It’s great to be back in Norway. It’s my sixth trip here (I think.. the first hitchhiking to North Cape from Bergen in 1988 on my way without planes to Melbourne, twice leading MTB courses with school from Lytham, then flying into Tromso and bikepacking back in 2016, then returning in the Crafter from the far north through the National Parks and mountains in 2022).
If it’s not my favourite country, it’s right up there.
As if to demonstrate why, this course will be through totally different landscape than I’ve visited before, up the west coast, travelling to several remote islands. I am likely to be in the country until the middle of August, when my hope is that the mosquitos so prevalent in Finland will largely be gone. I am relying on the wind to keep them quiet on the coast, though no doubt they will be around from time to time.
I was at the ferry just after 7:30 am this morning, after a quick forest walk with Roja. Once through check-in and waiting to board the dog and I got breakfast, and as usual, chatted with folk keen to look at the inside of the van. The Ukrainian guy I met last night came over for a chat and a coffee, enjoying a bit more space than in his car..he is a big guy.
Roja is permitted on this ferry, but up in the sun lounge. Fortunately the sun was out, but it was cold, just manageable for the three hours of the crossing. I caught up with a bit of reading.
Once in Kristiansand I drove a couple of hundred kilometres around the coast, heading generally west, to the fishing village of Sirevåg. It has a good place for campervans, and has beaches that are reachable with short hikes. We arrived just before 5 pm, and took in two of the beaches, a walk of just over four miles. Though fine weather, there was a strong and cool southeastly wind which made the tide lively.
Safe Return Doubtful 
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