Wednesday 10th June

Look at this photo. Nothing remarkable you may say – and I would agree, except it was taken at 20 past 12 – midnight, last night.

How they ever get to sleep in this place is beyond me. On advice I’ve brought one of those airline night flight eye masks and am so glad I did.

My cabin looked like a Chinese laundry – can I say that? – last night. I’ve perfected the art of getting just enough clothes on the electric radiator to make it worthwhile but not too many to make it cut out – great. Boots and gloves are a lost cause though. Still wet through. And I look like some southern hemisphere tribesman, my hands are stained blue – from my gloves.

Made no visits today other than a few photo stops, just wanted to get on north.

Experience has taught me there are two types of Norwegian drivers. There’s the mad man – it has always been men – who ignore speed limits, double white lines – except they are yellow here – and oncoming traffic. And then there’s the totally over cautious who crawl along at 10 miles an hour below the speed limit – and remember is mainly 47mph – and who are aware that around every bend there may be a parked tractor, a herd of reindeer, school children crossing the road etc. etc. so slow down just in case! I don’t know how this nation bred the Vikings – obviously they were from the first category. If it had been the second there wouldn’t have been much pillaging going on. You would have had Bjorn calling Erik back and saying be careful round that corner mate there may be a tree, could have your eye out!

Hadn’t gone far this morning when the road ran out. I hadn’t realised that there is still one point where the only route is by ferry – you can put ”Avoid Ferries” in the sat nav but it adds 1100km!!!. 

This little one only took about half an hour to get from Bognes to Skarberget  and cost the princely sum of £5.  It looked like a happy little whale.  Can’t make a profit this time of year though, they were hardly overflowing.

I came across this site and a couple more later in the Narvik region – there are 6 in total erected by the Norwegian Army in thanks to, and memory of, the British, French and Polish soldiers who fought the Nazis in  an attempt to drive back their invasion in 1940. In the end it was decided that Norway could not be protected so the King took refuge in England and the Allies withdrew.

I won’t go on about the weather again – it’s all relative – it was a fine drizzle so compared to yesterday I was happy. It was cold though, got down to 2°C at one point and many of the lakes and some rivers were still frozen over.

As I’ve said previously, I don’t know what we are doing wrong in our country. Norway’s roads are brilliant and there’s bridge building and tunnelling going on all over the place as routes are made shorter, quicker and safer. And these aren’t piddling little bridges, they span wide, deep fjords and the tunnels are awesome. I use that word deliberately because depending on the weather – sorry will just mention it in context – going through them is either a trauma or a relief, and they are sooo long.

If it is ok outside then going through the tunnels is terrifying. Most have no coating on the inside so are just hewn rock weeping slime on the road surface. The lighting is dim sodium, they are 2 way and there’s often no divide marking. Obviously your head tells you it must be wide enough for 2 trucks to pass but as traffic approaches and their headlights bounce off the slime it don’t seem like that and the bike seems awfully small. I tell myself I’m not worried but I am so relieved to get out the other side.

However when the Norwegian Goddess of rain and hail is throwing stuff at your face so thick and fast that if you have your visor down you can’t see and if you have it up you get a facial skin peel  you not only enjoy the blessed relief the tunnels give but find yourself racing for the next entrance. The warm air in there then is like a balmy breeze, and has a kind of soporific effect – I think the technical term is carbon monoxide poisoning.

I was told that May was the start of the season here but have found that except in the towns not much is open yet. I stopped at old farmstead now a museum and would have liked to look around – old buildings are another of my nerdish interests. But it was shut – look at the buildings though – made to last.

Similarly this was a collection of Sami – the correct term for Laplander I am told – tents, though I can’t imagine they carry wooden porches around with them as they follow their reindeer herds. I did stop to take a photo but not too long as I had the distinct feeling my bike wouldn’t have any wheels left if I hung around!

In the car park were these – another “I have no idea” photo!.

Know what this is though – I was told by it’s proud owner – he only got it yesterday. It’s 6 wheel drive and I want one!     

Now the good news – it stopped raining about 100 miles from tonight’s camp site so I  had a long dry run along the side of fjords and the speed limit went up to 90kph. Add a bit for the fact I’m in the Arctic Circle and so the earth’s surface speed is slower than home and that’s why I love biking!

Arrived at the campsite just passed Skibotn, east of Tromso. 

 A much more basic camp than the previous two but amazingly warm  cabins – they apparently always switch on the electric heaters prior to guests arriving – they have at the other two too – Hydroelectric power is cheap!

Coffee made and pasta on.

(No wi-fi though so talk tomorrow)

Good night!