OLDERFJORD DAY 120 375km

IN STRIKING DISTANCE NOW 

Rode about 50km to Breinkeidt and got 10am ferry to Svensby and then another 30km to the last ferry of Norway,  Lyngseidt ferry to Olderdalen. A

    PENULTIMATE FERRY IN NORWAY

Stopped at the Spar for a bite and then the Italian cyclist pulled up as I was about to leave, so went back inside and had lunch with him and then headed to Alta. 

They had no available cabins so I continued on another 109kms to Olderfjord where I did get a shitty box cabin for $50, no sheets, just two beds and two chairs in a shoe box.

 The scenery was beautful all day which surprised me from what I had heard. Saw a herd of Reindeer alongside the road then another herd darted over the the road and had to stop for them, have never seen one before.

Am about 130kms from Nordkapp now so will get there tomorrow and then head back down south to home, at least it's all downhill. Weather forecast is calling for good weather, first part of today was 19*C and then in the end it was 9*C with wind. Looking forward to tomorrow, a huge turning point so to speak.

TROMSØ DAY 119 107km.

NO RAIN TODAY, 1 FERRY AND 1 CABLE CAR

Got the Bornham ferry at 9:45 which to forty five minutes and then anothe 56kms to Tromsø. Had some blue skies and sunshine and no rain the entire day and dry roads, what a treat. 

A lady gave me a ticket for the cable car in Tromsø a couple days ago because when she was here it was covered in clouds so she didn't go. Headed there when I arrived and it was a panoramic view and you could see forever, we'll both the effort. The went to my room at Aimi hotel which was central located and a fine room it was, very spacious with a fridge and a bathroom sink with three narrow beds for $60. 

Spent the afternoon downtown wandering around aimlessly around the waterfront and the walking street, with lots of tourist shops so I imagine the cruise ships stop here.

SENJA ISLAND DAY 118 140 km

Got the ferry to Senja which took one and a half hours, sat with two young cyclists one from Italy and the other from France and both quit their jobs to cycle to the Nordkapp. Interesting conversation on how they value this different lifestyle and not worried about making money and not doing the norm. Much respect. The Italian 80 -100km a day and the Frenchman is at +- 200km a day and travels superlight and is on a mission.

    Different fjords on either side, divided by  

    This narrow mountain.

 This island has a number of fjords and mountains that rise straight out of them and the pictures do them no justice. There was no rain all day till 3pm when I started on the Hesten hike which took two hours round-trip. If it was a clear sunny day the views would have been surreal, but I was just happy I could do the hike cause it was the narrow mountain that divides the fjords. Even with the poor viz it was still very impressive and an easy hike and if it is clear skies tomorrow I will hike it again, but that's wishful thinking.

After getting changed back into my armour I rode another 54 kilometers to a room I booked on the eastern side of the island and just farmlands but a decent size room for a change and a spacious lounge and huge kitchen area where you can cook and eat for $80. 

    $2.49 A LITRE !!!! NORWAY IS EXPENSIVE

SAMSUND TO ANDENES DAY 116 & 117

MONDAY 26th AUGUST 24 

Rained all day with high winds and only cleared early evening and I took a walk to the WW11 German bunkers and that was it for the day. Lucky there was only one young Chinese guy in the dorm with me, doing his PhD in Mathematics so my snoring did not bother him.

    Hostel from the bunkers.

    The owner at the hostel sells these for $50

    Sea Urchins and then has light inside.

    They eat all the kelp and is a huge problem

TUESDAY  27th  AUGUST     DAY 117  270km

Was going to stay another day because of the weather but the forecast for tomorrow is the same, rain and more rain. Got going at 11am and was a light drizzle almost all the way and at the end the wind picked up just like in Iceland and fought it for about the last hour, and the tall arched bridges were fun .

Had to take one ferry and thankfully my bike was tied down cause it was rough seas. Arrived in Andenes late and found wifi at the grocery store and booked a room ($90) .

Ferry leaves at 8:45 am tomorrow.

FERRY FROM BØDA TO Å DAY 115 76 km.

TO LOFOTEN ISLAND 

Got the 7am ferry from Bøda to Mokesnes which takes 3.5 hours. Lofoten has some spectacular islands with jaw dropping scenery of coastal mountains and fjords and fishing villages.

Å is the towns name and is one of many quaint fishing villages along the coastline where I got a salmon sandwich and Cuppuciano and enjoyed the surroundings till the rain came. 

    REINE

I sheltered for an hour and it all cleared up and the sun was shining so I went to Reine to do one of Lofton's most famous hike, Reinebringen.

The 1978 rock stairs that go straight up were built by Nepalese Sherpas 2016 - 2021 and goes up to the top at 480 meters. Took fifty minutes up and thirty down. Was worth every step cause the view over Reine and the Reinefjord was magnificent and got so lucky with the weather, some blue skies and sunshine. After forty five minutes in awe I ventured down to my bike where I had to put on all my gear again, which I just leave draped over the bike. Have been fortunate so far and probably should lock it up as I have over a thousand dollars in my jacket and my helmet and passports in my tank bag. Then followed my Garmin to a non existent campground so then stopped and got gas where there were two othe bikers, one local and the othe from Morocco, so now I have a place in Morocco. 

Found a great hostel in Samsund for $40 a night, place has a lot of character and is an old fishing building and is built over the water in a tiny harbour, a beautiful setting.

Tomorrow is a big storm and high winds so it is much welcomed to have a place of refuge.

   Inside the hostel.

    Old German bunkers from ww2 up on the hill 

   Lucky not to have been there , wrong place at the wrong time.