He found the solution
along the Norwegian Coast

“First and foremost, this was a trip for my health. I had struggled with migraines and a reduced quality of life for some time, and I needed to get away to find some motivation and inspiration.  But then I always bring my camera gear”.

Kristoffer Nærø Ytterland lives in the municipality of Herøy, Sunnmøre with his wife and three children. He runs the small photography business, “meirenntusenord.com”. The company name refers to the Norwegian expression: “A picture says more than a thousand words”.

“It wasn’t entirely coincidental that I traveled north to Lofoten as it’s something I’ve dreamed of doing for a long time”, he says.

If the destination were his only goal, Kristoffer could have traveled by airplane.

“But to me, the trip itself was an important part of the experience. I started coming alive the moment I passed the Arctic Circle”.

That was when the scenery started to change: The mountains became higher, the contrasts stronger.

“It was magnificent, so I spent a lot of time on the outside deck, wearing good, warm clothes and a headset with music. I even got to see the northern lights from the boat”, says the photographer, before continuing:

“And I must say that Havila Voyages is an incredible product. I was truly impressed by both food and people. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised”.

That is something he needs to explain in more detail…¨

“I love food, but I must admit that I wasn’t prepared for such quality. Furthermore, the people I met on board were very nice. As a solo traveler I appreciated the conversations with the staff and being served by the same waiter every day. Eventually, he learned what was my preferred drink, so just approached me and said: ‘One Pepsi coming up then!’, and then we talked a bit about football and photography”, Kristoffer says, chuckling at the memory.

His intention with the recreational voyage had nothing to do with a desire of “making friends”.

“But that doesn’t mean that I don’t like having contact with other people. It feels good to be seen and heard”, he says.

Discovered the Solo travels Offer

Up until quite recently, Kristoffer believed that a coastal trip with Havila Voyages was out of reach for an ordinary family man like him.

“But then I discovered a campaign offer for solo travels online. I clicked it and saw that the price for a trip to Kirkenes and back was quite reasonable. Of course, it was also an advantage that the prices are lower these days. Furthermore, I’d like to emphasize how nice it is to travel at this time of year. You are welcome to put that in writing”. 

Photo-tourist in Lofoten

Although the price for a roundtrip from Ålesund to Kirkenes and back was within Kristoffer’s budget, he chose to embark in Lofoten and stay there as a photo-tourist for a couple of days. 

“The timing was good. To me, it is out of the question to visit Lofoten in the summer when the whole area is packed with people and traffic. It would be too hard to get good photos”, he says

Kristoffer accentuates that it is entirely possible to get good photoshoots in Lofoten from the ship as well. And if you would like to spend extra time in Lofoten, you could always jump aboard another ship after a couple of days, whether you want to continue your journey north or travel back south. 

Kristoffer is happy to show us some of the pictures he took during his little holiday, and he even shares with us some simple photography advice…

Back home in Sunnmøre, Kristoffer is left with only good impressions of Havila Voyages. 

“In addition to the top-quality food and service, I am very satisfied with the interior of the ship and with my Seaview cabin. As a photographer, it’s nice to be able to observe the lights and the scenery that you sail through, so you don’t miss any good photo opportunities. I also liked that I had a clear view from my cabin window and that it was not possible to walk in front of it, because I wouldn’t have liked it if people could see me from the outside”, he says.

Kristoffer used the opportunity on board to photograph some of the interior as well.

Glad he did it

The conclusion is clear: Kristoffer’s recreational trip certainly did its purpose for the slightly tired photographer.

“I got exactly what I was looking for: I got to choose what I wanted out of my trip, which was disconnection and relaxation. To me, this was the right thing to do, and I’m very glad I did it”.