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Bergen
In Bergen I was hosted by my friend Anna, who did an ERASMUS semester at the Marine Biology Faculty of Bergen University during a year. A keen cyclist, she went everywhere by bike and so I ended up riding like crazy around town, to- and from University to her dorm and to see the local sights. Only to visit Floyen mountain we left our bikes behind and hiked up the hill - while the Norwegians RUN up !The tourist information provided extensive information about traveling and exploring Norway and looking at a map I was reminded that the Lofoten Islands where "just" a three days boat trip away. I decided to visit the sales offices of the legendary Hurtigruten shipping line.
The next days I spend relaxing in Bergen and thinking about my further route through Scandinavia. Once I am Bergen, which is the start and end of the Hurtigruten Boats, I decided to invest some money in good old tourism and take a cruise with the Hurtigruten towards Lofoten, spend a couple of days cycling on the islands and return by the same means.
The night before I bought the ticket I was overexcited and could hardly sleep thinking of the Lofoten with its over 1.000 meter high mountain range that seemed to rise directly out of the sea. These Mountains with its "feet in the water" form a more than 100 km long, so called "Lofoten-wall", some 20 kms west of Norways coast, just north the Polar Circle.
The mild climate on the Lofoten is the worlds greatest anomaly having in mind its northern latitude. This is due to the Gulf-Stream that surrounds the Islands and makes them first class fishing grounds for seafood, especially Cod-Fish which is fished from february to april.
The fish is then left to dry "open-air" on traditional wooden racks that have been erected all over the Islands. Some month later, the final product, in former times Norways Export no. 1 is ready to be shipped and sold all over the world - Stockfish.
First days in Norway
After an uneventful two and a half hours flight we landed in Haugesund airport, in western Norway. I assembled my bike and rode out the airport building. The cold morning air and the slightly iced up road came as a shock. I was quite not yet prepared for this.
As I rolled into town I stopped at a gas station to get my tires to proper pressure, got some money from the ATM, bought a map (16 €), had a breakfast (8 € for a coffee and a pasty).
The tourist info was closed for the weekend and Haugesund did not tempt me to stop for a night and explore the city, so I carried on cycling north towards Bergen, following the national cycling route No. 1.
The route was a constant up and down and twist and bends and quite some traffic. After a while the cycle route left the main road and I followed quieter country lanes towards the islands of Bomlo. After a 15 minutes wait the ferry appeared on the horizon as I chatted to a norwegian guy who took some interest in my bike. He told me wild camping would be OK all around Norway.
Bomlo is a very pretty island, lots of huge rocks and pine trees, scrubs with redberries of sorts make up a lovely scenery. I stopped to ask a beekeeper for some honey and waved my hand carelessly at some bees - HUGE error, the beasts attacked me right away, one got me on the cheek and another one right in the neck. I even had to pull out the stings. Quiet a fright so I decided to flee and cycled away fast. The beekeeper must have had a good laugh at my innocence towards the bees. So much to norwegian wildlife.
This night I camped in a small bay right beside the sea and had my first hot meal in Norway. I tried to light a fire but the wood was too wet and did not light properly. I soon gave up.
The next day I continued riding on small back country roads that wound along the western norwegian islands. For the night I installed myself in the small waiting room of the last ferry
terminal before Bergen. I asked the maintenance guy if it was ok to sleep there and had to wait until the last ferry left to be able to lock the door. But before I could lie down on my sleeping mat the police arrived and inquiered what I would do there. Hearing that I am a tourist they wished me a Good Night and said they wouldn t disturb me any further.
In the morning I cooked breakfast by the sea and got ready for the last kilometers to Bergen where my friend Anna was waiting for me.
As I rolled into town I stopped at a gas station to get my tires to proper pressure, got some money from the ATM, bought a map (16 €), had a breakfast (8 € for a coffee and a pasty).The tourist info was closed for the weekend and Haugesund did not tempt me to stop for a night and explore the city, so I carried on cycling north towards Bergen, following the national cycling route No. 1.
The route was a constant up and down and twist and bends and quite some traffic. After a while the cycle route left the main road and I followed quieter country lanes towards the islands of Bomlo. After a 15 minutes wait the ferry appeared on the horizon as I chatted to a norwegian guy who took some interest in my bike. He told me wild camping would be OK all around Norway.
Bomlo is a very pretty island, lots of huge rocks and pine trees, scrubs with redberries of sorts make up a lovely scenery. I stopped to ask a beekeeper for some honey and waved my hand carelessly at some bees - HUGE error, the beasts attacked me right away, one got me on the cheek and another one right in the neck. I even had to pull out the stings. Quiet a fright so I decided to flee and cycled away fast. The beekeeper must have had a good laugh at my innocence towards the bees. So much to norwegian wildlife.
This night I camped in a small bay right beside the sea and had my first hot meal in Norway. I tried to light a fire but the wood was too wet and did not light properly. I soon gave up.
The next day I continued riding on small back country roads that wound along the western norwegian islands. For the night I installed myself in the small waiting room of the last ferryterminal before Bergen. I asked the maintenance guy if it was ok to sleep there and had to wait until the last ferry left to be able to lock the door. But before I could lie down on my sleeping mat the police arrived and inquiered what I would do there. Hearing that I am a tourist they wished me a Good Night and said they wouldn t disturb me any further.
In the morning I cooked breakfast by the sea and got ready for the last kilometers to Bergen where my friend Anna was waiting for me.
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