A wet and grey morning in Oslo did not deter us from walking into town. We did get rather wet though, and soon retreated back to the ship as the shoes got soaked. This afternoon we had a tour themed Oslo’s Maritime History with 3 ship museums.

First up was Kon Tiki, where Thor Heyerdahl and crew sailed a balsa raft from Peru to the Polynesian Islands. Done in the late 40’s it was an early example of experimental archeology, and made a big impression on me as a child. It didn’t disappoint and I greatly enjoyed visiting it again as the museum had been considerably enlarged.

It also housed the papyrus raft RA, numerous artefacts from Easter Island and a well patronised shop. In a building next door was housed the vessel FRAM. Used in numerous Polar expeditions it is best known for the part it played in the first successful expedition to the South Pole. An extremely interesting display where you could board the vessel, as well as view artefacts, informational films, etc.

Our final visit was to the Viking Ship display, which we’d visited when cruising aboard Voyages of Discovery. The overall size coupled with level of carving still impressed. A quick bus back to the ship saw an almost immediate sail away. The sun is out with blue skies now as we sail down Oslo fjord, hopefully it will last to Stavanger tomorrow.