring a constant stream of electric particles from the sun and the Earth`s magnetic field.
However, if you really want to impress your travelling companions with clever science snippets, read on..!
According to leading expert, Professor Truls Lynne Hansen:
“The solar wind is a constant stream of electric particles from the sun. It varies in intensity and therefore links the northern lights with the solar activity. The solar winds rushes along the Earth`s magnetic field, compresses it on the day side, draws it out into a tail on the night side and generates electric currents and fields in the areas around the earth.

A number of solar wind particles are trapped in the Earth`s magnetic field and, together with particles which originate in the Earth`s atmosphere, end up in the tail on the magnetic field on the night side. ”

However, the big question that stumped scientists for decades was exactly how these solar wind particles got their energy and what triggers them to flare green, red and purple and treat us to such a spectacular show.

Last year, the puzzle was finally solved by scientists who used data from five NASA satellites to research Northern Lights activity. The study published in the journal Scientist in July 2008 revealed that explosions of magnetic energy occur between Earth and the moon causing the sudden brightening.
It is these explosions of magnetic energy that trigger the frequent auroral flare-ups that make this green, red and purple lightshow that shimmers above Earth’s northernmost and southernmost regions even more spectacular

The Northern Lights have created many myths and legends and for the Sami people, the first settlers in the region, the dancing lights created by solar winds that meet the Earth’s atmosphere were the work of a god.

Sami

The Sami, settled in Northern Scandinavia around 11,000 years ago, and like other aboriginal tribes, their culture is based on living in harmony with nature. Today, there are around 10,000 Sami who live and follow their reindeer herds in a region that stretches from Jämtlands Län in Sweden through Northern Norway and Finland to the Kola Peninsula in Russia.

The Lights are called ‘guovssahasat’ in Northern Sami and the Sami people believed that the spectacle in the skies was created by the energies of departed souls. They also believed that the lights – the work of a god and souls leaving the earth – wielded great powers. Sami children were taught to be quiet when the lights flared and danced as it was believed that anyone who was disrespectful to this great god would be punished by bad fortune, illness or even death.

Mocking the northern lights or singing about them was considered to be particularly dangerous as the lights would descend and kill you! And anyone who dared to whistle beneath the lights risked being whisked away!

On a more positive note, the Sami also believed that the fire of the lights bestowed magical powers, and when they flared this was a good time to resolve any conflicts or arguments in the tribe, and bring about new harmony.

The northern lights also feature in Norwegian folklore. Captivating tales include the belief that the lights were the spirits of old maids dancing in the sky and waving.  Just don’t be tempted to wave back. To this day, the locals of Tromsø recommend visitors refrain from waving at the Northern Lights or risk being abducted!