Family Russell-Smith Travel

Home
Family Russell-Smith Travel

We are the Russell-Smiths and we love to Travel.
(2)

03/11/2024

2nd October 2025
Day 7 of our

The weather this morning was disgusting... well, it was snowing and blowing a strong breeze, so we decided to hole up and "chill" for our last full day in Norway!

After a good homemade lunch, we headed out about 2pm. for a bit of a different experience.

Martina had been researching (as she does) and found the local community of Gratangen (our local village) had set up a community sauna that you could rent.

150NOK each or 800NOK for a private rental. We went for 150NOK and got lucky as no one else had booked, so we had it to ourselves.

It's a beautiful wooden cabin with a woodside stove to heat the rocks that heat the sauna. It's supplied with wood and smellys (nice ones) and is decorated beautifully, clearly showing a lot of pride in this.

It is sat on the edge of the Fjord so you can dip in the sea too cool off (FYI, it was bloody freezing!!!) or role in the snow of you like. Both definitely cool you off.

The session was 1.5 hrs, which was a good time as young and regulated the heat well to make sure you don't over heat to quickly.

The boys were not too interested (no an issue), so they stayed outside and built their own Igloo again on the edge of the sea with a great view!

It was an awesome experience to finish off on. Relaxed and ready for the 2nd half of the too long Autumn School term, we are all going back to face!!

02/11/2024

30th October 2024
Day 6 of our

We did not get up to too much today.

The boys spent the morning playing in the snow and adding to their Igloo before we headed out for a bit of a drive along the E10 road just to check out the views before pulling up for a bit of fishing in the Fjord. Not much was taking, and we snagged a few tiddler Pullock fish, but we were hoping for some codling. About 60 mins in Ben nonchalantly say I got a fish. Assuming it was just another po***ck, we half ignored him until we looked up and saw him almost being pulled in!! I grabbed the Rod as the monster fish bolted under the pier snagging the line and SNAP it was gone. I have no idea what it was, but whatever it was, it was big, and it's likely our tiny rod would have struggled to real it in any way! Shame, but that's fishing!!

We headed back to the house to enjoy the snow some more with some more snowball fights.

02/11/2024

31st Octorber 2024

Day 6 of our

Today, we woke up late and decided to brave the cold and snow again for another hike. We decided on a hike not far from Narvik, but as we arrived, the heavens opened again for a snowstorm, which looked like it was settled in for a while. However, just 45 mins down, the road looked clear, so we drove and arrived in the little village of Bjorkasen for a short (3hrs) strenuous hike up hill to a little view point. The snow was thick, and it was hard going for William as he sank in the snow.

We had taken longer than anticipated and did not pack lunch save a few biscuits, so after coming back down the hill, we stopped at the local service station for some giant hotdogs.. the boys loved them, and they were well priced at £5.50 each.

Prices here are not too bad. Some things (cheese and fule) are pricey, but on the whole, it's pretty comparable to the UK!

We got back and chilled for a while before the boys spent hours again playing in the snow and sledging.

They have built a snowman, and Igloo and toboggan runs!

We had a dinner and roasted marshmallows on candles as a little nod to Halloween, which was difficult to celebrate out here.

We watched a "scary" kids' movie, and the boys headed to bed.

We decided to take one last look outside to see if the northen lights were out! THEY WERE BIG TIME!

We watched and waited, took some photos but suddenly it went super strong.. moving waving sparkling colours of green, orange, yellow. For about 1 min, it was spectacular. The number of hours we have stood, cold staring at the sky at a grey missed waiting for this moment. I got a little over excited by it, as you can hear in the reel previously posted! To be able to film it shows how strong it was as you normally can't film it (or at least we can't). But the footage does not do it justice! It was simply spectacular and awesome! I honestly can't think of the words to describe it...

31/10/2024

30th October 2024

Day 5 of our

It snowed again last night but looked like it might clear up for the day, so we decided to go for another hike to catch a view over the Fjords.

The start of the hike was good, and there was not too much snow on the ground, but underfoot it was a bit squelchy and much of the start of the hike had a little stream running down the footpath.

However, this changed very quickly as a big grey cloud rolled in and dumped a snowstorm on our heads. Luckily, it was not windy, but the snow quickly settled (it was -1°C) making the hike harder. As we hiked, the snow deepened above our ankles. The choice was carried on or turn back, but as we were over halfway and the path was very clear, we pressed on.

Not expecting much view as we reached the top, the clouds rolled away, giving us a spectacular view over the valley and into the distance. The fresh snow brightens up even further!

After a few photos we could see another large cloud rolling in, so we started to head back down only for it to also dump a load of snow as we went. We were all in good spirits, and it was quite good fun in the snow.

When we got back to the car, we could see that in the 3 hrs we were hiking over 15cm of snow had fallen!

We felt safe as the path was clear, and more importantly, we had the right gear. There is NO such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing!

We headed back to the cottage and had lunch, then spent the rest of the day playing in the new deep, fresh snow.

30/10/2024

YES SHE DID... We were all in our PJs and definitely not planning to head out in to the Arctic night but again the Northen lights are that gift that just keep on giving!!

This time we got some cool shots of the house and the snowman... and us also!

30/10/2024

29th October 2025

Day 4 of our

The day started with a bit of a lie in before a bit of prep before an online meeting preparing for a bit of a link up that's super exciting.. watch this space. 😁

The weather forecast was for a bit of a storm and some strong winds and snow so we decided today would be a good day for snowman building, snowball fights and a small walk around the local area and the local lake.

As you can see, we were quite successful at both....

After a good few hours, we got cold, so we snuggled in on the sofa to watch a movie... however, as always, Martina is on the search for Northen lights and not long passed before she wrapped up warm to check out the night sky... did she find them...? Check the next post! 😁😁

29/10/2024

28th October 2024
Day 3 of our

This is a chill holiday. Having been up very late it was obvious we would wake up late.

So it was a late breakfast and then a small local hike. The weather was not looking too good later so we headed out before lunch to get a bit of fresh (action cold fresh air) and enjoy the countryside.

After lunch, the weather closed in, so we chilled at the cottage watching the snow drift in getting excited that tomorrow it will hopefully be enough for a snowball fight and snowman.. fingers crossed!!

28/10/2024

27th Oct 2024
Day 2 of our

Funny day today. We (John slept in) as we were up so late watching the Aurora show the night before.
Being Sunday, everything is closed in Norway, and having only done a quick shop yesterday, it means an hours drive to Sweden to the border town of Riksgränsen where the was open. Apparently cheaper but much the same as our local Rema1000 we picked up a weeks shopping as we are self-catering (obvs).

After spending a good 90-minute shopping (it always takes longer than you want), we headed back, had an early dinner (5pm) and went to bed (6 pm)... why? The Northen lights, of course silly!

The weather looked like we would need to head back to Sweden as our area was forcast for rain... more importantly, there was a solar warning on the space forcast, meaning a good chance of some awesome Auroras.

We woke at 11 to find our sky clear and a weak Aurora, but it was an interlude in the rain, and within 30 mins, it was raining. So we all jumped in the car and drove to Sweden. About an hour in just short of the border, the sky's cleared again, and we were greeted with a spectacular show. My photos don't do it justice (Martinas will), but it was the strongest we have ever seen. We all whooped and hollered as the Aurora flashed, sparkled and simmered in the night sky.

After about 30 mins, they cloud caught us up again, so we continued the drive to Sweden. We pulled up just short of Abisko and waited.. and waited... and waited.. it seemed the show was over.. There was a slight green tint but weak compared to what we had seen a few hours before. By 3am, it was time to head back... the sun would be up soon. Tired we arrived home and went straight to bed.

Was it worth it...HELL YES!!

27/10/2024

26th Oct 2024

Day 1 of our

It was a looooooong day of travel.

We travel a lot.. 😝 and so on a teachers wage and a current student teachers wage (I.e. paying the uni 9k and £0 pay) we always have to find ways to keep things cheap. This means some sacrifices of comfort to get that good price.

The alarm burst out at 2 a.m. telling us to get our asses out of bed and into the taxi at 3am to Heathrow.

We were in hindsight, probably 30 mins early as the airport was not even open at 4am! It was surprising as some flights were taking off at 6 am.

We then hopped our way to Narvik, Northen Norway with via Copenhagen and Oslo. We were very impressed with their service, cabin crew, and planes, making it all feel very straightforward, but long.

A new travel hack alert (by Martina).

Food was not included in the flights and the cost at food these days at airports is getting ridiculous (Istanbul airport is a joke €30 for a basic kebab) and so we needed to take some with us. I am going to do a post on it on the way home but basically buy a cheap pizza from the supermarket, cook at home the night before but whilst hot fold in half (like a calzoni pizza) then let it cool, wrap in foil, put in fridge BOOOOM you have an awsome lunch, no mess and tonns of flavor DIRT CHEAP. Massive game changer!

We arrived in Narvik at 6pm, grabbed our car (nice little Hybrid) from and headed on the road.

Martinas eyes glued to the clear sky's above us shouted "Stop Stop STOP find a place to STOP!"

Our number one reason for being here, The Northen lights.. they were out, and they were out strong. Clear colours with the naked eye! What should have been a 30 min drive to our cottage turned into 3 hours! They continued to display their beauty until we headed to bed at midnight. Great photos and great views making for a great day... long day, but soooo worth it!

25/10/2024

Heading out to Norway in the morning. Hoping for Northen lights, some good hikes, and a bit of peace and tranquillity.

Looks like it will turn cold later in the week and we might get some SNOW ❄️

familyadventures

21/10/2024

Weekends are always busy...

Saturday was an early wake-up for a 9am KO with the mighty Binfield FIRE (under 13s). After a soaked warm-up, the game was canned due to a waterlogged pitch. Not detered, we got home showered and headed out in the sun to watch our team win 4-1.

Sunday morning was time to cook for. We always cook fresh for Sundays but also prep for the week. So there was roast chicken and veg, beef massaman curry, and pizza rolls for the weeks snacks.

We have taken to making almost all our own bread. Inspired by 10 weeks of amazing bread in both Pakistan and Malaysia, we decided enough was enough on the E number filled crap.. so far, so good!!! We are starting to experiment with recipes, but I definitely have the simple crusty loaf down! Once you get in to a habit and routine it's quite easy to do!

Anyone else baking their own bread? It tastes great, and the smell of the house after is so homley also.

Address

Website

http://www.familyrussellsmithtravel.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Family Russell-Smith Travel posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Family Russell-Smith Travel:

Videos

Day 3 #pakistanadventure Long day of travel, but we ended up here for dinner 😁 Day started with a spectacular flight into Scardu and then some time in town checking out ATM with no luck (We have plenty FYI WORRY WORTS) but we just thought we would make top up JUST IN CASE. We will try again onnoir return. We are now at the hotel enjoying the cool mountain air and the stunning views! 4.30 start in the morning for a 5-12 hrs drive (road depending) from this point on its hiking boots on and K2 et al here we come!! @epicexpeditions__ @14basecamps_thefamilyedition @watertogo #familytravel #travelblog #travelgram #14basecamps #hikinglife #familyadventure #familytime #FamilyFun

A massive, massive thank you to Dave from @watertogo for the support. These wonderful miracle bottles will keep us all safe on our upcoming trip to Pakistan and our 14 basecamps project. We have long been huge fans of these guys since we first discovered them at a travel show. They were literally a life saver when we were in the middle of the Lombok earthquake in 2018 with little access to water. They have probably saved us £1000s in bottled water as we have been able to drink tap water in every country visited since. Best of all, they are sustainable reducing our plastic bottle use to almost 0. Thank you again Water-To-Go Absolute legends! @14basecamps_thefamilyedition #WaterToGo #StayHydrated #FamilyFun #OutdoorAdventure #CleanWater #ConvenientHydration #BPAFree #SafeDrinkingWater #OnTheGo #HealthyLiving #family #familytravel #travel #travelblog #travelfamilyblogger #travelgram #support

@lakedistrict @altontowers Fun filled adventures for the family this weekend! #hike #fun #themepark #rollercoaster #family #familytravel #familytime

Breaking in our new @scarpa_uk hiking boots whilst doing the housework... Boom... Living the dream! @14basecamps_thefamilyedition #travel #hiking #basecamp #14peaks #14basecamps #familytravel #family #normallife #reality #preparation

The preparation started months ago, but we are upping our game after Egypt. The time will fly before we are on our first day in Pakistan. We have a strict regime... Monday - Yoga and leg strengthening Tuesday - Boxercise and leg strengthening Wednesday - footy training Thursday - Leg strengthening and Muffin top work out (Core) Friday - rest day Saturday football or running Sunday - hikes or running plus leg strengthening Plus, loads more school PE and clubs.. @epicexpeditions__ @14basecamps_thefamilyedition #hike #k2 #14basecamps #14peaks #familytravel #familyadventure #familytravelblog #familywhotravels #travelblog #travel #mountains #preperation

Pyramids of Giza #egyptadventure #awsome #travelblog #travelgram #travel #travelblogger #familyadventure #familytravel

Williams first foam pool party... FOR KIDS! Could have been Ibiza!!! 🤣 #foamparty #dance #familytravel #travelblog #familyadventure #partyboy

#partyboy#dance

Well, this view is different, but this room is lovely! #travelblog #egyptadventure #Egypt #travelgram #familytravel #familyadventure

Ops... how did we end up here... 🤣 #backpackingfamily #familytravel #holiday #allinclusive

Beautiful Gulfoss #24hrsiniceland #iceland #waterfall #sunset #nature #beautiful #travel #wow

Icelandic eruption. Taking off at 10am today from Iceland with @easyjet got an awesome view of the eruption that started at 8am this morning! The #geographygeek teacher in John was a bit over excited, so sorry for the commentary! Could not have asked for a better end to our #24hrsiniceland Bit worried for the people of Grundvik as this one was very close and looks like the lava might make it into town! Fingers crossed it does not! @bbcnews @skynews @bracknelnews @thetimes @natgeotravel #iceland #volcano #icelanderuption #travel #couplesweeken #awe #nature #instagood #aviation

Shortcuts

Address
Alerts
Contact The Business
Videos
Claim ownership or report listing
Want your business to be the top-listed Travel Agency?

Country:

City:

03/11/2024

02/11/2024

02/11/2024

31/10/2024

30/10/2024

30/10/2024

29/10/2024

28/10/2024

27/10/2024

25/10/2024

21/10/2024

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Videos

Shortcuts

Share