Week 1

Well we have arrived. We had our first experience of Norwegian food on the ferry we sailed on the Queen of Scandinavia, and the food was fantastic we opted for the buffet which we hadnt prebooked so we didnt get a table til 9:45 which was probably agood thing as it was a bit quiter then, we paid around 20 pounds per person and the food was fantastic, there was a huge counter of fabulous fish with loads of shellfish, then another counter with fab salads and nibbly bit, we didnt even make it to the hot food counter which ahd about 8 choices of hot dishes as well as 3 diffrent roast meats on the carvery.

We arrived in Stavanger at 9am and had a walk around the town, there was a NATO exercise happening which meant that there were lost of huge naval warships, the Britsih one was tied alongsid ethe Dutch one which I thought was rather symbolic of our marriage especially as the Brittish one was the HMS Campbeltown, then Daan pointed out the Dutch one was called the Ruyter which is named after a famous Dutch Naval commader whos biggest claim to fame was that he had sunk loads of British ships!!

we then headed for some breakfast to a cafe called the Old Bakery which we had read about in the guides, it was amazing, Ithought it was a museum and was reallys hocked taht we were allowed to sit at the tables, they were huge bit dinning tables with lace table clothes and candle,it was so posh, we ordered the breakfast platter whcih was only 90 NOK each (less than ten pound each), Itw as amazing this glass serving dish with cheese, ham, salad, fruit, egg, fish bread and juice and coffee. This was our first expereience of sylt (marinated herring with a cinamon flavour) Daan has since become totally addicted and we have to lug great big jars of it up every hill on the back of the bikes.

Whilst in the cafe we had a very bizare experienc, we met a a man calle Reg Porter who was visiting Norway again in order to raise funds for stroke research, he had previously cycled the length of Norway in 1963 on a tandem with his to be wife, who was just 19 at the time. It was amazing to meet him as we are almost reinnacting his trip. We even have a very similiar provisions list with us (ie lots of porridge). He has given us some very handy hints as to good camp spots to look out for I hope they are still there.

Daan then went to vist the canning museum whilst Kirsty opted to snooze in the sun, both seem to enjoy there chosen past time, It was about 3ish when we fi9nally go on our bikes and headed out of Stavanger we cycled 27 miles which was pretty tough going as the hills are huge. We set up camp near Hommersak which is on the coast and got eaten allive by midges, it was very much like the west coast of Scotland.

Day 2

We set of today to Lauvvick where we caught the ferry to Oames. I really appreciated the five minute ferry ride as I really needed the rest. Once of the Ferry we cycled over the Lysefjorden over a huge bride the views very spectacular. This was my first xperience of cyclining in tunnels, luckly there was a cyce lane though the tunnel but i forgot to take my sunglasses off before going in, itw as only a short tunnel and you could see the end from as soon as you eneterd but it was a bit scary as the walls seemed to keep coming in towrads you and I was extremly glad to get out the other side. From here we headed along a valley past Ovre Espedal, THis was probbly the most stunning of scenery I have ever seen, and it heleped that the hills werent to monstrous so I could actually focus on the view rather than gasping for breath. We got to an area tha was lie a nationaø park where we set up our tent, then I went and washed the clothes in a glacier fed river, I must ahve looked liek something out of olden times, beatin our socks on rocks then hanging then over bushes to dry. I then had a qucik dip mysel...which was very cold so I was going more for freezing the bacteria of my body rather tan washing. I wasnt sure about useing sampoo ibn the water so I decided to use the ecover laundry detergent to wash my hair and I have to say, it is really soft and glossy, I may switch to this for reguar washing. We had a fabulous dinner of tomato pasta with some red onion and some very nice wine, which is the inner bag of a box we have brought with us. It is amazing how food you would normally turn you nose up at suddenly taste like nectar once you are starved and you are eating outdoors. Dann then went off for an explore and I went to bed...I think the difference in our fitness levels is showing itself fairly early. We cycled 24 miles today.

Day 3
we cycled back out today over the bridge (and I remembered to take my glasses off for the tunnel)We cycled to Preikestolen today which means pulpit rock it is this huge sheared of rock above the fjords. Today was a mighty cycle day we decide to sit out the worst of the heat between 1 and 3 as it is just to unbearable to cycle so we found ourself a little flat rock on the side ofthe water a decided to give fishing a try, only we hadn't realised that neither of us had a clue how to wind on a fishing real so after a n hours of faffing we gave up and had a snooze we are keeping out eyes peeld for the next friendly looking fisherman to give us a quick lesson. We Cyeled to the bottom og the mountain the Preikestolen is on and set up camp and took all the panniers of the bikes. i was quite excited atthe idea of cycling without them as I thought ethta with 30kg less on the bike I would find it much easier....howvere it turned out that we had a 3 mile cylce which went up 350km in height...i though I was going to die...I really cant believe I made it...Daan obviously gott there about 15 minutes ahead of me, but I am glad to say he admitted to getting of an walking at one point which made me feel a lot better as I had not had to resort to this I just had to take about 20 stops on the way up. We then walked up the hill top the pulpitt rock, the guide books say this is a 4hour round trip , we did it in about 3 hours. It was totally breathtaking, it was great that we went up so late in the day we go to the top around 9ish so the light was fanatstic and there was only 3 other people there with us. By the time we got back to the tent we were both to exhausted to cook so we had bread and chees and then straight to sleep. I have disovered on thing about Norwegian cycling, you work really hard getting to the top of the hills and you would think yo uwould be able to realx all the way own but oh no, the hills are so big that the way down you hang on to your brakes for dear life so at the end ofthe day your legs are tired from going up and your upper body is tired from going down!