I am going to Norway in a couple of weeks. In particular I'm going to Alta, right near the top, in the hope that I will see the northern lights. It's something that has been at the top of my bucket list for quite some time now, and with me living a little closer to the north pole than I used to, I couldn't say no.

I'm only staying for 3 nights, which will reduce my chances, but everything else has been planned to maximise the probability. Alta has more clear skies than most other parts of Norway due to its protected location in a fjord, which also thankfully means it won't be nearly as cold as other places that far north. It's also the peak time of year and the peak year itself of the sun's 11-year solar cycle, and I'll be there during a new moon to minimise the light pollution. Despite all that, if it's too cloudy or there's a lull in activity, I'll see bugger all. Could be a waste of money but that's the risk I'm taking.

Further down my list are things like visiting Neuschwanstein castle, and maybe Macchu Picchu (if I think I can handle the altitude). I'm also keen to meet as many GSFers as I can, and I'm glad to say I've done quite well there already.

What places or things are you keen to see before you kick the proverbial?

I've never been good at bucket lists, they keep shifting... Northern Lights, I'd like to see someday.

In Reply To #1

Very cool, I spent some time in Alaska in December the diddn't really see the lights much but there were a couple glimpses. I don't recommend Alaska as a general rule but it was nice to visit. Any place you have to plug in your car to keep it from freezing solid you can keep.

Personaly, I'm just focused on the societal things. House, job, family, not necissarily in that order. I figure one of these days im gonna get to Ireland for more than a stop over flight.

I'd like to see the Chinese Wall

I 'may' have a piece of that wall in my family's house...

*shifty eyes*

In Reply To #5

I was tempted to chip off a bit of the Berlin wall like so many other people have done, but these days there's not much left, and of what there is, it seems to be under constant watch. I suppose China's wall doesn't have such an issue there. There's heaps of it to go around.

Anyway, I just got back home from Norway. Saw an awesome lights display right above my head on the last night I was in Alta. It was a relief as the first two nights were so disappointing. Apparently there was a much much bigger one (with even clearer skies) the night after I left for Oslo, but I'm still pretty happy with what I did get to see. It's quite an experience, and actually really exceeded my expectations.

My camera can't catch it at all (just a point-&-shoot), so my friend had his SLR. However he made a few critical mistakes, like not using the ISO settings correctly, and not charging his battery enough. So all the shots he got before it died were of the smaller displays we saw earlier in the evening, and they're noisy as hell too. Not really even worth sharing, which is a shame. But I don't think I will need much help remembering those scenes for a long, long time.

In Reply To #6

Very, very cool. Burrrrrnnn...that into your retina for safe keeping.

With regards to the wall, my mum pilfered it while the guards weren't watching and stashed it in her shoe. Yes sir-eeee, history smells!

#1 on my bucket list is to have sex with a nun. No bullshit.

In Reply To #8

Not only is she a nun, but apparently also likes a good fisting. Either that, or she's about to thump the tv presenter.

In Reply To #9

I'd hit it. Twice.

I'm adding to my list: I'd like to visit a Parmigiano Reggiano caseificio...

All cats purr. I'd like to hear with my own ears a tiger purring.

I keep finding things to add to this list: the butterfly sanctuaries in Michoacán.

This is a pretty extreme thing to have on your list

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22102649

(but it explains a lot)

In Reply To #14

Well, at least it's warmer from here in prison.