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Left Moraira at 7 am for Valencia Airport on 22 Aug. An uneventful flight to Madrid where we had to transfer by bus to terminal two having collected our luggage in terminal four. We then had time for a short visit to the business lounge which was bright and airy, for half an hour or so. Before boarding a Portuguese airline plane to Lisbon.. There we had three hours before our next flight but unfortunately the business lounge was very full and very somber but in the end we got used to it. There was American lady nearby who kept cackling was watching something on an iPad which really annoyed us but then she started talking to us, asking about the Bears., And had a present quiet voice and was quite interesting to talk to. The food was not of a high standard and the pastais de nata were a disappointment but the Port was very pleasant. We then had an annoying hour in which we had to queue for security board the flight to Montréal and then stand for up to an hour on the stairs and then a bus with the doors closed before boarding our flight to Montréal. But this turned out to be very pleasant , seats were very comfortable and the food was great and graciously served.
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We landed at Montréal before nine but it was an hour and a half later before we arrived at the Marriott hotel having taken an Uber from the airport . The hotel seemed deserted but apparently there had been a strike of workers there that day. Silver Seas desk was still open but we had to get our suitcases down within half an hour for them to be ready for the next morning.
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Friday, the 23rd of August. Montréal to Kangerlussuaq We got up at 5:30 and had a pleasant breakfast in a deserted looking hotel and were ready to board the bus at 6:20 that took us back to the airport. There was quite a long wait here for the 9 am flight to Kangerlussuaq,. We had quite a few chats with fellow passengers during this time. On boarding the bus we were greeted by Jane who was a friend of Linda and Neil and remembered us from a former expedition on Silverseas. The charter plane was packed with 177 of us, which was really too many for the facilities that were on board 0 similar packing density to Ryanair. But once again I had chats to several people was queuing up for the solitary front toilet. The meal provided was reasonably good but so difficult to eat in the cramped conditions.
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We landed in Greenland at 4 pm local time after a nearly 4 hour flight. But here we found chaos as there were no buses to take us to the zodiacs, but they were familiar expedition members. Lea & Mila, that we knew and who apologised and said it wasn’t their fault. Over an hour and a half later we boarded an old American type school bus and chugged the 15 minutes to the zodiacs, stopping en route for our passports to be stamped by official who, boarded the bus. Zodiacs were efficient and the weather conditions were extremely calm so we did not actually need all the wet weather gear that we had put on. The luggage did not read reach the ship till much later so we went down to the bar for a drink before the safety drill soon after eight. Then into the Terrassa for a meal and heading back to the cabin to unpack the suitcases with the reward at the end of going back to the bar for an espresso martini. Then a bit more unpacking to end a long long day.
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