Unsilent storms in the north abyss

N 060 54.048, E 007 12.229
Ok, it is quite apparent that there is no way I'll be able to write about everything on the way. Things are too busy and the internet is occasional and there is too much to see and do. Vignettes then. I guess.

Lund Camping now, outside of Aurland, taking a rest day. My legs are nearly recovered as well as my arms from a few days before. So wow, what has there been, just a week now, or thereabouts. Left London on a Tuesday, train to Newcastle and the overnight ferry across to Bergen. It was a dark inside cabin so we missed the first sight of land (and apparently a minke whale the night before). On deck, going through the first few stops and our first sight of land, it was quite exciting. High cliffs over the sea, houses perched at various levels. Not actually a whole lot of birds or anything, which was a little disappointing.

Wednesday in Bergen, damn the backpacks were heavy. Six months of stuff, hard to know what was needed and if we were camping too, especially in Norway where the prices are ungodly otherwise. Our ferry was a bargain deal, three day return ticket (which we skipped actually returning) with a sort of lame walking tour of the city included as part of the price. Sad that people spend 28 hours of the ferry, get about 4 hours of daylight in Bergen, sleep on the ship and take off the next morning for 28 more hours. Seems a bit mad.

Thursday we spend a lot of the morning trying to plan and book things, trains onward, ferries, accommodations and the rest of that. Then we hike up to the top of the hill behind the city, with the radio tower, into the clouds and have a great view of Bergen.

Friday we are up early to catch the ferry up through the northern channels north of Bergen and into the Sognerjorden and down to Flam. It is five hours and the last two is in a pretty spectacular fjord. We felt totally unprepared for this trip. Just tiny little digital cameras and binoculars (nobody else had binoculars, why is that?). The lenses some people had were gigantic. Totally outmatched there. They were funny though, it was like a pack of paparazzi running around trying to get the money shot of Amy Winehouse smoking a crack pipe. Waterfalls, rocks, oh, another waterfall, damn missed the shot. We were on the other side of the boat watching a bunch of porpoise swimming while the rest obsessed about waterfalls. Ok, they were pretty great waterfalls.

Camping in Flam on Friday night, unfortunately next to a busy road. Norway is a bit funny, you could see it much like seeing London by the Tube. There are lots of mountains with tunnels bored through them. Last night we took the bus from Gudvangen to Aurland and the vast majority of the journey was through tunnels. 10 km through one, 1/2 km through a valley, another 6 km through the next one into Flam, a brief trip through that valley and into the next one. But this road from one tunnel to the next was right behind the campsite and the trucks were noisy.

It was nice getting a feel for the place, the rhythm. Watching the cruise ships coming in and out, the Flamsbama train coming in and out of town every hour, seeing where the sheep were at different times of the day in the pasture. Had a rubbish hike on Saturday, just up the road towards Myrdal (where the amazing train goes, which we will take in a few days) and mostly being sad to see so many people enjoying themselves on bikes. Sniff sniff, should have rented bikes and rode instead of walking.

Sunday, much better, but more exhausting. We rented a two person kayak and set out down the fjord. Don't know how far we went, I think it was like 10 km up and back, fantastic the first half, stopped off for lunch on a beach and a hike to a waterfall and then onward. Turned around and had to beach on a very rocky shore, a bit exciting and had a great swim in the fjord. Forgot swimming suits and had to do it naked, damn cold too, but great. Then the way back was tiring. Rowing is hard work and my arms hurt for the next few days. Still, what an amazing way to see a fjord, from the ground level at a slow pace with just the sound of rowing (and occasional ferries that zoom by and give you exciting waves to bump over.)

Monday we get smart and rent bikes and head up towards Aurland, stopping off at Otternes to see old 17th century farmhouses propped up on top of a hill overlooking the fjord. Very cool to see old things like that, how people lived and worked the land. Then a brief look around Aurland and rushed back to catch the ferry around to Gudvangen through the
Naeroyfjoren, the very narrow one with super high cliffs. That was a very spectacular trip. And in Gudvangen, didn't want to walk all the way to to official campground, just ended up wild camping by the river. The ground was a bit bumpy there but it was in the middle of trees overlooking the river with a waterfall coming down the back. Very cool place. Ok, and a bit damp.

Packed up on Tuesday and left our bags with the nice people at a petrol station and headed down the fjord towards Bakka and hiked up about 850 meters, up and up and up, and gave up before the lake at the summit of the pass. But still the views of the fjord were great, the best hiking day yet. Lots of hard work coming down again, taking care to not stumble and fall and twist ankles, or just fall off the edge. A few sections were a bit sheer and rocky, mountain goat territory. Back in town, grabbed our bags from the petrol station and took the bus to Lund, set up the camp and collapsed. Last night, rained a bit overnight, the first real rain shower yet, amazing weather considering a week in Norway so far.

So, a few more days in this area and then the train to Olso and onward after that.