THE GRAND TOUR — Part 1
Galatians 3:28 (KJV)
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
We were planning to travel back to the UK in 2022, but due to COVID restrictions, we were unable to go.
As soon as the restrictions were lifted, we began thinking about and planning our trip back to Europe.
During the Chinese New Year of 2024, we decided to take a trip to Sichuan Province to visit several places. The first of these was Chongqing — the cyberpunk city.
You may think your city is crazy, but not like Chongqing!
Trains go through apartment buildings, petrol stations sit on the 20th floor of skyscrapers, and every night the city comes alive, lit up like a Christmas tree. Especially amazing is Hongyadong, an eleven-storey structure built into the mountainside overlooking the river.
Not far from Chongqing is Chengdu, the panda city and home of hotpot. You are given a large pot of bubbling broth and a selection of raw ingredients to cook in it yourself. Sherry and Helen loved this because of the spicy food, but Keith survived mostly on rice and bread for two days.
While planning the Europe trip, Helen — who loves organising these journeys — worked with Sherry to obtain a Europe-wide visa for one month. With that in hand, we travelled to Europe for nearly three months.
We travelled with several large suitcases, and our pastor kindly drove us to and from Nanjing Airport.
We arrived at Heathrow and collected our cases. It was only halfway to my cousin’s home that Keith asked, “Where’s my case?” Yes — we had left it behind.
We contacted the airline and asked them to deliver it, but they refused. The following Tuesday, while we were all in London, Keith made a detour back to Heathrow. After much discussion, he retrieved the case and met the ladies near the Houses of Parliament.
We visited Tower Bridge and then returned home — relieved to have the missing case.
We had a very interesting day in Cambridge. Sadly, most of the colleges were closed for special events. Keith tried to persuade them that he was a former student (has anyone from Skerton School ever been to Cambridge?), but he was unsuccessful. As far as we know, no one from Skerton has ever studied at Cambridge — only visited to watch the football!
Soon after, we set off for Norway to visit Helen’s cousin in the picturesque town of Årdal near Bergen. To get there, we first flew to Oslo. The airport was far outside the city, so we travelled in by train. As it was high summer, daylight lasted almost around the clock. Oslo was wonderful, and we found a small hotel for travellers.
The next day, we travelled on to Årdal. The bus journey was extraordinary as we climbed high into the mountains and then descended into the valley.
To say I fell in love with the place is an understatement — waterfalls, mountains, and complete peace and quiet.
Situated at the end of Norway’s longest fjord, Sognefjord, there is a lake at the end. Every morning during our stay, I walked to its edge. What a place to pray and meditate.
On Sunday, we attended a church service in the forest and later walked up to two of the highest waterfalls in Norway.
Our wonderful host drove us along mountain roads to crystal-clear lakes where the snow had not yet fully melted. I remember one lake with clear blue water. Keith put his feet into a mountain stream — the water was pure and freezing cold.
One of our visits was to a small circular wooden church dating back to the 11th century. It was tiny but remarkable. Memories like these are priceless.
We also viewed Sognefjord from high above. My father had always wanted to visit Norway but never had the opportunity. I felt very privileged to experience it.
Our hosts treated us royally. One evening, we were served delicious reindeer meat. We were sad to leave Årdal, but it was time to move on.
Next stop: Prague.
See you there.
Devotional Thought
Årdal must be one of my favourite places. Each morning, I walked to the edge of the lake to pray and meditate. Being in a place of complete peace is a true blessing.
Psalm 46:10 (KJV)
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”
It is so easy to be caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life that we forget how to be still.
One of the best things we did was attend the small church service in the forest. Only a few people were present, but God was there. Worshipping in the midst of His creation was deeply special.
It took many hours to reach Årdal, but it was truly worth the journey.