The first bottle disappeared around the time we headed out of Göteborg, in Southern Sweden, towards Oslo. The going was slow. We were finally dropped in a large shopping mall about a third of the way to Oslo, by a lady and her son coming from a funeral. They thought it would be a good spot (and so did we), but it turns out the mall sucked. We waited at one of the mall exits, then walked to a roundabout in the Oslo direction, but it was too dangerous, so we walked to another roundabout. Then we decided to go towards Uddevalla and try the traffic from that direction. Had a little hammock break.
Still no luck. Eventually, we returned back to the shopping mall and tried there again, but feeling pretty defeated. By that point, we had been in the area for hours, so we decided to have some eats, and...a beer, as recompense for our misfortune. Sigh. Discouragement made me do it. But I thought to myself: "Hey, we have two more that we can still trade for salmon!"
Fast forward some days, to Mosjøen; the "midpoint" of Norway. We had just returned to Norway following a brief detour by Sweden, and I was excited to start seeing fjords and snow-capped mountains. We were dropped at a busy gas station in Mosjøen, at around 5pm, with another gas station right across from it. So there was definitely no scarcity of cars and trucks stopping there. We asked as many people as we could, and the answers were always negative. Hours passed. This seemed like the perfect spot, why could nobody take us further North? We tried along the road too, to get the traffic that wasn't stopping at the gas stations. Still no luck. Eventually, it got late and we realised we would likely have to spend the night there. When we were just about ready to give up, we decided to have another beer. Hey, the going is tough. Might as well make it more pleasant.
The following day, it did not get any easier. After a rough night (despite there being no darkness, it was rather freezing in the tent), and some more hours of trying to find a ride, we decide to take the train. So we actually manage to get a ride to the train station! While waiting for the train, we had nothing to lose, so we attempt to get a ride on the road near the station. And this time somebody stops! Hurray! It's been almost 24 hours in this place, and it feels great to get out. We get dropped in Mo i Rana, another difficult spot. One driver even gives me the finger. Then one lady brings us a bit further outside of town, where we end up waiting several hours again. These past couple of days have not been going well, "going"-wise. Waiting in the sun, next to an ice cream advert, discouraged and losing patience, the only logical decision is to drink the last beer, this time quite early during the day. Sigh. I guess we won't get that salmon after all...
The following day, it did not get any easier. After a rough night (despite there being no darkness, it was rather freezing in the tent), and some more hours of trying to find a ride, we decide to take the train. So we actually manage to get a ride to the train station! While waiting for the train, we had nothing to lose, so we attempt to get a ride on the road near the station. And this time somebody stops! Hurray! It's been almost 24 hours in this place, and it feels great to get out. We get dropped in Mo i Rana, another difficult spot. One driver even gives me the finger. Then one lady brings us a bit further outside of town, where we end up waiting several hours again. These past couple of days have not been going well, "going"-wise. Waiting in the sun, next to an ice cream advert, discouraged and losing patience, the only logical decision is to drink the last beer, this time quite early during the day. Sigh. I guess we won't get that salmon after all...
***
So, returning to the original timeline, we headed North by the planned route: Copenhagen, Göteborg, Oslo. The going was slow in Southern Sweden (as evidenced by the beer drinking). And by the time we arrived in Oslo (June 20th), it was pretty clear that my dream of making it to Hammerfest (just 'cause it sounded cool) for Midsummer, on the 23rd, was not going to materialise. We wouldn't even be anywhere near the North of Norway. At most, maybe Trondheim.Even more crushing news: my camera stopped functioning. It was, erm, accidentally dropped. Really. I was disappointed, but not too frustrated by the idea of not taking photos during the trip. I know how trapped I can become in photo-taking mode during travels sometimes, so it was somewhat liberating.
Thus, I took a couple of days to deconstruct and reconstruct. My thoughts, my goals, my emotions, my camera. It was greatly helped by our fantastic host in Oslo. He made me consider stopping by the idyllic Lofoten islands where his family and friends might be able to host us. At first it wasn't really part of the "itinerary", but we eventually ended up there, and did not regret it! Now I could take my time more to see things, and not rush like crazy for a ridiculous time goal.
I was also told by And, whom I met via couchsurfing on this trip, that Hammerfest was not very worth seeing (she made it there way before us, and I was jealous! But then again she was travelling solo and by a different route). So I decided to scratch Hammerfest and aim instead for the new goal: Nordkapp - the Northernmost point of continental Europe. And besides, perhaps Midsummer would be quite fun in Trondheim as well, rather than in a small town in the North... Right?
