We haven't been to Norway very long, but we really like it. We are looking forward to the week on the island of Seiland, as we hope to be able to relax well.
Seiland - a nature reserve island with a road
We arrived at Seiland on Saturday when the weather was nice and we are really looking forward to spending a week in a little house. Finally a big bed again after 8 months. We want to relax a bit during the week, do the laundry, work on the homepage, clean the bus completely again and also go hiking. But since the weather doesn't look so good at times, we'll see what we can do.
It is the north side of the island, where there is only one road and from which there are small branches to the houses or boat docks. There are no free spaces or services for motorhomes. However, they actually have a school here, which surprised us a lot. Most of the residents live on the island all year round. They either take the ferry to the mainland in the morning and come back in the evening, or they go on Mondays and come back on Fridays. There is nothing here except for a small shop.
The weather wasn't great on Sundays and Mondays. It was cloudy, partly with rain and very windy, Monday up to 70 km / h. So we stayed in the house. Sunday we had a really quiet day with reading, sleeping and doing handicrafts. However, we had a highlight during the afternoon stroll.
We saw three porpoises in the bay that were fishing. At first we thought it might be dolphins, as they had been seen in bays again after a long time in the days before. But the three did not jump, they only appeared briefly and only had a small dorsal fin. Still, it was really great to watch them in the wild.
On Monday I did a wash and we worked a lot on the homepage. Finja really enjoys not being out every day or every other day. When Basti sat down on the couch, she first hopped on his legs and slept there. She couldn't really do that for the last 8 months either. We then took her fur out of the car and laid it on the couch, where she spends the day and sleeps. She also needs a break.
On Tuesday the weather was really great. The sun was shining most of the time and there was hardly any wind. So we wanted to do a little hike. There is a large nature reserve on Seiland and even a glacier in the middle. After speaking to a resident, it was clear to us that we would not reach the glacier. Not without a guide and overnight stay and not with Finja.
But there are small hiking trails up to the border of the area. So we set out and looked at the map at the beginning of the hiking trail. So we thought that maybe we could make it to the border of the national park. Well, at least we made it to the big mountain lake. There are no normal hiking trails here, only slightly wider running paths, which of course were muddy due to the weather of the last few days. In addition, the path went up and down, over hill and dale and over small streams.
An hour and about 2 - 2.5 km later we have arrived at the mailbox, where a logbook is in it and you can make a note. Of course we have also signed up. There was again a small map that shows how many kilometers it is to the border of the nature reserve. Well, we didn't want to run 7km and then have to go back 9km. Finja has also made a decent way to get there, for having been hiking with us for the first time. 10 minutes further we had a wonderful view over the large lake and were amazed at how many huts there were on the lake. For anglers and hikers who get a roof over their heads here in rain or storm.
After a half-hour break with taking photos, a small snack and something to drink, we made our way back. It got really cold up here. The sky had closed in between and the clouds "flowed" over the ridge. A few drops of rain also fell here and there, only to be replaced by the sun immediately. When we got back to the car, it was warm again.
First of all, the shoes flew off our feet, as we are no longer used to wearing sturdy hiking boots. Finja was also exhausted and with the greatest pleasure she swallowed a tasty treat. When we arrived at the house, we stormed the couch and had a coffee. We were really happy to have done the hike as we don't know what the weather will be like the next few days.
The next day we both had really sore muscles in our backs. Since we only wear barefoot shoes, it was super strange for us to have hiking shoes on for so long. And then there is the path where you always had to be careful where you stepped. But it was still worth it. The weather was really bad in the next 2 days, rain again and again and then the wind. The temperature fell to 9 degrees during the day because of the wind, so really cold. We had already taken out our hats and my winter shoes, but now the winter jackets were added. A local resident said that winter will probably come earlier as it is so cold. We don't want to hope so, because we can do without snow trips.
We spent the days doing the laundry, cleaning the homepage and the bus. But we also made time for lounging, just sleeping again in between and enjoying the view from the kitchen window. We're really blown away by the view. Above all, I often stand at the window and look at the bay and the island of Soroya, which is opposite. Due to the different weather conditions you always have a different view and it's just beautiful. My husband is annoyed by the constant sighing when I stand at the window again.
The week here has been good for all three of us. We have come down a bit and are more relaxed and we can only recommend all long-term travelers to take a break for a few days. For us it was a week of luxury.
You had a washing machine and you didn't always have to see if one was free. Use the shower when and how often you wanted without paying extra. A large bed where you could spread out. And to have an oven that we have made good use of. It may sound weird, but we really enjoyed all of these things. However, we are now looking forward to the polar bear again, who is our home and loyal companion! Saturday is then the week and we leave the island.
On Friday we packed the things on the bus that we no longer need for Saturday. Also cleaned the last part of the bus. At lunchtime we went to the shop because Basti had seen a cap there that he wanted to take with him as a souvenir. In front of the shop there was a reindeer, which looked a bit older because it was also moving a bit stiffly. It was funny that it was watching us the whole time. Even when we came out of the shop, it followed us with its eyes.
Back in the house, Basti still worked a bit on the homepage and for the last afternoon I hung by the window or did handicrafts on the couch. In the evening we had a great sunset behind Soroya. It was so great to look at and it was the only one that week. And then on the last evening, as if Seiland wanted to make it difficult for us to say goodbye.
You can find more information about Seiland here on the Norwaystube blog.
The next day it started. Finally back in the polar bear. We packed the rest of the things on the bus and cleaned the house a bit. Since we wanted to take some pictures of different corners on the way to the ferry, we left quite early. We were at the port a good one and a half hours before the ferry trip and had a lunch break. On the ferry I was a little sad, it was just great here. But we still have a lot to do and in Alta the two of Pietstraumreise are already waiting for us.
You can find more of our pictures in the Photo gallery Norway.
