ÅSKARDET to LOFOTEN (SØRVÅGEN)
With a quick flicker of the eyelids, I found myself staring upward at the ceiling inches above my head. The roof was on a great angle and I just happened to be wedged under it off to the side. I did my usual countdown from three to get out of bed and proceeded down the ladder where the others were already packing up. I felt quite late to the show and wondered if I had slept a little longer I might have been up for finding my own way to the next ferry!
The car was almost already completely packed, apart from my own things of course and I felt an unsettling urge to hurry up. Katie, Matt and Arne went down to the main house to say goodbye to our hosts while I hurriedly packed my gear in the car. Katie was on her way back up the stone driveway with a huge grin on her face. I know this look on Katie’s face very well… Katie had come into contact with a new cat. As the story goes, Katie had repeated “Jeg elsker deg!” multiple times to the cat which translates to “I love you” in English. Apparently, the cat ran off during this ordeal, I wonder why?
With about ten minutes to get to the ferry, we got in the car and wound our way around the corners to the dock. We had arrived just in time! Our car was the last one allowed on the ferry which only departs every one and a half hours! The first ferry of the day will get us to Halsa and then we will be up for a three-hour drive to Bodø. The ferry ride was quite easy and time went by quickly. I think my sense of time had really been altered so far on the road trip. Little did I know that my sense of time was about to be completely turned upside down on the next ferry ride. The car was getting very used to driving off ferries by now. As the car weaved its way up the coastline toward Bodø we spotted a playful seal practising its dance moves in the water very close to shore. These creatures really have a hassle free life!
Time moved on and after the three-hour journey, our car rolled into a carpark situated under a long straight bridge that overshadowed a bed of water called Saltstraumen. This place is well known for the intense whirlpools that happen as the tide moves under the bridge. We made our way down to the water in the light rain whilst being awed by the stunning scenery that surrounded us. It was so easy to get a great photo in this location and we hadn’t even got to the water yet. Our feet touched down onto a rocky surface that barrier the water from the land. The whirlpools were out in their full glory, showing off their aqua swirls in every direction you looked. Beyond the inlet, you could see misty snow-capped mountains looming almost as if they too were enjoying the sights. All these places we have been so far each had their own unique scenery and a story to tell.
The drive to the next ferry didn’t take too long to get to. This ferry ride will set us up for a four-hour voyage across the open sea. Now before I go further, I’d like to express how confident I was in the car while talking about open sea journeys while Arne was quite against the idea of larger waves. Well, we drove onto the ferry and took our seats near the front of the boat to enjoy the coastal view for the next four hours… Or so I thought I would. What really happened was quite different and what was meant to be four hours seems like six for me. I had made my way to the back of the boat, out in the cold and rough wind. This was not by choice might I add. The extreme unpleasant feeling in my gut threatening to come up every ten seconds had me holding on for dear life. I’ve never thought myself to be a seasick person but this was hell! Thankfully the fresh air and being closer to the engines was enough to keep my lunch at bay. I remember looking around at others who seemed to share the same fate and even though all communication was halted in hopes that our stomachs would remain in hibernation, I felt a sense of telepathic empathy among us. We were brothers and sisters united at the rear of the ferry all for the one cause!
Hours passed and I sensed a calmness come about the bumpy ride. We had made it back into the isles where we would soon be docking at Lofoten. I made my way back inside and started acting myself again. It was of no surprise to see such incredible scenery from the front of the windows of the boat as we rounded the corner into the beautiful scenery of little red fishing cabins decorating the shoreline of Lofoten. We found ourselves docking in a town called Moskenes and drove on to Sørvågen which was not too far away from where we had our next accommodation booked.
This place really competed for the best place so far! The sound of seagulls, the fresh ocean air and the misty scenery. It really felt like something only a painting could provide. The cabin was amazing with super comfortable space for us to feel well rested. Our view from the living room looked out over the water with mountains in the background and other fishing cabins on the other side of the water. We had a veggie stirfry, mashed potatoes and a Vegemite, chocolate and hazelnut gravy. When you go without veggies for a while you really start to appreciate them a lot more, even as a vegan!
As usual, I ran outside to get some epic photography and video footage. The only lesson I had to learn today was to take it easy. I feel I am still working on this lesson I was about to learn to this very day! I had placed one of my filter cases on an arm rail on the dock. Everything was going beautifully, click, click, click. Incredible shots one after the other. The lesson began when I went to put my polarising filter back into the case. Somehow, without even touching the case, it just dropped! Straight into the water! I watched as the white plastic circular home for my lovely filter gradually made its way deeper down into the clear, frosty water. There was nothing I could do but stare and watch where it was going. It must have been about 2 meters deep when the shape began to blur. I raced inside feeling super confident in my ability to retrieve this bit of plastic which was probably not worth much more than a grain of sand. Before I knew it, I was outside in just my swimming shorts and carefully descending down the stairs of the dock. My feet entered the icy water and I felt an immediate burn on my skin. I thought if I could just dive in and grab it, the whole ordeal would be over in seconds. My confidence was still there but so was everyone else, and of course, with their phones out all pointing at me. I sprang forward inducing my whole body into the freezing water. I swam about to the area it dropped in, dunked my head underwater, looked to find only a blur of darkness. There was no way I was able to see without a mask! What was I thinking? The burning sensation was going through my entire body now and I felt like if I didn’t get out now, I never would! The cold air felt like the middle of a hot summers day to me after experiencing the water. I found myself just air drying feeling very relaxed, just like after a cold shower only with greater effect. I was not worried about the filter case and the experience had me laughing with the others. I am glad it fell into the water. At least I didn’t lose the filter!
After dinner, we jumped in the car to explore the nearby area. We arrived at a town called Å which in English sounds like “aw”. Å is the last letter in the Norwegian alphabet, so I figured that is why they named this town Å because it is the last town in Lofoten. This place was on the other side of the island and had large cliff faces that halted the ocean waves. We walked along a rocky outcrop to get some photos and enjoy the ocean air. We were the only ones in sight and it was one of the most memorable times of our years so far. We found these strange and also quite large black slugs on the pathway nearby as well. Such a strange thing to be near the ocean. I would have thought they might have been better suited in a dark cave deep in a jungle.
The clouds were covering most of the cliff faces and it brought on a sense that perhaps these cliff faces went up hundreds of metres. I love the mist. After a good amount of time recharging ourselves by the ocean, we drove on to Reine which is a little town surrounded by mountains. Again, not the best visibility because of the cloud covering the tops but it still brought on an epic sense. As soon as you get out of the car you are met with a very potent smell of fish. It takes quite a bit to get used to it. There were thousands of fish drying out on big wooden racks spread across the coastline. It makes me wonder how there is any fish left in these waters. We took the car back to the cabin to wind down for the day and eventually, as always, fall into a deep slumber while always wondering if we are actually waking up or going to sleep.
