Moen, Norway to Hammerfest, Norway

No time for sightseeing in Moen today, as we continue on to the northernmost point of the trip – Hammerfest.

We left our camp site early, and made our first stop in Olderdalen, where the weather seemed considerably colder.

Olderdalen, Norway

Between there and out next stop, Alta, we pulled over to the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere, to take photos of the beautiful fjords and snow-capped mountains.

Not much to tell you about Alta, except we ate some nice banana rolls. After lunch I got my first ever sleep on the bus. I’ve tried to stay awake as much as possible, knowing I’ll probably never see these countries again, but today was the limit or me. When I woke, I saw the most barren countryside I had seen so far on this trip. Snow and dirt covered bare trees on smallish hills. Why anyone would live here is way beyond me!

We arrived in Hammerfest at seven pm and our camp site was up on a hill south-west of the fishing village. It is here things got a little crazy. Considering it was summer, I was surprised when we got off the bus to 7^oC, but the wind chill on top of that made it amazingly bitter.

We all went down the hill to watch some of the group take the Polar Plunge. Down to their swimming costumes and into the freezing water of the Barents Sea. I wish I had of tried it, but I was neither brave, nor crazy enough to try.

Polar Plungers, Hammerfest, Norway

After dinner most of us crammed into Spencer, Flea, Carcass & Ben’s room for our Midnight Sun Party. Hammerfest has 71 days of continuous sunlight during the summer months, but tonight it was cloudy, raining and, at one stage, snowing, so we missed the phenomenon. Considering how cold it is here, I don’t think I’ll be back to try my luck again. Hopefully the weather will be more agreeable tomorrow. The party, however, raged on to the early hours of the morning.

Cabin Party, Hammerfest, Norway

Mo I Rana, Norway to Moen, Norway

Today was another long driving day. We left Mo I Rana at eight am, making a stop, yet again, at the Arctic Circle Centre, though this time in bright sunshine. This was merely a leg stretching stop, and of course a quick snow fight.

Arctic Circle Center, Norway

Our next stop was at the side of the road three hours later, where we had lunch and kicked the soccer ball around.

Back in the bus to continue to Narvick, before arriving at Moen at eight pm. Once again, we are sharing a cabin with Mark and Heather in our nicest accommodations so far.

Roberta & I, Narvik, Norway

Although it is cold today, it was the sunniest day we’ve had since we left Australia.

Mo I Rana, Norway

Today’s trip to Svartisen Glacier had to be cancelled due to the fact that the lake was still frozen from the winter, therefore the ferry we were to catch couldn’t get through.

We did, however, make it to the Arctic Circle Centre, which is directly on the longitude of the Arctic Circle (66o 33’). As we pulled into the carpark it started snowing. This is Great! Another first for me – falling snow. The actual center itself was a bit of a dud, but we had fun elsewhere. We did photos in swimwear in the snow, complete with snow fights.

Roberta & I, Arctic Circle Center, Norway

It's Beach Weather, Arctic Circle Center, Norway

From here we went to the Arctic Race Track (the largest racing track in Scandinavia). Here, we drove around the track in the bus, as well as raced each other in go-karts on the smaller inner-track. I think everyone had a blast – I know I did, even those who were spectators.

Me, Arctic Race Track, Norway

A great relaxing day, considering we have two long days of driving ahead of us.

Trondheim, Norway to Mo I Rana, Norway

Another long day in the bus ahead of us travelling from Trondheim to Mo I Rana.

Our first stop today was in Hell. This unfortunately named town was where we got out, took photos and made bad jokes, i.e., A cold day in Hell, Go to Hell…oh wait, I’m already here, Last train out of Hell, etc. Hell was a lot colder than I expected, but just as desolate.

Last Train From Hell, Norway

We also stopped at Steinkjer and another rest stop, for food breaks before arriving at our camp site at 7.30 pm.

Our cabin was a bit dodgy. It was cabin number two, next to a gully – there was no cabin number one. The heater wasn’t working so we improvised using the hotplate. The cabin shook every time you breathed and the door would open completely unless it was shut perfectly. In the end, it was warm, thankfully.

Because it doesn’t get dark here, you easily lose track of time. I went to bed at 1am after playing the drinking game Three-Man with everyone, yet it was like it was the middle of the day. Very weird to adjust too.

Andalsnes, Norway to Trondheim, Norway

Today we’re off to Trondheim – a small town about four hours north of Andalsnes.

We stopped at a small town (whose name escapes me) for a quick stretch. I tried to ring dad at work but he wasn’t there. Slacko! I did, finally, get my hands on a newspaper in English (The Times) which made for some good reading (It’s the little things you miss the most…. mmmm…. meat pie).

We arrived in Trondheim at 1.30 pm and were left to our own devices until five pm. Trondheim is a neat, small university town, and there is not much to see. Its main attraction was St. Olav’s Church, which was originally built in the 10th century, but is mainly, now, 12th century design. Trondheim celebrated its 1,000th birthday last year.

Nidelva River, Trondheim, Norway

St. Olav's Church, Trondheim, Norway

Dinner tonight was at an all you can eat pizza restaurant.

From there half the camp went bowling (myself included), while the rest went to an Irish pub.

Tonight’s accommodation was in student dorms that have been vacated for the summer, where Roberta and I had a room to ourselves and the showers were indoors – and free.

Andalsnes, Norway

This morning we headed off through Norway’s mountains to Geiranger. We went via Trollstigen, which is a winding road up through the mountains, with amazing views of the valleys and many waterfalls. So windy is the road, we have to hire a local bus driver for the day. This is also the area where the legend of the trolls began. Here, at one of the stops is where I touched snow for the first time, only to be bombarded by Carmen, but she got hers. Hopefully all the photos Roberta took justify how beautiful was that we saw.

Trollstigen, Norway

Trollstigen, Norway

Onwards, the bus took us to Geiranger, where we went on a two-hour cruise through the fjord, which is just as scenic as the three-hour bus ride there.

Roberta, Troll, Me at Geiranger, Norway

Geiranger, Norway

Roberta & I, Fjord Cruise, Geiranger, Norway

Before heading home, we took one last drive above Geiranger to look over both the town and fjord. It was also in Geiranger that I bought a present for our Christmas party – a jigsaw puzzle of Scandinavia. We came back the same way, and also stopped at Stigfass Falls, a huge waterfall that, once again, is nothing like home.

We arrived back at the camp at six pm and after dinner most of the crew joined in for a game of soccer before the rain set in.

Olso, Norway to Andalsnes, Norway

Day eight of the Contiki and once again it’s bloody cold!

This morning we drove to Lillehammer, home of the 1994 Winter Olympics. We stop for a stretch and some food. We headed on to where the bobsled events were held and most of us had a ride down the track. Team Shitscared – Sarah, Andrew, Roberta and I – were the fastest of the 11 teams, clocking the 1,800-meter track in just 1 minute 3.4 seconds – about 108 kilometers an hour. It was incredible! The force and speed were like nothing I’d tried before. Not something I’d want to do for a living, but a great experience to remember forever. Considering we were in a bobsled on wheels, on a concrete track (not iced over) and caged in, I can only come to the conclusion that those involved in the real thing i.e., bobsled and luge, are completely mad.

Bobsledding, Lillehammer, Norway

Bobsledding, Lillehammer, Norway

Bobsledding, Lillehammer, Norway

We made another quick stop at Mogdana before the next hour and a half to camp at Andalsnes. The view along the way was breathtaking and I saw my first ever snow. It was very little snow, but enough to get out of the bus and see it. The countryside – mountains, snow, rivers, trees – was absolutely stunning, and apparently it will only get better in the next few days.

The night ended off at the movies. Spencer hired The Full Monty for everyone and we watched it in the camp’s restaurant. Our roomies for tonight and tomorrow are Mark and Heather.

Oslo, Norway

If this is how they start summer in Norway, then I’d hate to see winter! It was about 4ºC this morning as we headed towards town for a day in Oslo. On the way in, we stopped at Holmenkollen. The sight of the 1952 Olympic Ski Jump arena. We climbed to the top and went through the museum for a look down onto Oslo and its fjords. Unfortunately, our day on Oslo was not as great a success as we wished. It was a public holiday, so a lot of sights weren’t open.

Hollmenkollen, Oslo, Norway

We did, however, manage to walk around Akerhus Fortress & Castle, where we went into Hjemmefrontmuseet (Norwegian Resistance Museum), which was a great little museum detailing Norway’s resistance to the Nazi movement in World War II.

From there we drove to the Kon Tiki Ra Museum, which was dedicated to Thor Teyerdahl, a Norwegian sailor/scientist who built three rafts (Kon Tiki, Ra I and Ra II) with papyrus wood in a traditional style in order to sail the South Pacific. His aim was to show that it was possible for early African and Middle Eastern explorers could sail to Polynesia, hence explaining similarities in the cultures. He also has eight men of different nationalities with him in order to prove that people of different cultures, religions and languages could work together in adverse conditions. None of the boats looked safe enough to float on Tuggerah Lakes, but each travelled over 7,000 kilometers with only the Ra I not completing its journey.

Kon Tiki Ra Museum, Oslo, Norway

Dinner was had had at Peppe’s Pizza, with Roberta, Jacki and I sharing a pizza which cost the equivalent of AU$45. It was been a very expensive week!

The day ended at Frognerparken, which is a park containing over 200 sculptures by artist Gustav Vigeland, who also designed the park. Each sculpture is meant to capture to spirit of life. The masterpiece is a 40-foot, stone carved, monument featuring numerous human bodies. No words can justly describe it – you have to see it to truly enjoy it.

Frognerparken, Oslo, Norway

The Monolith, Frognerparken, Oslo, Norway

The Fountain, Frognerparken, Oslo, Norway

Man Under Attack From Genii Spirits, Frognerparken, Oslo, Norway

Frognerparken, Oslo, Norway

Stockholm, Sweden to Oslo, Norway

Today saw us make the long journey to Oslo.

Nothing really interesting to talk about. We made two stops along the way, one at a supermarket/petrol station to buy food, and another by a lake for a picnic lunch. Due to my inability to sleep on the bus, I took the opportunity to lay in the glorious sun and have a nap.

We arrived at camp at seven pm, and had ribs and vegetables for dinner. After dinner was the Viking Olympics, where the tour was divided into four clans (Meataxe, Drowning Warriors, Wascaly Wabbits and – my team – The Scary Fairies). Each clan built a fortress and participated in numerous sporting (?) and non-sensical events. In the end the Scary Fairies were the winners thanks to the great team work of me, Julian, Dave, Melissa, Jamie, Daniel, Greg, Jerry, Andrew and Matt.

Me & Roberta, Oslo, Norway

Bus Driver Mark & Tour Leader Spencer, Oslo, Norway

The spirit of the Olympics carried on into the late hours for most. I, however, went to bed at dusk – 11.30 pm.

Stockholm, Sweden

An early rise again today for our day in Stockholm.

We started off by going to the Town Hall, where Nobel Prize presentations are held. Here, we were given a guided tour around for half an hour, and then climbed the Hall’s tower for a complete view of the city. It differs from Copenhagen in that there is old mixed in with new, and it is on a much larger scale.

Stockholm City Hall, Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm City Hall, Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm City Hall, Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm, Sweden

Reichstag, Stockholm, Sweden

We had a group photo done in front of the Royal Palace before making our way around the city.

We saw a lot of Invasion 98 in the streets. This is a festival where kids perform in the streets to signify their role in Swedish culture.

The afternoon was spent at the Vasa Museum. The Vasa was a 17th century warship that sank early in her maiden voyage. The shipwreck was discovered and refloated after 333 years, and put back together in extremely good condition for public showing.

After that we went to Riddarholmen, which was a church that had a magnificent open iron spire. We couldn’t get in due to a medieval festival that was taking place, so we headed to Gamla Stan (the old town) where Roberta and I had dinner at Cattelin. I had the schnitzel and she the Swedish meatballs.

Copenhagen, Denmark to Stockholm, Sweden

Not much to report today. It was a long drive between Copenhagen and Stockholm, with a ferry ride included (of course). 

Kronborg Castle, Helsingor, Denmark

Our two stops here were at road side diners, and we arrived at our campsite at six pm.

After dinner, it was down to the lake for our beach party, which was topped of with Jamie diving nude into Lake Maralen in near freezing temperatures. Better him than me.

Stayed in the cabin tonight with Ken and Jennifer.

Copenhagen, Denmark

I was up early for breakfast duty, then on the bus for a day in Copenhagen.

We started off with an orientation of the city which, like London, has plenty of history. We stopped at Gefion Fountain – which is a monument to Gefion who, as legend has it, was told she could have as much land as she could plough in 24 hours, so she turned her 6 sons into oxen and marked out Denmark.

Gefion Fountain, Copenhagen, Denmark

We then went to the Little Mermaid – a small statue in honor of Hans Christian Anderson.

The Little Mermaid, Copenhagen, Denmark

From here we were taken to the Carlsberg brewery for a 2-hour tour and some sampling, (much to the delight of everyone on the tour. The brewery pumps out 78,000 bottles per hour, 24 hours a day, using 99.6% recycled glass.

Carlsberg Brewery Tour, Copenhagen, Denmark

From the brewery we were dropped back at Copenhagen’s Central Station, where we were left to our own devices. Roberta and I started by walking past a few of the local sights – the university, St. Petri Kirk (a church) and Christianborg (the Danish House of Parliament), before heading to Nyhaven, where we took an hour canal cruise.

Christianborg, Copenhagen, Denmark

Nyhaven, Copenhagen, Denmark

Afterwards we walked to Vor Freslers Kirke, which had a staircase outside its spiral. Unfortunately, it was closed, probably because it was raining.

We left there and headed back to Central Station, but not before stopping at Thorvaldsen’s Museum. Thorvaldsen was a 19th century sculptor/artist whose collection fills the entire museum. We didn’t get to see any of his paintings but his sculptures were superb, with a stand out being the room which had Christ and his 12 disciples.

Dinner was at Hovedbanegaard Restauranter, near Central, where everyone made the most of the buffet style meal. Roberta even at raw, pickled fish.

Afterwards we went to Tivoli Gardens, which is an amusement park /entertainment area, kind of like what they are proposing for Luna Park. 

Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, Denmark

Early start tomorrow, so it’s a quiet night tonight. Change of roomies tonight as the Contiki boys moved out and Ireland’s Jerry and Jen moved in.

Hamburg, Germany to Copenhagen, Denmark

We unloaded off the ferry at Hamburg, where we drove for three hours until another ferry crossing, which lasted enough time for us to have some lunch.

After declaring everyone on the bus an Aussie, we passed through border at Denmark without any passport checks and started another two-hour journey north to our campsite, which was half an hour south west of Copenhagen.

We got settled in and I was on cooking duty (with Brad, Carmen, Melissa and Dave). After a hard shift it was off for a couple of drinks, then to bed. Our small cabin was shared with Spencer, Matt, Ben and Carcass.

London, England to Hamburg, Germany

We are all ready to go for our Contiki trip. However, when we get to Edgeware Road station, we find that no trains are running east to where we need to go. So out we come to find a way to Russell Square when, later than I expected in London (i.e., 3 days), the rain came bucketing down. Fortunately, we got a cab fairly quickly to arrive at the Royal National Hotel £5.60 later.

After checking in, some money swapping and lunch, we were on the bus to Harwich, where we meet the ferry for our crossing to Hamburg.

The bus boarded the ferry and we left at 4.30pm.

The tour met for drinks in the Columbus Room where cabaret, a band, and drinking games allowed everyone to get to know each other. This looks to be a good crowd, most of whom are back for their second Contiki trip, and have all had a ton more travelling time than myself. I shared a four-bed cabin with Mark, Jamie and Julian and slept really well considering my paranoia of the 20-hour ferry trip, but that shouldn’t be a problem now, considering the amount of time we will spend on the bus.

London, England

We got up early this morning to get the rest of our 24 hours’ worth of The Big Bus in.

This morning it was the green route, starting from Marble Arch. Our mission for the day was Westminster Bridge to walk back and get some photos of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. This is a spectacular building – like nothing back home. Its gothic style and beauty are amazing. As is Westminster Abbey across the road. This church is over a thousand years old and filled with tombs and burials of royalty (e.g., Mary Queen of Scots, Henry VIII, etc.) and great Englishmen alike (Winston Churchill, Shakespeare, Unknown Warrior, etc.). I am just amazed at how much recorded history is here, especially compared to Australia. Yet everything still looks new(ish).

St. Paul's Cathedral, London, England

Me at Tower Bridge, London, England

Buckingham Palace, London, England

Me at Big Ben, London, England

Houses of Parliament, London, England

Westminster Abbey, London, England

Westminster Abbey, London, England

Trafalgar Square, London, England

The trip continued on for another hour, winding its way through Charring Cross, Russell Square and back to Marylebone Road and Marble Arch.

I made a phone call back to the Mansions and had half the house come down to Hyde Park for lunch, where we also kicked the footy around for a while.

Afterwards we wandered up and down Oxford Street (3 kilometers of shops).

Tonight, we went to our Contiki meeting at the Royal National before going to Baker Street for dinner.