📓 Journals Scandinavian Road Trip

[geoffbland]

You're going to love driving the Norwegian coastline. Last year, we did a two week bike tour from Tromso to the tip of the Lofoten Islands, and this was in early September. Traffic is very light, and the cars didn't bother us one bit. We had buttons to push on the approach to the tunnels to let the drivers know there are cyclists in the tunnel. The road infrastructure is top notch! It's so beautiful, the hardest part is keeping your eyes on the road.

I thought about going up to Tromso but decided just to make it to Narvik due to time constraints. We start on the coastline bits tomorrow - can't wait. Agree about forcing yourself to watch the road when the landscape is so amazing.

 

[geoffbland]

Hey Geoff thanks for your pics and posts, it's great to follow along. Did you have any concern when planning your trip about the Emira being so low and having to deal with sharp angles (like hop on - off the ferry) or uneven tarmac? I mean it's a long way!

Thanks for the kind words. I always do a journal when I travel just to look back on in later years, so might as well post it here, I've enjoyed others accounts of their trips - the journal is also to bore the kids with. Although it is really nice to have my eldest along with me this time.
I did have a concern about scraping the nose yes - I hit it 3 times coming down the Stelvio pass in the summer. It makes a horrible noise but when inspected it's really not that bad. It's going to happen so I don't worry too much - the bumper is only plastic. I did add some SlipLo pads on for this trip though.

 

[geoffbland]

A busy day today, we tried to find a coffee shop in Aalborg for breakfast but found out that the town is mostly closed on Mondays so we drove on to Hirtshals for the ferry. In Hirtshals we find a fantastic pastry shop and have breakfast there - good coffee too. I resist the urge to order what looks like a 2 foot long chocolate eclair.

We visit the lighthouse in Hirtshals, 142 steps to the top, and admire the view over the Danish Straight.

After that we visit the Bunker Museum also in Hirtshals, remains of German fortifications from the Second World War.

Then it is on to the ferry across to Norway and Kristiansand on the Super Speed 1 (that’s the name of the ship not my driving style).

Finally the drive up to Oslo. Again it’s mostly motorway but there’s some amazing views before it gets dark as we near Oslo.

Driving in Oslo is a one-way street nightmare and not car-friendly at all - by design. But tomorrow we finally get off the motorways and onto the good driving roads.

The Emira still gets a lot of attention and it’s always positive. I’ve chatted to several Danish and Norwegians now about the trip - they always check what tyres I have and nod approvingly when they see I have “proper” tyres. I had long chat with one of the ferry loadmasters today who said he was from Narvik, he thinks I will be fine - he thinks even if it snows we’ll be OK unless it gets too deep but that’s very unlikely this time of year.