Friday, June 20, 2014

Lost in the Lofoton Islands


The circles continue...
It's hard to be actually lost when you are surrounded by town and hills and lakes but finding the starting point for a 90 min walk took us about 3 hours using a very simple ( according to guy at tourist information ) map that was so simple it had almost know directions or streets marked on it .  ( although if we had gone to the esso service station first - yes a very unglamorous starting point but at least we can read the sign ) . 

A kind local eventually took pity on us and gave directions as well as reassurances that it is well worth it when you get to the top. I kept telling my self this as we clamoured up a steep slippery slope in what my tour leader  H assures me is mushroom rain . It is of course breath taking views at the top but my phone is totally dead so I have no photographic evidence. ( except this photo of a postcard)? 

That night we decide to shout ourselves dinner out. As much as I have loved shopping at all the local Coops and  ICA ( reminds me of home) an occasional night out even if the fish soup costs  $30.00 is worth it. 


We head to the local pub  latish because Harley has to finish watching the Netherlands closely beat Australia in World Cup ( and I had to try and finish the English language novel I grabbed joyously in the hostel common room ) . H later tells me his cheering was very quiet as he didn't want to stir up the visiting Netherlands tourists. "They take their soccer seriously here " according to tour leader "H"  surprise surprise just like home  ) .





 After eating the delicious fish soup at a table over looking a beautiful local harbour  the room started to fill. Not here for the fish soup  apparently but the big screen telly and the World Cup  match Chillie versus Spain. Tour leader H manages to drag his eyes away from the screen to engage in scintillating small talk with his tour group  but I think he really wanted to join the Spanish rock climbers and start barracking for someone anyone would do ??

The second day we decide we deserve a rest ( atleast no more mountain climbing on what Norwegians call gentle slopes.) After another all you can eat breakfast ( included in the cost so we had to eat enough for lunch as well ) we catch the bus down to  Henningsvaer . It turns out to be very attractive with lots of cute little shops ( kind of like Bright with boats )  . Harley groans at the shops  ( and the comparison to oz) but conceded that he has made a good itinerary choice for the day.  


As we head out of town we note there are lots of gorgeous young things clambering over the giant rocks / hills/ moutains and realise this is probably where our Spanish soccer supporting rock climbers are hanging out by day . We preferred their favourite coffee shop in the village but you had to admire anyone one who wants to hang from those slippery rocks between bouts of mushroom rain.



We head off to the main town of Solver for  a little more  "lost " walking - again we seem to miss the start of our walk - but what the heck everything is gorgeous  anyway . We jump back on the bus for " home" and to catch the opening hours of the very beautiful wooden cathedral that is the landmark for our local bus stop. The  teenage girl taking the money is reading " The fault in our stars  " by John Green in Norwegian I presume ( huge best seller in Australia and U.S with movie coming out soon) - the world is the same all over again ( this is my holiday thesis without the essay at the end I hope) 

A bit of a stressful time in the evening as  we try to work out the best way to head out of town . It is turning out to be a logistical nightmare but tour leader H is staying calm under duress ( in between soccer breaks ) and has his credit card at the ready to help soothe the nerves and reinforce the old adage of where there's a credit card there's a way!

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