After our deluxe hotel breakfast this morning in Trondheim, we headed back home to Aalesund – via an inland passage so there were no ferries to catch or tolls to pay. It was not as scenic as the coastal route we took north, but it’s hard to drive around any parts of Norway and not have something incredible to see. Willy did nod off a bit, as parts of the trip looked so much like Northwestern Washington or Idaho that it verged on being ordinary (and we always thought those states were so beautiful). The amount of varied terrain we went through though was just incredible – from rolling green hills with farms that dotted the landscape as far as we could see, to heavily wooded mountain passes and rocky rivers paralleling the road. Some places even had the feel of what the moon might be like – just flat bare rock with little growth visible. The scenery was most interesting the closer we got to home however, because by all accounts, Aalesund is the most beautiful city in all of Norway.
The photos today are of Trondheim with the church (Nidaros) that sits atop Saint Olav’s grave, and a mountain near Andalsnes that nearly sits atop the house that is barely visible in the shadows at the bottom of the picture. On our last leg of the journey we turned off at Andalsnes and instead of heading straight home the quickest way, we took the more scenic route as we wanted to give Nancy one last thrill before leaving us. We knew she isn’t very fond of heights, but there is a road called “Trollsteigen” (The Troll Trail) which we felt she needed to experience up close and personal. The road snakes straight up this incredibly high mountain, weaving back and forth so much we were comparing to rides at Disneyland. It’s only one lane too, but cars are both going up and coming down. There are little turn-outs all along the way so it’s possible to pass each other if someone is willing to back up. I am thankful we didn’t encounter any tour busses, however, because that scares even me. Nancy came close to dying of fright, but she saved herself by not looking down when she peered out the window (there isn’t much of a guard rail either). It is quite the experience, and one that everyone should have when they come to Norway. We were so thankful Kory kept us all alive, especially after he had such a long day of driving. But there was no danger he’d fall asleep on that road, as it’s white knuckle driving all the way. When I stand at the top of that mountain and look way down into the valley so far below I think, “Only a Norwegian would think it’s possible to put a road in such a place.” We all know that if the rest of the world says something is impossible, Norwegians will find a way to do it. (And we just try to love them anyway.)
It was a great day for a drive and we were thankful it wasn’t raining as we stopped for our picnic lunch along the side of the road. Fast food restaurants are not the norm here, nor are restaurants in general. We drove for seven hours straight and saw maybe two or three cafes, but none were open on a Sunday in such remote places. (I knew that would be the case so we were prepared and didn’t go hungry.) Willy and Nancy treated us to dinner out (a luxury we won’t afford ourselves here) once we got safely home to Aalesund. Then they took the midnight Hurtigruten ferryboat out of Aalesund down to Bergen and then after spending a day there they take the train to Oslo for a few days before flying back home. Considering they are in Norway only 12 days, they have seen an incredible amount and will have seen four of the major cities here. It has been so much fun to have them with us – and we hope this year we get other company from America as well. Nancy brought me treats from home like baking soda and pure vanilla extract, books written in English and real brown sugar. And to be able to talk non-stop in English has been the biggest treat for me, as everyone knows how much I like to talk! When I talk to anyone here in Norway I have to pick the easiest words to say, and speak slowly so I know I’m understood… and even that takes a huge effort on my part. So it’s been just like “old home week” for me. My Norsk teacher told us that on the average, immigrants go through a huge depression after being here three months because they miss their friends, their food, their culture… but I think my timer just got re-set -- so I’m good to go until at least Christmas.
The photos today are of Trondheim with the church (Nidaros) that sits atop Saint Olav’s grave, and a mountain near Andalsnes that nearly sits atop the house that is barely visible in the shadows at the bottom of the picture. On our last leg of the journey we turned off at Andalsnes and instead of heading straight home the quickest way, we took the more scenic route as we wanted to give Nancy one last thrill before leaving us. We knew she isn’t very fond of heights, but there is a road called “Trollsteigen” (The Troll Trail) which we felt she needed to experience up close and personal. The road snakes straight up this incredibly high mountain, weaving back and forth so much we were comparing to rides at Disneyland. It’s only one lane too, but cars are both going up and coming down. There are little turn-outs all along the way so it’s possible to pass each other if someone is willing to back up. I am thankful we didn’t encounter any tour busses, however, because that scares even me. Nancy came close to dying of fright, but she saved herself by not looking down when she peered out the window (there isn’t much of a guard rail either). It is quite the experience, and one that everyone should have when they come to Norway. We were so thankful Kory kept us all alive, especially after he had such a long day of driving. But there was no danger he’d fall asleep on that road, as it’s white knuckle driving all the way. When I stand at the top of that mountain and look way down into the valley so far below I think, “Only a Norwegian would think it’s possible to put a road in such a place.” We all know that if the rest of the world says something is impossible, Norwegians will find a way to do it. (And we just try to love them anyway.)
It was a great day for a drive and we were thankful it wasn’t raining as we stopped for our picnic lunch along the side of the road. Fast food restaurants are not the norm here, nor are restaurants in general. We drove for seven hours straight and saw maybe two or three cafes, but none were open on a Sunday in such remote places. (I knew that would be the case so we were prepared and didn’t go hungry.) Willy and Nancy treated us to dinner out (a luxury we won’t afford ourselves here) once we got safely home to Aalesund. Then they took the midnight Hurtigruten ferryboat out of Aalesund down to Bergen and then after spending a day there they take the train to Oslo for a few days before flying back home. Considering they are in Norway only 12 days, they have seen an incredible amount and will have seen four of the major cities here. It has been so much fun to have them with us – and we hope this year we get other company from America as well. Nancy brought me treats from home like baking soda and pure vanilla extract, books written in English and real brown sugar. And to be able to talk non-stop in English has been the biggest treat for me, as everyone knows how much I like to talk! When I talk to anyone here in Norway I have to pick the easiest words to say, and speak slowly so I know I’m understood… and even that takes a huge effort on my part. So it’s been just like “old home week” for me. My Norsk teacher told us that on the average, immigrants go through a huge depression after being here three months because they miss their friends, their food, their culture… but I think my timer just got re-set -- so I’m good to go until at least Christmas.
