Day #: 71-87
Location(s) Visited: Oslo, Kongsberg, Rjuken, Stavanger, Bergen, Flåm, Geirenger, Åndalsnes, Kristiansund Norway
Summary: Norway has more than exceeded our expectations. Green and lush landscapes, waterfalls, fjords, interesting bridges and architecture, smooth roads, terrific cycling infrastructure and fantastic weather have all contibuted to our high impression of Norway. Oslo is a favorite for us and we really enjoyed the Edvard Munch (famous for his “Scream” works) Museum and the National Museum (Design, Art, Contemporary Art and Architecture). We spent 5 days in Oslo and we could easily have more time there as there is much to do and see. We headed west with a stop in Kongsberg (a large tech center) where Tony cycled with a Norwegian friend, Pelle. We continued westward as we passed varied terrain from lush valleys to parts that looked like the moon. While the fjords get all the guidebook attention, we have found the interior of Norway to be equally spectular but just in a different way. We have crossed over many cool bridges including suspension and floating pontoon-types, taken at least a dozen car ferries and gone through so many tunnels (some as long as 10 km) that we lost count but probably over a 100 tunnels at this point. There was even a tunnel with a round-about inside it #KindaCrazy. We have hiked and cycled on our Bromptons, taken boat cruises on several fjords, ascended to the tops of mountains via cable cars/funiculars and taken local trains and trams, but also scenic trains up into the mountains. Norway is a BIG country so we are putting in a lot more driving time than we normally do on these trips, but the roads are smooth as glass, the driving speeds are slow (max around 80 km per hour) and the days are long so there is no complaints from us as we are having the time of our lives. Our days are a mixture of scenic driving, hikes/walks with some cultural stops mixed in. We are a well oiled machine at this point and continue with our Freebird approach to our itinerary although we are trying to push north as much as possible as Tromsø is still a 10 day drive for us and we do have a reservation on the Hurtigruten.
Overall Impression of Location(s): Oslo = 4, Kongsberg = 3, Rjuken = 3, Stavanger = 2, Bergen = 2, Flåm = 2, Geirenger = 2, Åndalsnes = 2, Kristiansund = 2
4 -added to our favorite list and we would return again
3 – a great place to visit
2 – OK for one visit, but we would not return again
1 – we wish we hadn’t wasted our time here
Distance Driven on Leg: 1448 km + at least a dozen car ferries
Weather/Temperature (°F): The weather gods have been very very good to us! We have had simply amazing weather with cool and sunny/partially sunny days with only a few brief hours of morning rain on 2 days and a few overnight showers. Temperatures were in the high 60s to mid 70s during the day and evening lows were in the high 40’s to high 50s. We are still using heat at night most nights! We couldn’t have dreamed up better weather than we are having for this trip. #thankful. The temperatures are cooling as we are heading north and we have had to pull out the puffy coats.
Road Conditions: Driving speeds are much lower in Norway than in continental Europe with most roads maxing out at 80 km per hour (about 50 mph), with just a few exceptions of 110 kph near Oslo. We really enjoy these slower speeds as it is just less stressful. Norwegian drivers are not at all aggressive and patiently drive 4-5 car lengths behind us without ever passing us (although we do pull over when there is a line of cars). The roads are in amazing condition with very, very few potholes, frost heaves or cracked surfaces. We were surprised by the pristine condition of the Norway roads (as the US/Canada roads we drive on are in deplorable condition) due to the harsh winter weather but learned the Norwegians know how to build roads. First, they dig the foundation of the road lower than the frost line which can be 4-6 m down. Second, they use a mixture of expensive polymers mixed with the asphalt followed by a special type of high wearing aggregate top layer. Third, they restrict the use of salt which can degrade the surface opting for other methods such as gravel/sand on top of the compacted snow. Forth, their massive sovereign wealth fund provides adequate annual funding for road projects. Fifth, the contractors who build the roads are given a “bonus” if the roads last longer than the contracted warranty period resulting in contractors building incredibly durable roads. The US could learn something from how they build roads in the Norway as their roads are simply pristine!
Chickpea Mechanical Status: Our refrigerator is still plugging along OK, but continues to gurgle a lot. We finally heard back from Thetford, the manufacturer, this past week and they want our dealer to remove the unit and do some testing. Ugh! That would have been possible during our 6 weeks in France, but now we are in Norway at it isn’t really possible anymore. We aren’t sure what we are going to do at this point, but we know we will never buy a Thetford product ever again as their products, customer service and warranty are terrible. How could it have taken almost 2 months to get a reply from Thetford? This is really unacceptable, IMO. #ThetfordSucks
We have been having random errors occur with one of our Brompton batteries and Bromptons customer service and warranty service has been superb! We already have a new (and upgraded for more range) replacement battery awaiting our pickup in September at a local dealer in Frankfurt, Germany. #BromptonForTheWin #ThisItHowWarrantiesShouldWork
Hirtshals, Denmark – The Hirtshals Bunker Museum features Denmark’s only fully excavated WWII German defense complex. Its open-air network of 3.5 km of trenches connecting 69 historic bunkers and gun installations. #HighlyRecommend 
Hirtshals, Denmark – Black Oats, aka “Viking Oats”, are quite yummy with a much chewier texture than rolled oats. We are still working our way through this huge box. 
Hirtshals, Denmark: The only vegetable which can not cross from Denmark to Norway are potatoes. Tracey cooked in her trusty Fissler pressure cooker these dirty potatoes before we left Denmark. #WasteNotWantNot 
Hirtshals, Denmark: We had a lovely pitch close to the ocean while we awaited our departure to Norway. Each day this campground filled to capacity and then emptied out the following morning. #R&R 
Hirtshals, Denmark: Our Color Line ferry took us and our van over to Larvik, Norway in under 4 hours. We elected for business class seats, but we are undecided on whether it was worth the extra $ or not. #Bougie 
Hirtshals, Denmark: Boarding the ferry for Norway. We were super excited for this next leg of our roadtrip. #NorwayHereWeCome #FerryMouth 
Oslo, Norway – Our campground had new facilities that just opened up and Tony was doing the happy dance about the modern dishwashing stations. #SimplePleasures 
Oslo, Norway – Tracey is enamored with these tiny postal delivery vehicles. 
Oslo, Norway – The Royal Palace and Gardens. King Harald V and Queen Sonja live on the 2nd floor full-time since their coronation in 1991. 
Oslo, Norway: Guards protecting the Royal Palace at every entrance. 
Oslo, Norway: In 1892, Edvard Munch wrote a diary poem describing a panic attack where a blood-red sky caused an endless, terrifying scream of nature that he visually painted in 1893. This is one version of the Scream work at the Munch Museum. 
Oslo, Norway: Munch created all four versions of The Scream on ordinary, unprimed cardboard. It it a cheap, highly absorbent 3.5mm thick board that soaked up liquids to create his signature flat, matte finish. It is quite fragile and hard to preserve resulting in the images being rotated out of the light every 15 minutes. 
Norway, Oslo: Two different versions of The Scream were stolen in Oslo: a 1994 break-in at the National Gallery and a 2004 daylight armed robbery (during the Norway Olympics) at the Munch Museum. Both were eventually safely recovered. 
Oslo, Norway: Tracey had to be dragged out of this interactive room at the Munch Museum. Edvard Munch was incredibly prolific, creating approximately 28,000 works, including over 1,100 paintings, 18,000 prints, 4,500 watercolors, and 5,700 drawings. 
Oslo, Norway: We loved the Munch Museum and our guided tour by one of the passionate art historians. The 10th floor of the 11 floor building provided an opportunity to draw your own works and then a program uses AI to match it with one of Munch’s 28,000 (not a typo!) works. 
Oslo, Norway: The Sick Child is a series of six paintings detailing the slow, painful death of Munch’s 15-year-old sister, Johanne Sophie, from tuberculosis. It captures his deep childhood grief. 
Oslo, Norway: Opened in 2008, the Oslo Opera House was constructed using Italian Carrara marble, white granite, aluminum, and warm oak interior timber. Mirroring the waterfront impact of the Sydney Opera House, its iconic glacier-like design deliberately rivals Sydney’s monumental status. We saw a condensed version of A Dance Tribute to the Art of Football here and it was great! We even did the Norway Viking row as part of an audience participation part. #RowRow 
Oslo, Norway: We took a 2-hour cruise of the Oslo Fjord. The white building on the left is the Oslo Opera House and the tall building on the right is the 11-story Munch Museum opened in 2021. The Munch Museum was fantastic! 
Oslo, Norway: Opened in 2022, the National Museum is the Nordic region’s largest art museum. It houses over 400,000 architectural drawings, design objects, historical artifacts, and classical to contemporary artworks. We took a guided tour and loved it! 
Oslo, Norway: Ekebergparken is a free, 64-acre open-air museum on a steep, wooded hillside overlooking Oslo. It features 47 contemporary sculptures and installations seamlessly integrated into the natural landscape. Navigating the park requires walking along rugged forest paths, making sturdy footwear essential for tackling the hilly terrain. Yep, this is exactly what you think it is. #ThoughtsOfGrandeur 
Oslo, Norway: Sean Henry’s Walking Woman captures an anonymous “antihero” frozen in mid-stride. Her monumental 7-foot scale and purposeful gaze evoke a powerful sense of inner confidence, celebration of united humanity, and shared introspection. Tony just liked where his gaze landed. #Boobs 
Oslo, Norway: Pipilotti Rist’s Nordic Pixel Forest is a mesmerizing outdoor art installation. It features 24,000 shifting LED lights housed inside crystal-like droplets that hang from the forest tree canopy. We could physically walk through these glowing strands as the pulsing colors synchronized to an ambient soundtrack. #Mesmerizing 
Oslo, Norway: In Norway, city public restrooms at transit hubs or malls often charge 10 to 20 NOK. Because Norway is nearly cashless, these facilities require contactless credit cards. #VeryClean #NoCurrencyAtAll 
Oslo, Norway: Our Top Camp pitch for 5 nights with views of Oslo in the distance. Ekeberg is a neighborhood hill overlooking Oslo. Its famous overlook viewpoint provided the exact fjord backdrop and panic attack inspiration for Edvard Munch’s The Scream works. 
Oslo, Norway: There were 2 cruise ships in port each day we were there, but as the city has 750,000 people it did not feel like an over-tourism moment. 
Oslo, Norway: The historic “KARPE WORLD” concert series took place on July 2, 3, and 4, 2026, drawing a massive crowd of 105,000 fans over three completely sold-out nights. Our campground pitch was located about 100 yards from this giant stage. #FreeConcert #ActuallyEnjoyable 
Oslo, Norway: It rained one evening of the Karpe World concert but that did not stop the concert goers. Tracey loved that they wore clear poncho’s so their carefully curated concert outfits were still visable. #HipHopConcert #NothingIsGoingToStopThem 
Oslo, Norway: In Oslo, e-scooters are immensely popular for efficient commuting. However, initial minimal regulation sparked severe criticism over sidewalk clutter, pedestrian safety risks, and drunk-riding injuries. Consequently, Oslo implemented strict nighttime bans, mandatory speed caps, and a hard 8,000-scooter fleet limit across authorized rental operators. More people used scooters than bikes in Oslo which is different than what we saw in Copenhagen where bicycles were primary mode of transport. 
Norway: Fuel is less expensive than in continental Europe with prices ranging from $6-8/gallon. #Winning 
Kongsberg, Norway: Tony and his friend, Pelle (“Pella”), heading out on a 55 mile ride. Quote of the day from Pelle: It feels so strange to have English words coming out of my mouth. (holding a conversation in English for 4 hours) 
Notodden, Norway: Heddal Stave Church is Norway’s largest medieval stave church, constructed during the early 13th century. This triple-nave wooden masterpiece features intricate woodcarvings, towering gables, and inscriptions, beautifully showcasing remarkable ancient Scandinavian historic architectural craftsmanship. We also went inside as part of a guided tour and it was fantastic and very informative. #StaveChurchesOfNorwayRule 
Rjukan, Norway: Rjukan, which is located in a steep valley, sits in a complete mountain shadow for the 6 winter months. In 2013, engineers fulfilled an old vision by installing computer-controlled hillside mirrors that track the sun so it can be reflected directly into the town square. In the photo, look at the top right side to see a white spot in the mountains which is one of these mirrors. #TricktheSun 
Rjukan, Norway: The Vemork hydroelectric plant was the world’s first commercial mass-producer of heavy water. During WWII, it became a critical target after Nazi occupiers seized it for nuclear weapons research. Daring Allied-led sabotage missions successfully thwarted Germany’s atomic ambitions. A great museum and fascinating history we did not know anything about. #Science 
Rjukan, Norway: The new glass building covers and protects the excavated, historic heavy water cellar seen in this photo. It opened in 2022 to showcase the dramatic WWII sabotage history. #Fascinating 
Rogaland, Norway: Gloppedalsura is Northern Europe’s largest stone scree, formed 10,000 years ago by post-glacial landslides. This massive 100-meter-thick boulder field is a major attraction within the Magma UNESCO Global Geopark, celebrated internationally for its unique lunar-like geology and exceptional natural heritage. #GiantsRocks #AsBigAsHouses 
Rogaland, Norway: Tony biked on the flowy roads while Tracey drove behind as support crew. #BeautifulWeather 
Rogaland, Norway: The boulders are made of anorthosite, a rare magmatic rock. Formed 930 million years ago deep underground, this unique stone is more common on the moon than Earth. #MoonRocksLiterally 
Rogaland, Norway: Månafossen is the tallest waterfall in the area measuring 92 m down a narrow gorge. Reaching the viewpoint requires a short, steep hike equipped with safety chains. This hike was marked as EASY but Tracey found it anything but easy. 298 ft elevation gain over just 0.25 miles which required chains to pull herself up the rocky face does not = easy. #Beastly #WorthItThough 
Rogaland, Norway: A Dashcam shot of a typical road which is 1.5 lanes wide but with 2-way traffic. Somehow it all works out and we haven’t seen any accidents. 
Rogaland, Norway: We were lulled into thinking this would indeed be an easy hike as this was the beginning steep section….this was the easy part. 
Norway: Norway’s striking “Over fartsgrensen?” (Over the speed limit?) safety campaign by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration features roadside signs depicting a young girl. The left side shows the girl clearly at a safe speed, while the right side shows her fading away into a blur when unsafe speeds occur. This emotional optical illusion is designed to remind drivers that exceeding the speed limit can cause a child to permanently disappear from existence. #Powerful 
Stavanger, Norway: Standing on the shores of Hafrsfjord, the towering 3 bronze swords of Sverd i fjell symbolize national unification and eternal peace. This monument commemorates King Harald Fairhair’s decisive 872 AD battle that united Norway. 
Stavanger, Norway: Norway’s iconic red telephone kiosks have been cleverly repurposed. Known as Lesekiosker, around 100 of these heritage phone booths now serve as 24/7, trust-based free book exchanges for locals and tourists. #PhoneStillWorksToo 
Stavanger, Norway: The whimsical Lars Lende statue in Stavanger’s Lendeparken honors a beloved local philanthropist, depicting him alongside his iconic pony cart used to bring joy and free rides to city children. 
Stavanger, Norway: These electric red postal cars, operated by Posten Norge, are custom-built utility vehicles. Designed for optimal urban delivery efficiency, these compact eco-friendly micro-vehicles navigate narrow Norwegian streets smoothly while drastically reducing municipal carbon emissions. #TraceyLovesTheseCars 
Stavanger, Norway: Gamle Stavanger is Europe’s largest surviving concentration of historic wooden houses, featuring over 170 white-painted seventeenth-century cottages. This preserved neighborhood has narrow, cobblestone streets, vibrant flowers, and gas lamps that capture old-world charm along the harborfront. 
Haugesund, Norway: Haugesund is a vibrant coastal town known as the homeland of the Viking kings, situated near Norway’s unification site. This maritime hub hosts the annual Norwegian International Film Festival, features a historic waterfront promenade, and serves as a scenic gateway to dramatic fjords and islands. We had a grand time exploring this town on our Bromptons. 
Haugesund, Norway: The bronze Marilyn Monroe statue near the harbor honors the Hollywood icon’s local ties. It was erected because her legal father, Martin Mortensen, lived in the area before emigrating to the USA. 
Haugesund, Norway: The Rising Tide is a striking coastal art installation by Jason deCaires Taylor. It features four life-sized hybrid horse sculptures with fossil-fuel pump heads. Submerged daily by changing tides, the horses symbolize climate change and humanity’s complex dependence on fossil fuels. The art installation was originally built and displayed in 2015 along the River Thames in London. It was later relocated and permanently installed at its current location in Haugesund in 2021. #Eerie #TraceyLovedThis 
Haugesund, Norway: Haraldshaugen is a national monument that commemorates the millennial anniversary of Norway’s national unification by Viking King Harald Fairhair. Erected in 1872, the site features a towering 17-meter granite obelisk surrounded by 29 smaller memorial stones representing the historic districts that originally formed the kingdom. 
Norway: These were the largest, juiciest and best tasting raspberries we have ever had. We purchased them from a roadside stand. #Yummo 
Hardangerfjord, Norway: Agatunet is a medieval trading post. Its protected timber buildings showcase centuries of regional commerce, fruit farming, and maritime exchange. We had to drive down quite a sketch road to access it. #TheRealNorway 
Osøyro , Norway: We have found quite a few harbor campgrounds/Aires similar to the ones we loved in Denmark. #TheseViewsDontSuck 
Bergen, Norway; Bredsgården is Bryggen’s best-preserved medieval tenement row. This historic passage features interconnected timber warehouses, overhead wooden galleries, and fireproof stone cellars. Historically housing Hanseatic merchants, the leaning buildings now serve as local artisan workshops. #InstagramvsReality #Overtourism #GetMeOutOfHere 
Bergen, Norway: Historically, Øvregaten served as Bergen’s main medieval thoroughfare and administrative high street, bustling with Hanseatic merchants. Today, it presents a charming vista of cobblestones, colorful historic facades, and ancient stone churches reflecting centuries of maritime wealth. 
Bergen, Norway: Historically, Øvregaten’s elevated wooden walkways allowed Hanseatic merchants to move goods safely between upper warehouses, navigate above muddy medieval streets, and access fire-free communal assembly rooms. 
Bergen, Norway: The Fløibanen Funicular is an electric cable railway, connecting the historic city center to the summit of Mount Fløyen. Operating since 1918, its now modern glass-roofed cars whisk passengers up steep tracks in minutes, revealing spectacular, panoramic views of the fjords and mountains. #CrowdedButStillWorthIt 
Bergen, Norway: Goats are vital to Norwegian agriculture, browsing rugged landscapes to clear overgrown brush, berries, and bark. In summer, they forage freely in high mountain pastures, while modern herds on Mount Fløyen use GPS collars to manage clearing. Their nutrient-rich milk is essential for creating Brunost, Norway’s iconic caramelized brown cheese. FYI – They also like baguettes as they kept trying to steal Tony’s baguette which was hanging out the top of his backpack. He kept thinking the goats just liked him until he was spinning in circles with goats lunging at his baguette. #Thieves #LotsofLaughs 
Bergen, Norway: One of our favorite things in Bergen. The Fyllingsdalstunnelen is the world’s longest purpose-built cycling and pedestrian tunnel. Opened in 2023, the 2.9-kilometer path cuts through Løvstakken mountain, connecting the residential neighborhood of Fyllingsdalen directly to the industrial hub of Minde. Lots of cool lights and art work in the tunnel, too. Surprisingly, it was freezing cold in the tunnel and we were not properly dressed so we pedaled hard to stay warm. #Popsicles 
Sognefjord, Norway: “Norway in a Nutshell” tour featured a 5-hour Sognefjord cruise from Bergen to Flåm. After exploring the Flåm valley, we ascended the historic Flåm Railway and then transfered at the Myrdal mountain station to catch the scenic Bergen Railway back to the Bergen. #GreatDay 
Sognefjord , Norway: M/S Vingtor is a high-speed catamaran passenger ferry operated by Norled which we sailed on from Bergen. Built in 2012, this 35-meter vessel sails up to 34 knots (much faster than we expected!), famously connecting Bergen to Flåm via the spectacular Sognefjord with panoramic lounges and open-air viewing decks. 
Sognefjord, Norway: We got great seats and our boat was very nice. Since it was a 5-hour cruise, Tracey packed us both hearty lunches. #Smørrebrød 
Sognefjord, Norway: Sognefjord is Norway’s longest and deepest fjord, stretching 205 km inland from the Atlantic coast. Dominated by sheer mountainsides, waterfalls, and narrow fjords, this waterway stands as a globally renowned natural wonder by UNESCO. 
Sognefjord, Norway: Norway is home to thousands of waterfalls, fueled by massive glaciers and melting snow. Remarkably, ten of the world’s thirty highest waterfalls are located here. #ThisViewDoesntGetOld 
Finnabotn, Norway: Finnabotn is an isolated settlement completely lacking road access and even mobile service. Surrounded by steep, vertical cliffs and dramatic waterfalls, this peaceful haven is accessible exclusively by boat or kayak from Balestrand. #MaybeOKForOneNight 
Sognefjord, Norway: The King of All Fjords. Sognefjord spans 205 km inland, making it the country’s longest fjord. It reaches a maximum depth of 1,308 m below sea level. Its surrounding mountain walls tower up to 2,000 m high, and it features approximately 30 branches. 
Voss, Norway: Voss is a vibrant lakeside town between the Sognefjord and Hardangerfjord, famous as Norway’s adventure sports capital. Our boat only docked for a few minutes. #NextTime 
Sognefjord, Norway: This ended up being one our most relaxing and enjoyable days. While it was a long trip, it went quite quickly and it was very professionally curated. #NorwayInANutshell #Uber-Boat-Train-Train-AlmostUber-Tram 
Flåm, Norway: The Flåm Railway (Flåmsbana) is one of the world’s steepest trains, ascending 862 meters from Flåm to Myrdal. The 20-kilometer journey twists through deep valleys, passes sheer cliffs, and pauses at the roaring Kjosfossen waterfall, showcasing spectacular, engineering-defying Norwegian fjord landscapes. 
Matre, Norway: County Road 5442 near Matre features a dramatic series of sharp switchbacks carving up sheer rock walls. Rising steeply from sea level to high alpine plateaus, these narrow hairpin turns offered a thrilling drive in our van. It was also a historic WWII resistance trail. We were told by others to take the scenic bypass routes instead of always taking the tunnels and it was good advice albeit a harrowing drive. #NailBiter 
Matre, Norway: The Matreelva River flows alongside County Road 5442, carving a dramatic path through the Matre valley. Renowned for salmon and sea trout fishing, this powerful river also feeds local hydroelectric plants and creates cascading waterfalls that tumble directly past the road’s steep mountain switchbacks. #GettingOffTheBeatenPath 
Matre, Norway: Colorful wildflowers like these violet harebells are everywhere. Also seen are purple heather, pink fireweed, and vibrant yellow buttercups. #WildflowersRock #PopsOfColor 
Matre, Norway: A dashcam shot of the road which was a set of steep switchbacks up to the top of the waterfall in the distance. 
Matre, Norway: Tony clowning around on the rock wall. He actually did well except he learned going up was easier than coming down. Luckily we didn’t need to test out our travel insurance after this adventure. #54IsTheNew35 
Førde, Norway: Huldefossen is a spectacular 90-meter waterfall. Situated right next to the E39 highway, it plunges down steep rock faces, creating a constant, heavy mist that feeds the lush, surrounding green meadows. #LowEffortHighRewardStop 
Fjærland, Norway: The Norwegian Glacier Museum is an award-winning, interactive hub designed by Sverre Fehn. It borders the Jostedalsbreen National Park—home to Europe’s largest mainland glacier (seen in photo in the distance). The surrounding alpine valley boasts stunning arm glaciers. 
Fjærland, Norway: The outdoor mammoth sculptures at the Norwegian Glacier Museum represent a realistic-scale woolly mammoth family. Installed in 2013, the three lifelike statues—consisting of a mother and her two calves—are situated by the pond in front of the museum to symbolize Ice Age climate history. Highly recommended for the interesting movie inside in 15k resolution. 
Fjærland, Norway: Myklebustbreen is Norway’s 7th-largest glacier. This high-altitude ice cap feeds dramatic cascading waterfalls, dominates the local alpine topography, and features stunning outlet glaciers like Strupen, making it a major highlight within the regional mountain landscape. We were lucky to find this quiet and private boondocking/free campsite where we could gaze at this glacier all night. #WaterfallsEverywhere 
Loen, Norway: Loen Skylift is one of the world’s steepest cable cars. It whisks passengers from the Nordfjord up to Mount Hoven at 1,011 m in just 5 minutes. At the top, we enjoyed panoramic fjord views and alpine hiking trails. We went up when it was still foggy but lady luck was on our side as within 5 minutes of arriving the fog began to burn off. We were able to enjoy this peaceful view for 45 minutes before the hordes of other tourists began to arrive. #ProTip:ComeEarly 
Loen, Norway: We really enjoyed watching the fog burn off which made the views more interesting to us. We had spectacular weather! 
Ørnesvingen viewpoint near Geiranger, Norway: Another Instragram vs reality shot showing the number of tourists in this area. #NeverAlone #TooManyPeople 
Ørnesvingen viewpoint near Geiranger: This is the same spot as the previous photo with all of the people but it was taken the following morning on our drive out of this area. Isn’t it just beautiful??? LOL 
Geiranger, Norway: The Geiranger Waterfall Walk featured 327 steps and iron platforms climbing directly alongside the roaring Storfossen River. This scenic trail connects the cruise terminal to the Norwegian Fjord Centre. 
Geiranger, Norway: Even the warning signs in Norway are interesting to us. This one looks like it could have been created by Edvard Munch. #Scream 
Norway: The Eidsdal Ferry connects Eidsdal and Linge across the Norddalsfjorden. It operates frequently, accommodating cars and trucks in under 15 minutes. We have an automated tollpass and ferrypass which gives us steep discounts up to 50%! #Frugal 
Eidsdal, Norway: Norway’s local ferry system acts as an extension of the national road network, seamlessly bridging fjords and islands. Operating with frequent schedules, these public vehicle and passenger vessels usually require no advance reservations. Payments are handled automatically via license plate scanning linked to a FerryPay pre-paid account. Ferries are quite inexpensive, too. #SuperEasy 
Valldal, Norway: Gudbrandsjuvet is a dramatic, 25 m deep ravine where the Valldøla River crashes through tight rock formations. Directly accessible via Route 63, it features futuristic, steel viewing platforms allowing visitors to stand directly above the churning, jade-green waters. #AnotherLowEffortHighRewardStop 
Trollstigen, Norway: Motorcycle touring in Norway is widely considered a world-class bucket-list adventure and a true “bikers’ paradise”. The country’s unique blend of dramatic geography, engineering marvels, and rider-friendly laws draws thousands of domestic and international riders every summer. #LooksLikeFun 
Trollstigen. Norway: Trollstigen’s Visitor Center balances modern glass architecture over a rushing mountain plateau. Its walkways extend directly over the cliff edge, revealing a dramatic 700-meter drop. Visitors can view the legendary 11 hairpin switchbacks winding down the valley, surrounded by towering peaks and the roaring, mist-heavy Stigfossen waterfall. 
Trollstigen, Norway: Trollstigen’s (Troll’s Ladder) 11 engineered hairpins feature a steep 9% -10% gradient, descending 858 m. The serpentine track strictly prohibits long-wheelbase vehicles exceeding 13 m due to exceptionally tight corners (FYI: we are only 6 m long). In actuality, it was a “nothing” drive as many of the other switchbacks we have done in Norway have been steeper, narrower and more technical. #OverHyped 
Trollstigen, Norway: We most enjoyed walking the walkways at the Visitors Center and seeing the waterfall crashing down alongside the road. #TrollsLadder #VeryCrowded 
Trollstigen, Norway: The Trollstigen Visitor Center features sleek, cast-concrete architecture integrated with glass facades, offering panoramic reflection pools and dramatic walkways cantilevered out over a 700-meter canyon drop. #WeLoveTheNorwegianArchitecture 
Somewhere in Norway: These views just don’t get old. We keep pinching ourselves that this is all real. 
Somewhere in Norway: Decorated the van for Tony’s 55th birthday. Somehow he is only getting better with the passing year. #HBD 
Elnesvågen, Norway: Took on the Trolls Church hike to stretch our legs. We didn’t make it all the way (it was a long, steep and grueling hike) but enjoyed the beautiful forest views nonetheless. 
Elnesvågen, Norway: The Birthday Boy asked for his favorite lunch and extra time for a long bike ride for his birthday. Done and done. #HBD 
Somewhere in Norway: Smørbrød for lunch! Smørbrød is a traditional Scandinavian open-faced sandwich that serves as a cornerstone of Nordic lunch culture, we make it with hummus and BBQ tofu. #VeryDelicious 
Averøy, Norway: The Storseisundet Bridge is a famous Atlantic Ocean Road bridge known for its dramatic, illusion-like curved visual drop. #NotScaredOfHeights 
Kristiansund, Norway: After securing one of the last pitches at a Marina Aire, we celebrated with birthday blueberry oat pancakes. #HBD
Highlights:
The summer days are gloriously long in Norway. Sun rises by 3:30 AM and doesn’t set until after 11 PM. These long days have allowed us to fit in lots of activities each day but it does mess with our circadian rhythms. Tony sleeps with eyeshades at night but the light doesn’t bother Tracey.
We both rank Oslo as one of our top 5 all-time favorite cities. We loved the size, the public transportation, the fjord views, the copious world class museums and the overall chill, but youthful, vibe. We felt very safe there as property (mainly bike theft) is really the only frequent crime which occurs. The people in Oslo seem to have quite a high standard of living. We both could easily live in Oslo….at least in the summer months. 🙂
The overall beauty of Norway is stunning and it has exceeded our expectation. We have been to some beautiful places in the US and around the world, but Norway scenery is next level. Fjords, waterfalls, glaciers (2500 of them in Norway), rivers and mountains can be seen at practically every turn. Tracey said it feels like we are living inside a beautiful painting and Tony said the maybe we both have died and Norway is actually heaven. The photographs do not do this place justice.
Tony took part in a vegan cycling training camp in Yosemite National Park (US) almost a decade ago. He has maintained contact with Pelle (who is Norweigen) over the years and after leaving Oslo they met up for a 55 mile bike ride in the countryside. Tony said this was one of the most enjoyable and beautiful rides he has ever done. Pelle is quite a bit younger so Tony didn’t have any gas left in his energy tank after he finished but he was able to keep up. #54IsTheNew35
While driving is delightful in Norway, the driving requires more of an active driving method as driving is on curvy and mountainous roads so whoever is the driver doesn’t get to enjoy the views as much as the passenger. For this reason, we decided to do a “Norway in a Nutshell” tour of the famous Sognefjord fjord. We took a 5 hour fast ferry through the fjords from Bergen to Flåm where we transferred to one of the steepest scenic trains to Myrdal and then a 2 1/2 hour train back to Bergen. It was a long day but we both enjoyed the entire tour and we are glad we chose this route as it was not very crowded. Many of the other outfitters boats were packed to capacity. #LadyLuckOnOurSide
Tony celebrated his 55th birthday on July 14th. It was a low-key day but Tracey decorated the van and made birthday pancakes complete with candles. Another trip around the sun and Tony is only getting better each year. Happy Birthday!
Lowlights:
A Norwegian couple lliterally screamed at us at the Stavanger “Aire”. We arrived and the camping lot was quite full but there were a few spaces left. We pulled into one and went about our evening business only to have a Norwegian man stand in front of our vehicle waving his hands and screaming/barking at us. We couldn’t figure out what “The Barker” was talking about as he kept saying he needed a “4 meter buffer” next to his motorhome. Next, his “shrieking like a tea kettle” wife came out and joined in this harrassment. In our defense, almost everybody was parked exactly like we were in terms of distance between vehicles. There was literally nowhere to move (and we had already paid our $39 to park there) so that we could maintain the 4 meter distance so we moved to the day lot which didn’t allow overnight parking and hoped we didn’t get ticketed (we didn’t). We googled this 4 meter rule and sure enough there was a new 2022 law that motorhomes have to legally park 4 meters from each other for fire safety reasons. We would have gladly followed this rule had we known about it. The Barker and The Shrieking Tea Kettle could have handled this situation more appropriately and not screamed and waved their hands at us like we were children. In our defense almost everybody in this lot was parked right next each other and not maintaining 4 meters between vehicles. Also, at the campground in Oslo, we certainly were not maintaining 4 meters between vehicles. #StopScreamingAtMe #4Meters!
We expected crowds and a lot of tourists in Norway based on our research, but the amount of people, cruise ships, campervans/motorhomes and tour buses is even more than our wildest imagination. We know we are part of the problem as we are tourists ourselves, but Norway definitely has an overtourism problem. We have decided to just entirely avoid the “touristy” areas going forward as we don’t enjoy shoulder-to-shoulder tourism. Also, due to early the sunrise, we try to get on the road quite early to beat the crowds. We hope as we continue to push north the crowds will thin, but so far we haven’t seen any thinning. Interestingly, most of the campervans/motorhomes have Norwegian plates. We aren’t sure these are actually Norweigian tourists or whether these are rental vehicles and they are foreigners. The next largest group of motorhome/campervan tourists are from Germany. We have only seen 2 other France plated vehicles. #TooManyTourists
Both Stavanger and Bergen were a disappointment to us as they were just too crowded for us to enjoy. There were parts of each city we did like (Gamle/Old Town) but for the most part we didn’t enjoy our time there. We are learning we don’t like cities where tourism is the major industry and prefer smaller villages or much larger cities (like Oslo) which blend tourism and other industries.
Overall, the Norwegian people are not friendly…AT ALL. They seem to be a very guarded and private people and the opportunity to have any interaction has been limited to staff working in the hospitality sector, who are quite friendly (and also speak perfect English). It feels strange that most Norwegian people will not even make eye contact with us in the campground or while washing dishes at the central dishwashing station, etc. and this does make us miss France where people were quite friendly and open to interactions. #Don’tLookAtMe
Not really a lowlight as we expected and planned for this, but everything in Norway is quite expensive, except for fuel. Fuel is surpringly quite affordable, by Europe standards, as Norway is the largest oil producer in Europe and a top-15 global supplier. We are paying about $6-8/gallon in Norway. Everything else other than fuel is pricey. Aire campgrounds we pay $10-15 for in continental Europe are $25-40 in Norway (we have one coming up that is essentially a no amenity overnight parking lot in Trodheim for $86/night!), there is almost no free parking anywhere and for example we paid $24 to park for 4 hours in Kongsberg. Laundry is extremely expensive and we paid $45 to do 3 loads of laundry. Groceries are similarly expensive and ~1/3 more expensive than continental Europe. Tours and admission fees are more expensive where a French or German museum might cost $20, something similar costs $35-40 in Norway. We have really just stopped factoring in the cost of things into our decisions and we our just enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime experience. #CostAgnostic
Up Next: We continue our long northward push in Norway where we are headed to the Arctic Circle with our northernmost driving location being Tromso (our latitude will be significantly north of Fairbanks, Alaska which was previously the furthest north we have ever been). From there, we jump on the Hurtigruten ship and sail to Kirkenes which is located on the Norway-Russia border. #HeadingNorth
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Wonderful! Glad you are having good weather. We are soggy in Iceland!
FBC
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