Nounounounou….zit ik toch ineens in de trein naar Oslo. Het is allemaal heel snel gegaan. Op weg naar huis had ik na twee weken Wales toch een beetje een “halfvolle emmer-gevoel”. Het idee hiermee mijn Grote Vakantie afgesloten te hebben en vol een nieuw werkjaar in te stappen zat me toch niet helemaal lekker. Paul die de bui al zag hangen met een halfvolle Caro de rest van het jaar, gaf me het laatste zetje en hup…. boeken die vlucht. Beetje nerveus, maar zó blij heeft Paul me om 5.45 uur op station Eindhoven gedumpt om van het gezeur af te zijn en Caro op een nieuw onbekend plekje op aarde die andere helft aan te laten vullen. En dat is het plan. Tot nu toe alleen maar positiefs te melden. Schiphol uitgestorven om 07.00 uur, iedereen aardig, windowseat (yess), naast twee hele aardige héle dikke Amerikanen..gaan plassen was géén optie, ze kwamen niet zonder hulp uit hun stoeltjes. Airport Olso Gardermoen oogt zeer gemoedelijk, kleinschalig en rustig. Rugzak herpakt, camelbak gevuld met fris drinkwater, trein naar Oslo, riante zitplaats in volgens mij eerste klas, gecontroleerd door treinjuf maar ondanks dat ik pas drie uur later in deze trein hoorde te zitten, legde ze me vriendelijk uit hoe mijn VY-app werkte waar mijn ticket in opgeslagen stond. Better to stay 3 hours in Oslo in stead of the airport, she said. Ahhhh, inlove this attitude so much!

Paul put me on the train at 05.47

On my way to Norway!

I put my rucksack in a locker and make a little Oslo citytour. Hmmmm, in no time I walk in the big shoppingstreet, pffff…. I turned around… to the harbour then. I have set a goal for myself to spend as little money as possible. I have selfmade breakfast and lunch with me and sit down just to feel … I feel exited! I am happy! A new environment, Northern europe…. the light hurts my eyes…it feels too bright…maybe because of my new lenses, maybe because of a lack of sleep or because it ís a different light.

I catched my train to Finse, a 5-hour ride. I fell asleep, I can app, load my phone and look outside in this train. I had a neighbour in the beginning: father from this Oslowen family, all packed up in top of the bill mountain-outfits. They go out for a two-day-trip. You have a gorgious cycletour from Finse to Flåm, I had read about it too, its a half-a-day experience mostly downhill. They first sleep a night in the Finnsehutta (for 5 persons incl meals approx €300), they rent the bikes (€?), two times traintickets (10*€70, but they probably have all kind of familydiscount). No clue of this is an average day out here, but the standard of Norway is definitely not cheap….The father was very interested in my maps and plans…we had a study on all the trails, and it seemed I picked the right ones, good to know out the mouth of a real Norwegian from the area.

8pm in front of the Finse Hotel 1222 to pick up my gascanister. I was tired. My alarm went at 4am this morning, so 16 hours of travelling behind me. I got 2 liters tapwater from the guy as well without ány problem and there I went. I felt miserable. It was 7°, 20.30, grey, bit wet, bit dark, bit cold….troosteloos, barren said Paul.

This red T is my guide coming week!

I start hiking…i just go…I have a route, 60kms from Finse to Vassbygdi. Lets see of i can do a little bit already tonight. In fact I only wanted to find a spot for my tent, but that took me 3 kms. Totally knackered I pitch my tent, freezing cold, all the jackets over eachother…holy shit…I am very aware of the fact that moaning is no option… In the tent I make a tea to warm my hands. With my fleece legging/woolen longsleeve shirt/downjacket/thick hutsocks i shuffle in the silk liner and down sleepingbag. The last one is very light (thanks to Paul) but NOT warm enough for Norway. The wind is blowing through my tent ánd sleepingbag, really…it must be wind straight from the glacier. The tea is nice, i warm a bit up…but (of course) I have to pee after half an hour. This repeats a few times during the night. I end up with my windproof trousers over my fleece in the sleepingbag….it got never warm and comfortable…it was a horrible night! I did not wanted to think ahead, BUT i am in Norway!! 🐬