Travelling Fletchers

We left our flat this morning after an easy checkout and as we stepped outside, we noticed a small brass square set into the pavement. It stopped us in our tracks. These are the markers that remember Holocaust victims – placed where they once lived. The family linked to our apartment were taken and died in Auschwitz.

We’d seen many of these Stolpersteine stones in Berlin, each one a stark reminder of families torn from their homes. So it was striking to spot one in Oslo too, right outside the flat we’d just left. A small brass square in the pavement, marking names of those who had once lived there and who later died in Auschwitz. I don’t think I’ll ever be blind to these again. Wherever we travel, I’ll be looking out for them – and perhaps that’s exactly the point. They’re not just markers in the ground, but a living memorial, there to keep memory alive so such horrors are never repeated.

We travelled down to the port side and made use of a storage locker for our bags. The lockers are deceptively spacious – we managed to squeeze in three out of our four bags without any trouble. Even a large wheeled suitcase would fit. The cost was a whopping £4.37, and worth every penny for the freedom it gave us to wander unencumbered.

We still had a little time left on our Oslo Pass, so we wandered down to the local fortress and castle. Not long after stepping through the entrance, the pass expired – but we’d already made it inside and still had time to explore. Akershus Fortress isn’t just a historical site. Parts of it are still in use today – housing military offices, museums, and even hosting state functions and official dinners. It remains both a reminder of Norway’s past and a working part of its present.

We found a little suntrap just outside the castle where we could sit and watch the boats drifting in and out of the harbour while we ate our lunch. From there it was only a short stroll back to the port to get ready to board the boat to Copenhagen.

It was time to board the boat – this time heading towards Copenhagen – another overnight trip. After missing the boat in Kiel, we weren’t about to take any chances. Being right by the port eased our minds, but there was still that nagging doubt. I opened the tickets for one last check and realised I’d booked the journey from Copenhagen to Oslo – the wrong way round! My heart sank at the thought of repeating Kiel all over again. A few frantic presses in the app and the crisis was averted.

(Side note: tickets can only be amended up to 48 hours before travel. Imagine if I’d spotted it too late… I’d never have lived that one down with the rest of the family!)

This boat turned out to be quite different – not just another cruiser from a different provider, but a whole new style too. Swimming was included, along with a jacuzzi and sauna rather than the lazy river we’d had before. All of the entertainment came at no extra cost, but our first stop was simply to head up to the top deck and watch the scenery drift by.