During the weeks Anya and I travelled in Norway, our itinerary included (everything must be booked in advance in Norway) Oslo, Bergen, Alskvoll, Stryn, Dombass, Opdal, Kristiansund and Trondheim.  

Norway is a nation where given its geographic location, the weather is a great unknown – where enveloping cloud, heavy rains, and in winter, blaketting snow – is normal. During our time there, a day could start in rain and darkness and later become sunny and even warm – or vice versa. When the sun appears, the landscape of fjords, mountains and water – and ice – suddenly metamorphoses into one of the most dramatically beautiful places in the world. 

Norway’s population of 5.6 million people – almost identical to that of neighbouring Finland. It’s doubtful whether either of these countries could support larger populations. Most of Norway’s food is imported from The Netherlands (the world’s second biggest producer of food after the US).

In Finland, a similar situation is found, only there, the country is filled with lakes – 188, 000 of them – rather than mountains. (Finland – population 5.6 million in a country of 338 000 sq. kms; Norway’s area is similar – 385 000 sq. kms); The Netherlands, 42, 000 sq. kms!)

If Norway and Finland’s disadvantage is their lack of arable ground – and the need to import food – then Europe’s biggest food producer also faces some unique challenges:  

The number of tourists visiting each country annually: Norway; 8 million, Finland 5 million, The Netherlands 18 million.  

And this is one of the interesting sides to travelling in Europe, the differences not only in culture, mentality and history, but also how each nation earns the income necessary to its survival in the modern world…

Oslo – where most journeys in Norway begin…..

 On the train from Oslo to Bergen (6 hours)……

…

Bergen

On the ferry to Alskvoll, which stopped along the way to let people off and take others on…

Some of the places where we stopped were truly small and remote, i.e. a few houses in the middle of an all consuming nowhere…..

Alskvoll

Given its small population – 600 – we were expecting a quiet secluded place. But as luck would have it, we arrived at the very time that the King was visiting Alskvoll for the first time ever…..

From Alskvoll to Stryn (by local bus), where there was some good walking to be done

In Norway the weather can change in minutes, from bright sun to drenching rains and then back again….

 Stryn to Dombass

  Opdal

 Trondheim