Norway

So early in the year, my good friend Carlos mentions to me that as a follow up to his solo road trip through Iceland the year before, he has booked a flight to Norway for early September. He is leaving his wife and two young kids behind in Miami, while he drives a camper van through the mountains by himself. … right?

He casually suggests that I go with him (I may have prompted the invite), but I just chuckle and continue living my life. After all, going to Norway doesn’t seem like it will contribute to either A) anxiously passing time or B) paying bills.

Over the next few weeks, I consider the possibilities …

Long story short, with the encouragement and support of my wife for which I am eternally grateful, I decide this would be a great idea and book my flights. The rest of the story follows …

Day 1 (September 1, 2017)

I arrived in Oslo (Gardermoen) after flying from Boston overnight (and into the future!). I slept for about 30 minutes max on the plane, so I was in rough shape. Carlos’ flight from Miami was set to arrive a couple hours after me, so I had some time to kill. After getting some Coffee at “Joe and the Juice”, for the first time in my adult life, I slept on a public bench.

I packed all of my stuff for the trip in a 30L backpack, and carried my sleeping bag in a compression stuff sack (carry-on and personal item). I brought essentially two set of clothes and not much else.

After delays and FIVE HOURS of waiting, Carlos arrived (and my concerns that he was not actually coming and was just messing with me were alleviated). We got a ride to the camper van rental place and picked up the camper from Ursula. After enduring the most awkward interaction I’ve ever witnessed, between Carlos and Ursula (outgoing Cuban guy meets all-business Norwegian woman …), we stopped for supplies and headed north into the mountains, already several hours behind schedule.

So while I understand how to drive a manual transmission-equipped vehicle, I have almost no experience and was not in the position to do so successfully (I didn’t even try), so Carlos drove the entire trip (he volunteered). I served as the navigator.

I wish I took a picture of the inside of the van. Basically, the back had just enough room for a queen sized mattress, which we squeezed into (I was taller than the length of the cargo area). The mattress was elevated so that supplies could be kept underneath.

We drove through Rondane National Park, a high altitude plateau with a stunning alpine landscape. Unfortunately, we did not want to fall too far behind our first day, so we only stopped briefly. Here we had our first opportunity to experience Norway’s roadside scenic lookouts – easily accessible, stunning views, beautifully designed. We otherwise enjoyed the scenery from the van, driving until we found a rest area to park for the night (The wonderful thing about Norway is the ability to just park and sleep on the side of the road).

Day 2

We woke to a very crisp morning after a freezing night – it was 30 degrees when we woke up, but I’m not sure how cold it got overnight (we quickly determined our decision to bring sleeping bags – in addition to the blankets provided with the van – was a good move). We ate breakfast (bread, bananas, nutella – a lot of Nutella was consumed on this trip), went for a quick hike around the area, and set off.

We stopped at Trollveggen, an enormous rock face. Carlos bought knitted wool Norway-themed gloves at the souvenir store, because he didn’t bring gloves.

After enjoying  a very scenic drive (stunning! – at the time being unaware of things to come), we arrived in Åndalsnes – a really nice town on Romsdalsfjorden. We decided it would be a good idea to hike up a local mountain which promised good views – Rampestreken. After seeing a bunch of kids and older people accumulating around the trailhead, we figured it would be easy. We were wrong. It took us several hours and was extremely steep, requiring the scaling of stone steps, reportedly installed by Nepalese sherpas. To say that the views were worth the effort would be quite an understatement.

After somehow making it down, we found a great local cafe, Sødahlhuset, and had some delicious burgers and coffee (and cake). We then headed south.

We used a car ferry, which is necessary for transportation through the fjord country, but has the added bonus of providing amazing fjord views.

A really funny part about driving through the Norwegian countryside is that everywhere there are sheep roaming free (including in the roads), with bells jingling around their necks.

We arrived at Geiranger, a small and very charming town on Geirangerfjord. But just prior to reaching the town, you come across an absolutely stunning view (Pictures just cannot do this experience justice – I was really struck). Another breathtaking roadside lookout.

Driving down to the town, we found a campground right on the fjord, and secured our spot from a guy we called “Reception Jon” (resepjon = reception), who lacked in personality. We were tired, and found a restaurant – Friaren Bistro. After looking at the menu and seeing reindeer and lingonberry pizza, we figured we found the right place. We enjoyed our pizza and wine outside with a fjord view (and great service!).

So it seemed like the people in Norway were either really friendly or seemed standoffish, especially in the country (in Oslo everyone seemed really nice). I think it had a lot to do with the confidence they had with their English language skills. Everyone we came across spoke English (usually very well), but I got the impression since some didn’t have a lot of chance to practice, they lacked confidence and just came across as a little unfriendly. The few times we tried to speak any Norwegian words or phrases (we knew very few), no one seemed to be able to understand us at all. Overall, the people there were great.

The fjords were much deeper than they looked, as evidenced by the enormous cruise ships coming real close to shore.

Day 3

After waking up really early, I ventured out alone to explore, and walked up a massive set of stairs along a waterfall that goes right through town (I identified the roaring sound I had been hearing through the town – especially when quiet).

We then got on a ferry through the fjord to Hellesylt. It was a regular transportation ferry, but offers some guided audio, and can be taken roundtrip.  After a Japanese couple jumped us in the coffee line, we patiently waited while they filled up coffee cups for their entire tour group … We later returned for some pølse, and I couldn’t resist trying a local beer (even though it was 10am).

There were little farms stuck on the steep slopes, which are very difficult to access. Some only by ladders and long treks. Some of these farms operated until not too long ago. We heard some cool stories, like the farmers would only let their kids out harnessed, so that if they slipped, they wouldn’t fall to their deaths, and when tax collectors came, the farmers could pull down the ladders so the collectors couldn’t reach them.

We returned to Geiranger on the ferry and set off. We (Carlos) drove Trollstigen, which was incredible. While the Trollstigen road has gained international fame, roads of its nature really aren’t too unique in this area, as we drove equally narrow and windy roads – all nothing short of engineering marvels (I’ve never seen public infrastructure close to Norway’s).

The weather this day was by far the best, with clear skies and sun. Most days it was overcast, with some light rain.

Norway has 18 designated National Scenic Routes (of which we went on three), which are roads that are designed to allow the ability to access the amazing landscapes by car (or bus – there were a lot of tour buses), combining the scenic viewpoints, making it a road trip paradise.

After stopping to check out the view (yet another amazing roadside vista), we continued high up the mountain, finding the most incredible mountain lake – Djupvatnet. The pictures again do not do this justice, as this lake is at high altitude (3,333 ft) and was very unexpected.

We (Carlos – can’t give this guy enough credit, I could not have driven up this road with an automatic transmission!) then drove to the very top of Dalsnibba Mountain to the Geiranger Skywalk, at a height of almost 5,000 feet above sea level. It was very windy and cold, and was just about the most amazing place I’ve ever been (up until that point). Stepping out on the ledge actually caused me to shudder.

We made our way to Stryn, a really cool mountain town, which is a big ski area in the winter. We had lunch at a great place (Stryn Vertshus) with a super-friendly server. He gave us some tips on how best to approach the ice cap and access the glaciers (he enlisted the help of a friend, who was less helpful – all he could say is the road is bumpy and we needed a 40 kroner and a pencil).

We decided to drive down to the Kjenndalsbreen glacier (and find out why a pencil was required – we did not have one). We drove through Loen and past Lovatnet – a crazy blue-green glacial lake, and traversed an extremely narrow and primitive road to the glacier (discovering that we needed to write down our license plate number upon entry – we used a pen).

There are a few trails, which take you out to the glacier tongue hanging over the rocks – although not close enough to reach without significant danger (in the middle of nowhere without cell service). This was apparently not a well-known place, and was extremely isolated, so there were very few other people out there.

In a very long day of driving, we continued, basically driving around the entire Jostedal ice cap to approach from the southern side. We reached a small town, Gaupne, late at night. We found an open grocery store, and bought supplies for a “home-cooked” meal. After even more driving deep into the mountains, we arrived at the Nigardsbreen campground, very late. I then attempted to pitch in by cooking up a dinner of steak, onions, and croissants on our gas grill.

We stopped a few times to get food supplies, and most of the food we ate for breakfast and lunch was cold low-perishable stuff. We did not have the means to keep anything refrigerated. We mostly ate bread, nutella, bananas, apples, chocolate, little cinnamon rolls, peanut butter, jelly, and assorted other things we grabbed at the store. The camper came with plates, utensils, and a gas stove with pots and pans, but we didn’t use this stuff much. For dinner, we stopped and bought hot food a few nights.

Day 4

I woke and was able to see where we were in daylight. I cannot describe how secluded and wild this area was. The campground was a clearing nestled right near the edge of glaciers. We went and found the old woman at the front desk and paid for the night, and set out.

Overall, nothing was ever crowded on the trip. We went in early September in the shoulder season, so I’m sure it is more crowded in June-August. We were able to just show up at campgrounds and get prime spots. Some places, like the Nigardsbreen Campground, had almost no one else there. We could sign up for excursions last minute, and there was very little traffic. The most crowded place I think we were was the Trollstigen Road viewpoint, which was not even very crowded.

Even though we had no reservations, we were going to try and get on an ice walk tour of the glacier. We lucked out and were able to get spots on the trip, and met our super cool guide from New Zealand (unfortunately, I forgot his name – the company was Ice Troll – highly recommend). We drove out a long winding road several miles toward the glacier, where the road ended at a large dam. There, we loaded into a zodiac motorboat and traversed a remote glacial lake – Nigardsbrevatnet.

I had never been in such a remote and wild place. There were no plants or apparent life of any kind. It was cold, windy, and overcast. We took the boat to the base of the glacier – Nigardsbreen.

Once onshore, we donned harnesses and strapped on cramp-ons. We were given ice axes and roped together in line. Climbing up this glacier was the coolest thing I’ve ever done in my life. We had to keep slack out of the ropes in order to catch someone and quickly pull them out if they fell into one of the enormous crevasses in the ice. We wound around and stepped over the crevasses, enjoyed some hot chocolate, and learned about the glacier. Incredible!

There was a small shack on the mountain where scientists go to research the glacier, which is supplied by helicopter. We learned about the unfortunate receding trend of the glacier.

The boat ride back was eventful. Carlos calls it the “Boat Ride from Hades.” We discovered that while the wind was with us on the way to the glacier, it was right in our faces on the way back. The little boat fought hard against the mighty waves, but it was hard to avoid getting very wet. Carlos, at the front, was completely soaked with ice cold glacier water. He wasn’t excited and seemed convinced he would die.

He didn’t die. After getting back and into dry clothes, we had some pizza and contemplated our next move.

We decided to book a kayaking trip the following day. We drove to Flåm, taking the scenic route because Carlos preferred not to drive through the longest tunnel in the world. We came across yet another stunning roadside viewpoint.

We reached Flåm late and found a campsite. At this stage things went a little haywire. Being pretty off the grid and intentionally avoiding the outside world (I had no idea what Donald Trump did for a few days!), I was unaware that there was a massive hurricane bearing down on Florida. Carlos, being from Miami, became aware and was understandably concerned for his family and property. He checked out the forecast and consulted with his wife. At that time, the forecast was a direct hit on Miami at category 5.

Originally, I was planning to leave Norway four days later, and Carlos wasn’t leaving until two days after that. However, in the middle of the night, the decision was made that he would leave early and fly home Friday, two days later.

A change of plans was needed. I contemplated options, including continuing to Bergen (where we planned on going next) on my own and finding my way back to Olso. But in the end, I decided to drive with Carlos back to Oslo, drop him off, and spend the remaining time in the city. I previously intended to not go to Oslo at all (not that I didn’t want to, just that touring a big city wasn’t the point). However, after sleeping in a van for a few days, the comfort of a warm bed and real food seemed appealing. I went on my phone, and after literally hours wandering around in the dark as internet service went in and out, I booked a place on Airbnb and went to sleep.

Day 5

It was a rainy morning, but now in the light we could see the town.

We headed down to the kayaking base camp in Gudvangen. We had a day trip with Nordic Ventures. After gearing up, we all went in a van out to the launch area.

So … I wish I had pictures of this … but, I push off into the water. Carlos had never been kayaking before and was working with our guide, Bree, on the fundamentals and controls. While I had been kayaking before, I’d never used a sea kayak like these, with the pedals that controlled a steering rudder, and it was tricky to get used to. As I get about a hundred feet out, I turn and see Carlos has come out. I see him struggling with something, and before I know it, the kayak suddenly capsizes and Carlos plunges into the ice cold fjord. I tried to turn toward him, and no one else was in that area, so I start yelling for the guide: “Bree! Bree!” Luckily, Carlos was near a dock and was able to swim over and climb out of the water, completely soaked. I have never seen this guy less pleased (the second least pleased I’ve seen him being the day before after another soaking). Long story short, Carlos decided kayaking is not for him, and returned to town. He spent the day touring around the Flåm area.

This was too bad, because I had the most amazing experience kayaking that day. It is impossible to describe kayaking through this fjord. It was Nærøyfjorden, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is the most beautiful place I’ve been.

We kayaked up the fjord for a couple hours, then went ashore where there was a small sheep-grazing field stuck on the side of the mountain, only accessible by boat. There were about 10 people on the excursion, and we all helped cook a fantastic meal over the fire. It was a lot of fun chatting with everyone, and being so isolated out there.

On the way back, we stopped again on a small rocky beach, and had the opportunity to hike a little into the woods. There was a large waterfall, and I climbed the very steep and muddy path all the way to the top in water shoes. I almost made it back without falling, until I slipped and got completely covered in mud and had to wash off in the fjord.

We then headed back. I desperately wanted to stay out there for days. It was probably the second greatest experience of my life (the first having been the day before on the glacier).

After getting back, I reunited with Carlos, who had picked up some cheese and crackers from a local farm. We then began our rush back toward Oslo, abandoning the rest of the itinerary to get Carlos to the airport. I wish I had pictures, but there are many tunnels through the mountains in this area we had to go through, some extremely long. The Lærdalstunnelen, which we avoided the day before but now was just the fastest way and we were in a hurry, is the longest tunnel in the world, at 15.23 miles. There are many others around several miles long.

This drive was pretty rough. It was dark, we were tired, we were anxious about the change of plans and getting Carlos back (and he no doubt concerned about the Hurricane and his family’s well-being), and we (Carlos) had been doing a lot of driving (and falling into ice cold water). By midnight, we were just desperate to find somewhere to park and sleep, but had trouble finding something. On edge, we finally found a campground on a lake north of Gjøvik. It was closed (they didn’t allow entry after-hours), but we just parked and went to sleep in the parking lot, thankful to rest.

Day 6

We woke up early, and organized our supplies for the end of our van adventure. We drove to return the van in Minnesund, not too far away. We then got a lift from the rental place to the airport. I bid Carlos farewell. We were both very tired, but I wished we had more time to explore together.

The airport is actually pretty far away from Oslo (about 30 miles). I got on a train to make the trip. It was quite an experience: As you get close to the city, you go in tunnels until the downtown station I stopped at (National Theater). When I walked up the stairs and out of the dark station, I emerged in an extremely busy square in the middle of the City. It was such a shock, having come out of the mountains and emerging in the hustle and bustle!

I walked (with all of my stuff) through the city toward where my apartment was. I had some time to kill before I was to meet the owner, so I hung around in the parks and then sat outside at a coffee shop for a while (getting to FaceTime with my daughter!). I checked into my Airbnb place (in the Majorstuen area), which was amazing, and chatted with the owner for a bit. I was so excited the building had a laundry room, and I rushed down to wash every piece of clothing I had. I took a hot shower, and went out to explore. I bought supplies and cooked dinner.

Sleeping in a warm bed was wonderful!

Day 7

I got up early and went out to explore the city! It was raining, but I got some coffee and started walking. I first came across the Vigeland Park, a huge park full of sculptures by one sculptor (Gustav Vigeland). I spent hours just sitting – it was great.

After a while, I kept walking and went through the National Cemetery. It was so peaceful.

One of the coolest things I came across was a memorial to British Commonwealth soldiers who died in the defense and liberation of Norway in World War II. It was very inspiring (side note: The story of Norwegian resistance during the war and the British support is pretty incredible).

I walked several miles through the city, out to a peninsula where a few museums are located.

I went to the Viking Ship Museum, which had a few recovered viking ships and artifacts.

I went to the Maritime Museum, and the Fram Museum, based around arctic and antarctic exploration.

After having some lunch, I waited for a ferry to take me across the bay to downtown.

I arrived back in the city, and explored the Akershus Fortress.

I walked back across the entire city, stopping at a few museums and other sites along the way.

The Royal Palace was really cool. I watched the changing of the guard.

I did a ton of walking … according to my phone, 26,151 steps and 14.3 miles. I found a burger and beer place and sat outside for dinner. I wandered around a bit and returned to my apartment and relaxed after a long day.

Day 8

My last day in Norway. I took it easy, got some coffee, and walked back to Vigeland Park, sitting and staring, listening to Jack Johnson in the rain. I took my time walking back downtown to the train station, and headed to the airport.

It was tough to leave, but I had such a wonderful time.