Sweden, what a great country it was! We are really excited and will definitely go there again. For us, Sweden was a mixture of Finland and Norway. Lots of lakes and forests like in Finland and then mountains and expanses like in Norway. Incredibly impressive! And yet we are happy to be coming to Norway. We already learned to love the country last year and had to break off our trip there due to an injury to our dog. But now we can continue and I'm really excited. Our plan is to drive up to the Lofoten Islands and then slowly drive south and the Atlantic Ocean Road. Let's see what works out of it.
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Arctic Circle Center - see you after 10 months
We had chosen a hiking parking lot on the E6 to spend the night, which we wanted to drive first. The way there was really nice. Up and down mountains is exactly our thing. Once there, the place was right on a river and you could go hiking from here. We walked a little to the river with Finja and discovered a suspension bridge there. But she didn't want to go over there and Basti took pictures of the river from there. The environment with the mountains was also great and our hearts opened immediately. Norway, wild and rough as it is, we love it.
Since it was still quite early and the Arctic Circle center not that far anymore, we thought about going there directly. I wanted to go back in there anyway. And since you can stay there overnight, we would have taken care of everything. The way there is nice when you come over the tree line and only have the vastness and the mountains. The weather was fine, the sun kept coming out, but it was a bit windy and cold. It has been 10 months since the last visit and now it is a reality that we are in Norway. Our dreamland.
The center was still open, so we walked straight there. I wanted to get myself a cap because of the sun and mosquitos. This way I can better notice when mosquitoes want to sit on my forehead. In Sweden it was really bad with the critters and my forehead was totally bitten. I then found what I was looking for and then took the booty back to the bus. In the parking lot we talked to a few people who asked us about immigration. The night itself was super quiet, even though you are in close proximity to the E6.
The next morning we both had a bit of a headache, which was due to the tension of the past few days. So we started the day slowly, had a long coffee and enjoyed the area. Then we ran a little lap with Finja. You can also hike on the Arctic Circle, there are many small trails there. We had chosen a place to stay further west of the E6 and hoped that we could stand somewhere for two nights.
Further interesting information about the Arctic Circle can be found here on the following page: https://nordnorge.com/en/artikkel/the-arctic-circle-is-the-boundary-to-the-arctic-region/
Oddan - small parking lot by the fjord
The place we had chosen was already occupied. But the way there was fantastic. We drove between the mountains with wonderful views. We even drove a mountain pass. That's exactly the right thing for me again! In between we had the feeling that we were in Scotland. Sheep ran and lay everywhere, and they didn't necessarily move quickly when we arrived. We took a few nice photos at the space that was occupied, as there was a bit of culture on display. Continue to the next selected point, which should be on a lake.
That point was really great. However, getting there was a challenge. It was a forest path as a single road, where there was rarely an alternative. In addition, it went up and it was sometimes steep. But when it got to the top it was a dream. A larger parking area, partly on stone, directly on a lake between the mountains. Around the lake you saw a few huts, which could only be reached by boat, as we then saw. There was really something going on in the parking lot.
Residents kept coming, unpacking their cars with bags and sleeping gear, and waiting for a boat. It was the weekend and the beginning of the holidays, everyone wanted to go to their holiday huts. When we were still thinking about the best way to stand, we saw a "No Camping" sign. It's a shame, the place was really a dream.
So after a few photos we drove on past the Saltstraumenthat we want to do on the way back because we have to pass there anyway. In Oddan we finally found what we were looking for and placed ourselves on a small lawn parking lot. This is right at the end of the fjord and also has access to a beautiful beach. We want to stay here for 2 nights and it is probably a popular place. Many campers came here to stay overnight. There were also some anglers who went to the beach at high tide.
The next day we enjoyed the weather, walked to the beach and did a bit of work. Finja was really exhausted from driving the last few days and slept a lot. She never wanted to walk far when it was necessary. Many residents came with their children, who actually went into the water, and it was super cold (for us).
Since I'm slowly having to wash again, we thought about where to go next. Bodo is not that far away anymore and we wouldn't necessarily pass there to the Lofoten just if we took the ferry. So go to the campsite in Bodo.
Bodo - disaster while washing
We are heading towards noon Bodo to the campsite drove. I just wanted to do the laundry, sleep there one night and drive on the next day. When Basti asked about the washing machine, he was told that it was fully booked for the day. However, there is the option of washing and drying at 8 a.m. the next day. We could also finish the laundry and then drive without having to pay another day. So we accepted the offer, which meant for us to get up early the next day.
When we arrived at the square, we first brought the bus back into shape. The weather was nice but windy. We walked a little longer. There was an open-air museum right next to the campsite, which you could visit free of charge. And it was all due to a fjord.
Since we had to get up early, we were also in bed early. The next morning I went to reception at 8 a.m. to get the access code for the washing machine. You have 2 of these and 2 dryers. Both machines were running and the lady couldn't tell who the laundry was from. Actually, you have to make an appointment to wash. Ok, so wait another 1 hour.
After 1 hour the laundry was done and another lady was there to wash. Like me, she had booked the machine from 8 a.m. and packed the finished laundry from the machine into the bag next to it. That's how I did it and threw mine on. I then spent the day washing and drying, although drying didn't work so well. My laundry was still damp when I took it out of the dryer, even though it was in twice, so we then stretched a line to dry on and around the bus.
For me the day was over and I was properly charged. We had actually wanted to set off again in the late afternoon, but of course nothing came of it. It was partly windy, but the laundry still took a long time to dry. Then I baked some bread in the afternoon, which I should have omitted.
That didn't work either, didn't rise properly and smelled extremely of yeast. One for the trash. My mood was on a red level. Of course I also felt Basti and so we poisoned each other. Around 5 p.m. we decided to stay one more night. Basti then went to pay and complained about the dryer. So we only had to pay for the use of the washing machine.
The next day we were still a bit tense due to the situation, but then drove to Bodo to take a look at the city. Parking there was not that easy. But then we found one and walked through the city and the harbor for 2 hours. The city didn't knock us off our feet so we drove straight back.
You can find more pictures in the Photo gallery Norway.
