Norway - 25 June to 8 July 2008

Hei - to a country that one never travels to reach your destination, but for the joy of the journey. This is fjord and glacier country that is crowned with snow-capped rugged mountains, countless waterfalls, low-key cities, unspoiled fishing villages and rich historical sites that included Viking ships and medieval stave churches – a spectacular wilderness. One can see why European tribes migrated northwards 8000 years ago, despite the arctic dark winters. These Nordic Viking people only became independent in 1905 after a 400 year union with Denmark and having been ceded to Sweden in 1814 after the Napoleonic wars.

After crossing the fictitious border from Sweden , we drove via Kongsvinger to Oslo , spending 3 nights in this capital that sits at the end of the island-dotted Oslofjord. The first day was to stroll through Slottsparken with its royal palace and down Karl Johan's' gate flanked by the University, National Theatre and Parliament. Then a ferry trip to Bygdoy Peninsular to visit the Viking Ship Museum which houses three 9 th century ships that were used as ‘tombs' for nobility. Jody then took us to Springbok (a store that sells South African goods only), his place of work for the next three months. The harbour front proved to be ‘too entertaining' with a great ‘Drag Queen Cabaret' that ended near midnight and resulted in us missing our last bus to Ekeberg Camping. We had to use the exorbitant taxis after marching the city flat until about 1am with the 4 kids in tow! Our last day was a mix of doing the necessary chores and visiting the Medieval Akershus Fortress which was begun in 1299 while Dean visited the Football Association and SA Embassy. We enjoyed the last of Jody, Terase, Eleanor and Dominic's great company – thanks all for the breath of normality and South African culture!

After sad farewells we departed ways with them heading back to Gothenburg and us west to the Norwegian Fjords – a UNESCO site. Our late departure and increasing dramatic scenery resulted in us bush camping halfway to Bergen overlooking the Aurlandvalley and fjord surrounded by steep mountains. The beauty of the drive to Flam and the narrow Naeroyfjord, along countless lakes and waterfalls to Voss, then along Hardangerfjord to Bergen caused our arrival near 9pm and another bush camp on the outskirts of Norway 's second largest city.

GR1 spent the morning admiring Bergen 's old medieval quarter, Bryggen, containing timber buildings with rough plank construction of the 14 th century, reminiscent of the Hanseatic Merchant era (these are people from Germany who traded in fish). The funicular ride to the top of Mount Floyen provided awesome views of this UNESCO site, its surrounding mountains and fjords. GR3 spent their first two hours roaming the streets for a print/fax facility and eventually the local library paid dividends. We all met at the harbour front fish market which proved most entertaining for our taste buds – from boiled prawns, all kinds of salmon, to whale meat and fish heads (for some of us).

The drive to Vangsnes was again like being in a postcard – along more fjords and mountain passes, past medieval 12 th century stave churches with frequent photo stops. We only managed to do 160km to our bush camp along Sognefjord, the longest in the world (204km). After fighting to get the kids motivated for school the following morning, we took the ferry across the fjord to quaint Balestrand with its dragon-styled houses, then along more secondary roads that wind their way, hugging the fjords an steep mountains, intermittently tunnelling their way through them. Incredibly beautiful would be a deplorable understatement! Making very slow progress, we continued north then dropped back south along Oldevatn Lake to the Jostedal Glacier National Park , home to Europe 's largest glacier – 487km squared. Nestled between waterfalls, perpendicular mountains and tongues of this glacier, was our idyllic campsite at Melkevoll Bretun, overlooking the Oldedalen Valley . We arrived here in the early evening, just in time to change a flat on GR1. The elusive sun appeared the next day and with blue skies we trekked up the foot of one of the tongues, the Briksdal Glacier. What a jaw-dropping one hour hike along the cascading glacial river to a turquoise lake in front of the ice blue glacier for GR1. As it is still light by midnight, GR1 decided to take full advantage of the blue skies and views, continuing north snaking their way along Nordfjord and more amazing views of semi-iced lakes at 1000m to Geiranger, bush camping with incredible of Geirangerfjord, and cruise ships unloading their tourists. GR3 however, feeling a tad more energetic and adventurous, decided on a visit to both glaciers for the day - it was to be a day of excitement, wonder, exercise and unfortunately, tragedy. At 12pm they head off for the 2km hike which ended up being quite tough with Troy needing a break every few meters, while searching for shade as often as he could and eventually deciding that he would only walk when the road downhill or straight. This left Dean to carry him on his shoulders for the last few hundred metres. Tragedy struck on their second hike to Briksdal where Zack dropped a large rock on his left index finger, causing an open fracture of his proximal phalanges, with partial destruction of his nail bed. They rushed down the mountain with Zack on Dean's shoulders, holding up the left hand in an attempt to stop the bleeding and reduce the pain. Half way down, they were taken the rest of the way (right back to their van at the campsite) by means of a tourist tram. In the comfort of ‘My Van', Zack was immediately started on an antibiotic, given a NSAID and an analgesic, steri-stripped, splinted and within no time, he was all settled, comfortable and pleased that he was pain free.

Joined by GR3 the next morning, GR1 learnt of Zacks traumatic experience. After some nifty medic attendance and stabilizing his finger (Zack was very impressed with the ‘magic' injection that took away all ‘pain and feeling' to his finger ), we were off via Andalsnes, leaving behind the dramatic fjords with their surprise vistas at the end of tunnels and around corners along passes. We wanted to reach Nordkapp for the midnight sun before it disappeared and took the faster roads via Dombas and north to Trondheim – more open conifer type country. We bush camped along the road just past the town called Hell – a fitting spot after driving for 14 hours!

North via pretty undulating, winding roads to Mosjoen, just stopping for eating breaks, we bush camped just outside Mo-i-Rana – another 12 hours of driving, doing 500km! As we travelled further north, we needed to adapt to decreasing darkness and force ourselves to sleep by midnight with light streaming through gaps in the vehicles. We also were back in training as the cracked rims and punctures returned, GR1 having the second in Norway and having to discard one unusable wheel (4 cracked rims so far on the second leg)! Schooling by 8am even on a Saturday and we were back on the road again by 10:30am, heading further north and crossing the Arctic Circle at 66°33'N with joy and excitement. This relatively barren landscape soon changed as we continued alongside numerous fjords encircled with mountains of indigenous forests. Our journey mixed all these vistas with the odd ferry crossing as Narvik passed and our stay along a river near Buktamo. A planned early start the next day was shattered when Tipperdee refused to start. After a futile inspection and backtracking 40km to a Toyota dealer with GR3 (it being Sunday), we towed her out of her grassy home to a kick start and continued without switching off the vehicle for the next 460km. Again, a day of magical scenery with colourful quiet hamlets and increasing evidence of the importance of fishing. The indigenous Sami people with their colourful attire were also appearing, selling their reindeer products and handy crafts as we entered Finnmark and our overnight spot close to the Toyota dealership in Alta. The next day after attempting to kick start again, an unfortunate incident occurred to Jade when she knocked the corner of her right eye sustaining a 1cm cut requiring a steristrip. We then learnt that it was simply the battery that had had enough after 66 000km, but astonishing GR3 also needed to replace hers within 24hours! Maybe it had something to do with being this far North! R2000 later per battery and we continued, slowly chewing up the 240km to North Cape . More varied dramatic scenery to the Artic Ocean , dotted with colourful fishing villages and drying racks of cod (@ R220/kg). With our budget for Norway in serious trouble we were hit with a toll fee of R1500 return for tunnelling under the sea for 7km each way to the island of Mageroya, home of Nordkapp ( 71°10'21s'N) - only accessible to vehicles since 1956. To get to our overnight spot (with no facilities) at the top of this high, rugged plateau, where the sun never drops below the horizon in midsummer for 77 days, also set us back another R700! But this place has a great visitors centre and magnificent stark scenery with a certain spiritual aura and even roaming reindeer!! No wonder the Sami people considered Nordkapp a power centre. This Northern most point in Europe is also the furthest north the Globeriders will travel on our planet. A moving momentous experience – especially with all the fellow travellers snapping away at our vehicles as much as at the surroundings! Just a pity that the clouds prevailed for the 2 days that we spent here. GR1 decided to spend one of the nights at the most Northerly Campsite in the world, Kirkeporten – in the Northern most village of Skarsvag, a wild unspoilt location with grazing reindeer while GR3 bush camped in the parking lot at the Nordkapp Centre.

Despite the north being a bit of tourist trap, Norway is the easiest place to travel through, geared for campers and free overnighting with frequent scenically placed spots and great ablutions – even free toilet paper and hot water basins!! On the 9 th July we started the long drive south along Porsangen to Karasjok and our border crossing to Finland .

This magnificent country calls for an ‘encore' – there's still a plethora of isles to towering peaks to explore. Takk and Ha det !