Towards North Cape: Norway 3/6

TRAVEL DIARY The diary is the continuation of the Finland stage The trip is made by camper and made up of four people Sunday 04.08.91 Departure from the Kemijärvi campsite at 9. First Lapp tents and shops at Tankavaara, entrance to a region for gold prospecting. At the highest pass encountered so far, Saariselkä 438 m, we stopped for lunch. We find herds of free-roaming reindeer and, trying to get a closer photo, the lead reindeer charges me. I jumped onto the camper in a flash with my folks laughing! From this point the landscape changes: all through Finland it was a succession of lakes, coniferous woods and birches, now the first Norwegian mountains appear on the horizon. We meet the first fields of cottongrass (those lovely fluffy flowers that look like cotton); the woods and reindeer continue. We photograph a white reindeer and an albino one.

Right after, we took the wrong road, convinced it was a junction inside the little village and not the junction for Russia, we take the road for the Russian plateau. We lengthened the route by about 150 km but, in exchange, we saw the border complete with barbed wire and Russian military turrets. We asked for information from a German couple who were coming from the opposite side. We hoped, since we were already there, to be able to make a quick trip into Russia… maybe to St. Petersburg, but without visas approved months in advance we wouldn't have been able to cross (according to the Germans). This area was the only one that could recall the tundra. To get to Norway we had to travel the valley of the Tana River, the border between Finland and Norway, this to avoid crossing the border at the Russian border. The crossing into Norway is indicated only by a sign.

We camp right after the border at Karasjok. The Norwegian campsites appear less equipped and organised than the Finnish ones. and also more expensive. Monday 05.08.9 Departure for North Cape, the woods and the reindeer continue, but the landscape is much more varied thanks to the presence of mountains, sea and fjords. At 14.45 we're at Kåfjord where there's the boarding for the island of Magerøya, on which North Cape stands. A fascinating mountain route to reach North Cape. Here we arrived at 17.00. to access the square and make use of the services: bar, cinema, souvenir museum and monuments. We had time to look at all the horizons, then from the sea the first clouds began to rise to the point of turning into fog. It started to get cold for a whole day. We reached the goal of our journey, now a return route still more demanding awaits us.

Tuesday 06.08.91 Departure from Nordkapp after lunch at 12.30. at 13.10 we're at the port, boarding is at 13.55. The landscape of Finnmark (the name of the region) is very beautiful. The horizon is very wide: meadows full of lilac flowers or cottongrass, snow-covered mountains and glaciers. At 17.00 we arrive at Alta. Wednesday 07.08.91 Visit to the open-air museum of Alta: rock carvings. During the journey it began to rain. The route is a succession of passes, fjords, snowfields and waterfalls. Towards 19.00 we stop at Nordkjosbotn. The campsite is small and it's hard to find a spot. Unfortunately it keeps raining. Thursday 08.08.91 Departure from the campsite at 8.30; it's really a transfer stage, past Narvik we camp at Morsvikbotn. The last part of the journey was among the granite mountains of the Giccecokka. Towards 16.00 we stop at Morsvikbotn.

It's early and there's still no one at the campsite. The campsite is on a fjord and at the mouth of a river. With the low tide we took a walk on the beach. I, who was doing the jaguar step along the river bed to photograph some puffins, was attacked by the gulls that probably had their nest nearby: after this holiday I need a more powerful zoom to avoid further animal attacks! Later a German couple camped near us: for good morning or good evening there's nothing for it but to look at the clock: the light is always the same and every time we get confused and laugh. Friday 09.08.91 In the morning we set off at 9 to travel one of the most beautiful areas. Stop in a large service area at Rognan for lunch. Past an area of pretty little houses with gardens and yellow flowers. We approach the Rana area and the Arctic Circle.

Here on the mountains of Svartisen, in front of a snowfield, there's a service area to mark the crossing of the Arctic Circle with shops, monuments and plaques. There are many coaches of elderly Norwegians with toasts around the monuments. We arrive at 18.00 at Mosjøen in a very large campsite. Saturday 10.08.91 We decide to continue the journey through the islands rather than along the coast. We reach the island of Sandnessjøen across a beautiful bridge, then with successive synchronised boardings we pass from one island to another and chat with the crew and the other travellers. In fact we're the only tourists, all the others are locals going to work and travelling for family reasons. It keeps drizzling.

On one island we visit a church and, climbing the hill beside it, we see a monument to a navigator in a splendid panoramic position dominating the numerous islands that reach out into the ocean. The sailing is good but, on the islands, there's little to see. While we were stopped to do some shopping we missed the ferry connection. While waiting for a new run, 2 hours, we had lunch. Towards evening I arrive at Steinkjer, a large campsite near a big barracks. Indeed the whole area is military and you're not supposed to photograph the landscape. Sunday 11.08.91 Visit to the city of Trondheim. The Cathedral and the rose window are beautiful. Around the church are the main tombs of the Norwegian kings. Visit to the shopping streets. After lunch departure for Oslo, we cross the Alps, using the main road. At Oppdal we see a truly unusual troll.

Shortly after, on the alpine meadows, we gather mushrooms to dry them. We asked the locals several times why they didn't gather mushrooms and their answer was truly surprising: for them porcini aren't relevant, they buy French champignons and let the porcini in their garden go to waste! We checked at the supermarket: how many packs of French champignons on the shelves! We follow the bed of a river towards its source and then, past the hill, we descend towards Lillehammer. We stop at the campsite of Sjoa, on the bank of the beautiful Lågen river. Monday 12.08.91 Visit to Lillehammer and the Maihaugen park. Perhaps the finest example of a museum of traditions, and where I meet my old middle-school teacher. The town is very lively. Visit to the market. This is where the 1994 Winter Olympics will be held. In the afternoon we arrive at Oslo.

The campsite is huge and is on a hill dominating the city. Tuesday 13.08.91 Visit to Oslo: the gardens and the shops of the centre. The Norsk Folkemuseum and the Kunstindustrimuseet for the ceramics. Lunch at the museum. Visit to the wooden church of Gol from the 13th century. Visit to the Gamle Aker Kirke, the oldest stone church in Scandinavia. Wednesday 14.08.91 Departure from Oslo. Off the motorway where we had taken the hotel the time before. We hoped to find mushrooms, we found none, it's too dry. this area has become very built-up. Continuing our journey southwards, we visited several rock carvings at Skjeberg. At Tanumshede (Sweden) instead the menhirs, the Ship beside a fantastic strawberry field and the circle in the woods: one stone in the centre and 10 outside.

After shamelessly tasting a couple of strawberries we search in vain for a farmer to buy strawberry plants, or at least the strawberries themselves, but we find no one at home. We camp 60 km from Gothenburg, by the lake. (continues with the Sweden stage)