The day dawned stunningly beautiful this morning in Trondheim and that persuaded me to take the scenic route after all. That meant i got to Mo i Rana about 8:15 pm, so I have done my best to add some worthwhile commentary to the pics posted yesterday.

Long day as it was and tired as i felt, taking the day as a whole it was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable day’s driving thus far! Coming out of Trondheim was had a couple of long but well lit tunnels to navigate: i have come to dislike road tunnels, me with years of experience of the road tunnels under the Mersey!!! The tunnels close to major cities are fine: well lit and properly ‘finished’ with concrete walls and clear road markings…. but some of those out in the boonies are a nightmare of poor or non existent lighting, invisible road markings and rough hewn walls which give you no help at all in figuring out where you are on the road…. add to that my right hand drive car with not well adjusted headlights for European driving on the wrong side of the road. So, i have developed a tactic of trying to follow another vehicle – preferably a large truck – into the country tunnels and stick close behind. I still don’t enjoy the experience, tho’…. I don’t mind admitting i have been scared witless a couple of times!!!

The countryside as we left Trondheim seemed very prosperous: wide, flat bottomed valleygs, large, modern well equipped farms: still mainly pastoral with sleek Norwegian cattle, but some arable although this time of year it was difficult to figure out what was being grown. Lots of wide vistas of lake and forest: the little ‘hus’ is a Norwegian loo in a small rest area – bless them there are lots and lots of these. This one was of the long drop variety which i have not seen since i was in Kenya with Will, Alfied and Freddie 11 years ago!!!

Norwegians build very pretty churches es in alost much every small town: i ought to have taken more pics but there is an example above.

Overall the scenery was picturesque rather than dramatic which i why i have not inundated you with landscape pics. Long sweeping bends on the roads, almost no traffic at all made the whole driving experience very civilised and relaxing. In the 375 miles i overtook one motorhome and was overtaken by a total of two motorcycles!!! Reminded me of driving in northern Canada with Mum, Richard and Michael all those years ago, but without the bear jams….

Tomorrow is another big day: drive to Bodo and catch the ferry for a four hour cruise to Reine. Also the small matter that for the first time we enter the Artic Circle…..!!!

This is starting to get serious….