The result

The original plan had been quite simple: start hiking at 8am, be down around 4pm-ish and then drive home. Be back home well before midnight. That plan had a few flaws. Firstly, we couldn't get breakfast until 8am, which meant we left about 45 minutes late. Secondly, there was this awful descent that took three times longer than an ordinary descent would have been. And thirdly, they took me along!

By the time the coach was moving, it was 7.45pm. Almost four hours late! But the distance hadn't shrunk, that was still a six/seven hour drive! And we had to get some food into us as well. So, in the end it was half past three in the morning when the coach rolled onto the lot! I had tried to sleep on the coach, since I had made a fatal booboo: I had forgotten to change my shift and had to work an early shift! I finally hit my pillow at a quarter past four in the morning. Only to be rudely awoken again an hour later!! 

I was late for work by only a few minutes. But I made it through the day. Some how. Because as the day wore on, I started feeling worse and worse. The backs of my calves were burning, as were the fronts of my thighs. I couldn't lift my arms higher than my shoulders and my back was hurting in places I didn't even know I had (the places I mean). By the time I went home, I walked like an arthritic 120-year old! Getting down steps was agony, as was getting down slopes. 

I got home and on the couch. Laid down to watch some Doctor Who and eat some white chocolate (she must be psychic). When it was time to go to bed though, ooh. It took me the longest time to get into a sitting position, let alone off the couch. And don't even talk about getting up to bed! 

In the middle of the night I woke up because I couldn't even turn around in bed anymore! By the time I had managed it I was so awake I had to go to the toilet, which meant a further twenty minutes! Tuesday was therefore even worse than Monday had been. On Wednesday I started feeling better again though. On the mend so to say.  

The question now is of course: would I say yes again, after all, this is my Yes-year! Welllll.... With some adjustments, I might! First of all, I need a bit more (read a lot more) training. I am so out of shape, getting up a 25 meter incline is taking my breath away. Secondly: loosing a bit more weight would be good too, but I guess that once I get more training, I will loose weight. Thirdly: I need better gear. I have good shoes, but they are Dutch path shoes, not Norwegian stony mountain path shoes. I have a lovely bag, but it's way too small. I need good clothes, although the clothes I wore on Sunday were good. And fourthly: I need to take better care of my feet, regarding blisters and the like! So, perhaps my next tour will be...

Trolltunga! I will keep you posted...

The fumes

The huts in the olden days. We slept in more modern quarters

After a glorious trip, having dropped off the cyclists somewhere on the way (it was a joint cycling and hiking group, we would meet up again on Sunday, when we would drive back together), negotiating narrow tunnels and sheep sleeping in the middle of the main road from Oslo to Bergen(!), we made it to our night quarters. 

Two sets of bunkbeds for me and my one colleague

There are lots of huts being run by the Tourist Board and this was one of them. We got our beds, since there was enough room, but if there hadn't been, we wouldn't have been turned away: matrasses would be found and if it would be the dining room or the bathroom, some place to sleep would be found! They are like that over here. 

The graveyard in the grounds

After a lovely dinner, a good sleep and a hearty breakfast, we started our hike at a quarter to nine in the morning. According to the information we had, it would be about a six hour hike. (See how I have decided to change walk to hike?) The weather was fantastic, sunny and almost without wind, so pretty soon the hot stuff (ie sweaters etc) came off. The path was okay, a little gravel, a few stones, nothing to worry about. 

Now, we were to follow the path along the river, but even though the river went down, the path went up. Which led to my first steam train impersonation. It was heard many a time during the day. A few extra pounds and no fitness level whatsoever will do that! Anyway, I made it up, I took photos and we kept on walking. And walking. And walking. Until the split in the path. 

Off on our hike

There was a 'short' route following the river (ahem) and there was a 'long' route going up quite a bit and then down again along a path that had looked quite tricky. According to all present I would manage quite fine on the long route. So, up we went, me huffing and puffing at the rear. When we finally made it up though, the view was absolutely breath taking. So beautiful. Definitely worth it!

Well worth it!

We had a meal break while enjoying the view and then started our descent. Well, that wasn't tricky. It was downright harebrained and dangerous. And that was the general consensus! The tricky path that had been there only two years earlier had been hit by a rock avalange in 2012. According to the receptionist at the huts, it was quite safe, but it certainly didn't look or feel it! Basically we had to scramble down a steep mountain over smaller and bigger rocks. Some of which were loose!

This is what the descent should have been like

Since there were nine of us, we couldn't go down too close to each other, just in case stones and rock would come down, so it took ages to get all of us down. Probably about an hour and a half in all! If it had been a path, it would have taken us about a third I would think. I had to grab rocks, roots, trees, I had to slide down, find my footing, make awkward turns, but I did in the end manage to get down. Thanks to one of my fellow hikers who told me where to go!

This is what it was!

The first people had been down for over half an hour by the time we got down, so my rest was quite short, but we had to press on, after all, the cyclists would be waiting. By then however, my legs were starting to feel the strain. The leader of the pack told me about half an hour later that it was only an hour longer. FOUR hours later I was still struggling. Up and down and up and down. Rocks and stones on the path. I had lost all joy in the hike. When we would catch up with the rest I would flop down, in one case right into sheep shit and not even caring!

No path, just rocks and rubble!

In the end, it was me and two colleagues who made it down last. Very very very slowly. Because by then I was going on fumes. I needed to rest about every five to ten minutes. But getting strength back was nigh on impossible. The breaks needed to be longer and longer. I drank river water, ate nuts and carrots, but I just got slower. The tears were close, I was dizzy at times, my legs wobbled and my knees buckled with almost every step.

An early photo. I was still smiling!

In the end it took me ten and a half hours to get to the coach. And only because at some point we were met by two of the cycling party, who told us the path would be rock for only 500 meters more, before turning into a flat gravel road for about twenty minutes. I could have kissed them! I had a good drink of water, found strength again and after only one more short 30 second stop half way, I finally made it to the coach! It was 7.30pm!

More to come tomorrow!

The flutters

When I first thought about moving to Canada, I had never been there. I don't even think I had ever met a Canadian! But I persevered. It came to nothing. So, no Canadian lumberjack for me! Then I set my sights on Norway. A country I had never visited. Went on two short holidays, liked the place, got a job and moved. 

Odda

I love where I live. It's beautiful. I like my job. Of course it has its ucky yucky moments, but doesn't every job? And I decided at the start of my new life that yes would be the word of the day. Would I like to come on a tour? Yes. Not knowing where it went, not knowing what it was about. I would answer in the affirmative. 

There were blue plums, yellow plums and morelles for sale all along the roadside

So, that's how I found myself on Saturday morning on a coach headed towards the innards of Norway. Where we would go hiking. Now, you may remember my previous hiking experience. If you don't or are new to my life: here's a link! I told everybody about my experience, but I was told it would be allright and it would fine and it would be fun. So, YES it was. 

It would take about six or seven hours towards our destination and since I have this little condition called car sickness (don't snigger), I sat in the tourguide chair the whole way. Taking photos of this, that and the rest. The main road towards Oslo was little more than a country road. Then again, the traffic was little more than country traffic too! 

We saw some cyclists clearly on holiday. We saw a cathedral like roundabout in the middle of a tunnel. We saw some more cyclists on a tour from Voss to Geilo (mad the lot of them). We saw waterfalls and plums, tunnels and sheep and lots more besides that. 

Hardangervidda

And I fell, finally, head over heels in love. Flutters included. I love Norway!

Falling in love

I will tell all very very soon (probably tomorrow), but I need some rest and some Doctor Who, not necessarily in that order! Because, yes, I gone and done it again: climbed up and down some %#$@* Norwegian mountain. I didn't know hair could hurt, nor did I know there were muscles in my back. I do now!

For now however, I leave you with the photo of the backside of the package I got in the mail today. Thank you Pepperfly (and S)!

Photo on Sunday 2013-21

Did you know about how the Lamborghini cars came into being? No? I will tell you then...

Mr Lamborghini was an Italian who had made his fortune making and selling tractors. But just having a fortune and not being able to show it off, was not in his nature. So, he went to Mr Ferrari and told him he wanted a car. A nice car! Mr Ferrari was obliging and soon the deal was done. Mr Lamborghini drove a lovely Ferrari home. Very soon however, the car developed problems. And more problems. In the end Mr Lamborghini was so fed up with all those problems he vowed he could make a better car. 

I don't know whether a Lamborghini or a Ferrari is the better car. I doubt they come in shocking pink and I loose all interest then. However, the photo at the top is a Lamborghini tractor. The fortune-maker!

'Animal'

I think I may have mentioned the occasional animal walking in front of my car or bus. I've had sheep in front of the bus, cows in front of my car, deer crossing the road and of course plenty of birds. A few weeks ago however...

As I was driving towards the start of my line, I all of a sudden saw a horse! in the middle of the road. I slowed down immediately (from about 30km/hour), because I know how horses can be spooked by a speck of dust and having my bus ruined on a near-deserted road was not my idea of having a nice day at work. Fortunately the horse was a clever horse and although it wasn't as fast as sheep, it wasn't as stupid as cows either. It trotted off to the nearest field and when I came back only three minutes later, it was still there. Good horsey!

This is my 63rd entry for Photo Theme for Thursday. Why not join?

Death Comes to Pemberley

I love the books of Jane Austen (apart from Northanger Abbey, can't seem to get the hang of it) and have read several adaptations, prequels and sequels. So, when I saw this one, I knew I had to get it. 

The blurb: The year is 1803. Darcy and Elizabeth have been married for six years, and the orderly world of Pemberley seems unassailable. But all this is threatened when, on the eve of the annual ball, a chaise appears, rocking down the path from Pemberley's wild woodland. As it pulls up, Lydia Wickham -Elizabeth's younger, unreliable sister- stumbles out screaming that her husband has been murdered. 

My verdict: When you read any book about something contemporary, there is no need to explain anything, after all you know the 'time'. And when Jane Austen wrote her books, everybody who read those books knew about the situations, the surroundings, the conventions of the age. There was no need to explain anything. Because it was contemporary. 

PD James may have been able to set the scene, but in my view there were too many explanations about almost everything. Adding staff to the mix felt out of place, even if it had to do with the plot. Having Darcy behave the way he did was diminishing the strong figure he was. And even though there were no loose ends, it felt as if there were. 

So, would I recommend this book? This thin, over-explanatory book? Which would have been half as big if all that had been taken out. Well... no. I wouldn't. Because it didn't feel right. PD James may be a brilliant writer, but I feel in this case she made a bit of a booboo. It felt too contrived. *spoiler alert* Especially when letting in characters from other books. Just... wrong.

Escapologists

Sheep is on the left side of the road

As I was walking along the road on Sunday, I all of a sudden saw a sheep. Now, it's not so unusual to see a sheep in this here neighbourhood, but this one was on the run so to say. Which come to think of it, is not so unusual either!

Catch me if you can...

I managed to take a photo of it as it darted towards the field where it belonged, but it didn't couldn't get in said field. Then a tractor arrived with the owner of the sheep behind the wheel. He tried to corner it in that little piece of land, but the sheep was having none of it. The sheep escaped and the tractor followed. To the right and then fortunately it 'escaped' towards a house. The farmer parked his tractor, got his dog out and disappeared.

I think they managed to get the sheep back into its field. Reunited with its fellow sheep. Because about five minutes later the farmer and his dog came back. 

I do wonder about all these sheep (and cattle) though. Are they so clever in this part of the world? Or are the farmers just a bit lazy in putting up good fencing? Because as I was driving home from the shops yesterday I saw three escaped sheep...

Fresh air

Now, you know I live in a cottage in the Norwegian countryside. I have shown you photos of said cottage, both inside and outside and even showed you my garden! I haven't however, shown you anything else. Nothing from the neighbourhood. And the reason is that I hadn't seen anything of it! Of course that isn't quite true, since I do drive to and from work and even on the job I drive past my home on occasion. But unless there are cows in the road and I manage to grab my camera, I haven't taken any photographs. 

Yesterday I was feeling a bit ucky and decided fresh air was needed. I donned my walking shoes and a coat, grabbed my camera and headed out. And here are some of the photos I took. Let's start with the top one shall we? This is the road I drive to work every day. It's 3,5 meters wide (about 12 feet) and it's not very busy. The second photo is of a little house that my sister might actually recognise. It was the one I pointed out as 'would like to live there if only there were glass in the windows and good insulation'. It is one of several empty and decaying houses in the neighbourhood. 

The third and fourth photo are of Torvastad Church and part of its cemetery. I have not yet visited the church, although I do believe it has regular Sunday services. The cemetery is massive. Especially considering the fact that there are not that many people living in the area. It did look lovely and peaceful though and I wouldn't mind spending eternity there. Once I am dead that is of course. Which I hope will not happen for a good many years to come!!

The last photo is of another small dwelling that has been left to its own devices. I was able to look inside and there were upturned beds, an old sink, paint pots and lots of other junk. It is such a shame and I wouldn't mind owning that little one. I would turn it into a small guest home for friends and family I think. I can just picture it in my head. I wonder what I would have to do to get that done??

I took lots more photos and will be posting them over the coming few days. I will also be making my way outside a bit more often. And of course I will bring my camera with me!!!

Photo on Sunday 2013-20

Autumn is starting to set in. Days are getting shorter. Schools will be starting in earnest tomorrow. And the first geese are making their way south!