Autumn in Norway, 2 of 3: Bergen

My journey continues to the west coast of Norway. To Tofterøy to be more specific, a little village on an island forty kilometers south of Bergen. The drive is breathtaking. I catch myself numerous times shouting “Wow!”, when the landscape changes completely after turning a corner. My phone conversations with friends are interrupted many times, because I cannot resist the urge to stop, get out, and snap a picture. “Wait! Hold on! …. OK, I’m back, what were we talking about?” The E134 takes me through fog coated mountains with hairpin bends, I pass calm lakes and ride next to white water rivers, filled with huge rocks. I drive through small villages where sheep seem surprised to spot a passenger. There are literally hundreds of waterfalls along this drive. Small ones next to the road, big ones coming down from the mountains. Blue skies and sunshine alternate with cloudy skies and rain. I spot snowed mountain tops, multiple rainbows and the autumn colours complete a delightful picture. Boy, what a drive! 

The room I rented appears to be tiny, and I had forgotten to tick the box for 'laptop friendly workspace' on the AirBnB website. As a result I’m working on the bed or using high chairs as a table. My host makes sure I know that he has an introverted personality and we communicate online. Even when I’m in his house. And I’m not sure if the lady, who lives next-door to me, ever leaves her room. That’s OK though, as the location is wonderful. The North Sea is fifty meters from my front door! Nature will have to entertain me.

The first few days are filled with rain, so I spend most of my time inside. Fortunately, the weather takes a turn when the weekend is around the corner. Time to catch some fresh air and explore some islands! While the sky on the east is postcard-perfect, dark clouds are forming on the west. Then, out of nowhere, the most amazing (double) rainbow pops up. It is so clear, it seems so close.

The environment is stunning. This is exactly the reason why I came here. The natural beauty of this place is unmatched. I’m wondering if the people who live here, realise what they have.

Geir, my host, is kind enough to take me out on a boat trip on Saturday. That is, after he spends about forty minutes to make sure his boat - from the 70’s - works properly. “Now you get a true experience of what Norwegian life on the water is like. It doesn't alway work out immediately.” That’s alright, I have all the time in the world. Once we are on the water, we enjoy the nature and Geir tells me a little bit about his life. Despite his introverted personality, he seems to enjoy my company. "As long as I have time to re-charge my battery, I am able to socialize", he explains. I can totally relate to that. This area has a very calm and serene feel to it. There is almost no-one here; it's a hidden gem. Geir doesn’t mind: “I have no clue why there aren’t more people here, but I don’t complain."

On our way back we throw out some fishing rods and I actually catch 4 mackerels. Guess what’s for dinner? When Geir takes the first mackerel of the hook, he explains how it’s done. “I grab it like this, and then I break..” Krrrk! “..its neck.” OK.. Got it. I end up having Geir snap every fish’s neck. I have different things I enjoy doing. Back home I cut and clean the fish, and throw them in a skillet. It doesn’t get fresher than that!

Since there is still a lot of time to enjoy on this Saturday, I drive over to Bergen hoping to catch the Dutch soccer game somewhere in a pub. I may as well walk around a little bit while I’m here. 

It turns out that the bars don’t have access to the channel that broadcasts the game. I end up streaming the game back home and see how the Dutch shatter their last hopes on reaching the World Cup next year.

It is a beautiful Sunday and I decide to go visit the Hardangerfjords. Again it’s a wonderful drive. I'm so glad I have my car here!

When I get to the location I decide to pay Trolltunga a visit; a rock formation with an outstanding view. At the start of the walking trail, there is a sign that says: if you leave after 10 AM, you will probably not make it. It’s 1:30 PM, so let's see how far I get. I'm going up anyway! I’m a little confused by the signs (the fact that they are in Norwegian doesn’t help). Where I expected an eight kilometer roundtrip, there are new signs telling me that, it is another thirteen kilometer (one way!) to Trolltunga. The hike is steep, but it’s a gorgeous day and I have nowhere else to be. So let’s keep walking. After four kilometers the road ends and continues into a walking-trail through the mountains. I keep ascending, and while I'm sweating like a water tank, I notice descendant hikers wearing winter jackets and snow hats. Here I am wearing jeans and a T-shirt, with a summer jacket and scarf tied around my waist. How are those guys cold? When I keep climbing higher and higher, I find myself surrounded by snow and ice. Ah, that’s why! 

When I see a new sign letting me know I’m five kilometers away from Trolltunga, I come across a group of hikers who are on their way back. “How far are you planning to go?”, one of the guys asks. -“All the way, I think.” -“It’s your decision, but I wouldn’t do it”, another guy says. “From here it is another 4 hours to Trolltunga, so if you’re fast, you may reach it before the sun sets. But then you’d have to hike thirteen kilometers back in complete darkness.” -“I still have 80% battery on my cell phone, so I could use my flash light”, I reply. “Yeah, that’s not gonna do you any good. And it’s going to be -10 degrees Celsius later tonight. They do have rescue huts, but they are crappy", one girl says, while she smirks at my water bottle, summer jacket and the lack of camping gear on my back. 

I thank them for their concern, but keep walking in the same direction. I hear voices inside my head: “You stubborn piece of shit.” Countered by: “That’s OK. Live a little, get uncomfortable! Don't be weak. You are already eight kilometres in! You know you’ll alway find your way home. Where is your courage?” 

I keep walking for another kilometer or so to realise that there is a fine line between courage and stupidity. I then make a decision that is difficult for me: to overcome my pride and turn around. I won't reach my goal today. But I still have a lot to live for. Getting lost and freeze to death on a mountain somewhere in Norway, isn’t my idea of a fun night. Perhaps, weak is the new strong. 

Albeit a bit disappointed that I didn’t reach my goal, I can't deny that today was another exquisite day.