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Saturday 18 June heavy showers / fine / cloudy, 18°C - Hetta , Finland to Langefjorden , Norway

·        Up @ 8:00, had breakfast, packed up the van and left @ 9:30

·        Got petrol before border (€20 for 15.5 litres)

·        Drove onto 93 north to Norway border (into Norway @10:00), no border controls, just a building and a sign (switched to Norway / Euro time) (12 NOK = £1)

·        Across drab landscape, sandy, stunted trees, through Kautokeino (major Sami town) then on to Alta

·        Approach to Alta quite interesting past lakes and mountains then down through a gorge

·        Drove to Alta Museum @ 11:00, had lunch then bought tickets (160 NOK / £12), walked through exhibition then out and around rockcarvings (some 6000 years old, wow), left @ 1:00

·        Drove to town centre (AltaSentrum), drew 1200 NOK (£100), walked around shops then did some grocery shopping (1.5l Pepsi 10NOK / 90p, pork schnitzel 13NOK / £1.10, 1.5L orange juice 9NOK / 75p)

·        Found internet place, surfed for 15minutes (30NOK / £2.50)

·        Left @ 3:00, drove back through town, got petrol (429 NOK for40.14 litres, 10.70NOK/litre, @ 39828kms)

·        Drove on E6 through winding road then good road, beside fjords to camp @ Langfjorden (Altacamping, 180NOK for 1 night (£15))

·        Set up @ 4:30

·        Relaxed, tea @ 7:00 then out for a walk along the road

·        Bed about 11:00

Sunday 19 June low cloud / clearing later, 20°C - Langefjorden to Skibotn , Norway

·        Up @ 8:30, had breakfast, packed up van, left @ 9:45

·        Drove south on E6, alongside fjords

·        Up over 400m high pass (through snow) just past Sorstraomen, then along more fjords

·        Stopped @ Skibotn @ 1:00, found market going on, paid 100NOK to get in

·        Had hamburgers for lunch and then wandered around

·        Back to the van @ 2:00, filled with petrol (39.72 litres = 425 NOK, @ 40117kms)

·        Drove onto E8 then south into Finland, stopped @ Kilpisjarvi, looked at going to the junction of 3 coutries (Finland, Sweden, Norway) but decided against it, boat left too late, and no decent camps in Kilpisjarvi

·        Drove back to Skibotn ( problem with brakes on way back, no pressure) and got site @ Camp(Olderelv Camping, 175NOK for 1 night)

·        Set up van @ 4:00, relaxed

·        Tea @ 7:30 (pork schnitzel and veggies), walked around the camp, looking @ mountains and the “permanent” awnings of some vans

·        Relaxed, long day, stunning scenery, fjords, snow, waterfalls mountains…

Monday 20 June cloudy / showers, 20°C - Skibotn to Tromso

·        Up @ 8:30, packed up van etc, left camp @ 9:30

·        Drove onto E6 headed south then turned onto E8 to Tromso

·        Pulled into shopping mall @ 12:00, just before Tromso Bridge

·        Got groceries etc and drew 1200 NOK (£100), paid for part of groceries with recycled plastic bottles

·        Liz bought book “Twisted” ( 89 NOK)

·        Drove to camp ground, still on mainland (Tromso Camping, 240 NOK (£20) for 1 night), found pitch and set up

·        Rode bikes to Artic Cathedral then across “ Tromsobrua Bridge “, into town

·        Went to Stortoget ( Main Square ), parked bikes and went to COOP to get lunch (cheesy potato thing (32 NOK) and chocolate deserts), sat by wharf and at lunch

·        Walked along Storgata ( Main Street ) looking at shops, AC bought 2 Norway t-shirts (98 NOK ea (£8))

·        Walked along past Cathedral then down to wharf to watch Hurtigruten (“coastal steamer”) arrive, boat goes from Bergen to Kirkenes in 6 days then back, 1 leaves Bergen each day, and calls into places along the coast

·        Walked back to town and wandered to other end of Storgata, AC bought book (Wee Free Men, 89NOK)

·        Back to bikes @ 3:00 then back over bridge and back to camp

·        Relaxed

·        Went to cook tea @ 6:30 and found that the chicked was off, so had tea @ camp café (wiener schnitzel and bacon and eggs, 170 NOK)

·        Back to van @ 7:30, out for a walk around the surrounding houses, back @ 8:30

Tuesday 21 June cloudy / showers / low cloud, 15°C - Tromso to Narvik , Norway

·        Up @ 8:30, packed van etc and drove onto E8 @ 9:45, drove south back to E6, got petrol @ Nordjosbotn (41 litres = 437 NOK, @ 40406kms) drove south on E6, alongs fjords and over passes etc

·        Stopped @ Polar Zoo, near Setermoen, @ 12:30, had hotdogs for lunch (80 NOK)

·        Went for walk around zoo (300 NOK for both of us ! / £25), northernmost zoo in the world, saw bears, deer, lynx, mountain fox

·        Back on the road @ 2:30, drove through to Narvik, over a snowy pass, then down and around a fjord, and over a bridge

·        Found camp (Camping Narvik, 180 NOK for 1 night) and parked @ 3:30

·        Set up then walked into town (2 km’s), found a shopping mall and had a hot chocolate and cake (93NOK)

·        Look ed around shops, Liz bought Heat magazine (39 NOK) and did some grocery shopping (veggies and cereal), drew 1200NOK / £100

·        Walked down main street of Narvik to information centre (shops all closed @ 5:00), got info for heading south

·        Walked back to camp @ 6:00

·        Relaxed, cooked tea @ 7:30 (fish with béarnaise sauce (findus) and veggies), did the dishes and got icecreams

·        Relaxed, a bit cooler tonight

Wednesday 22 June cloudy / rain, 15°C - Narvik to Saltstraumen , Norway

·        Up @ 8:30, had breakfast, packed van etc, left @ 9:45

·        Drove through Narvik then on E6 south, started to rain, wound along the fjord then over bare granite mountains and down to ferry (part of E6 main road, 76NOK for van and driver, 27 for passenger), ferry runs every ½ hour, left @ 11:30, took 25 minutes

·        Carried on down E6, stopped @ Innhavet for petrol (44 litres = 505 NOK, @ 40721 kms), @12:45

·        Went to Rema 1000 shop for groceries then back to service station for “Polser” (hotdogs) 50 NOK

·        Back on the road @ 1:30, south on E6, through lots of tunnels, some 3-4 kms long

·        Down onto the flat into Fauske then on E80 towards Bodo, turned off @ Loding and south to Salstraumen, found camp @ 3:30 (Camping Saltstraumen, 130 NOK for 1 night), set up etc

·        Walked to watch the Maelstrom @ 5:30, large volume of water rushing out of a narrow channel during the changing of the tides

·        Back to camp @ 6:30, relaxed, had tea (pork schnitzel), did the dishes

·        Back down to the water to look @ 10:30, just starting to come back in, rain stopped

·        Back to van and bed

Thursday 23 June cloudy / rain, 15°C - Saltstraumen to Mo I Rana

·        Up @ 8:30, packed up van etc, left @ 10:00

·        Drove over Saltstraumen bridge then onto 812, heading back to E6 (had to avoid a sheep and 2 lambs in a tunnel and a herb of goats)

·        Stopped for petrol on E6 @ 11:30 near Rokland (37.29 litres = 415 NOK, @ 40979 kms), then van wouldn’t start, had to wait for it to cool down, and they could get our visa card to work, so had to scramble for cash

·        Back heading south up another mountain pass, up to 690m then to Arctic Circle (Norway style), stopped for lunch, had baguettes and cakes, took some more photos

·        Liz bought t-shirt ( Arctic Circle ) for 195 NOK / £15

·        Back down out of the mountains then turned off E6 to go to Svartisendalen to a glacial lake (dirt road last 5 kms), got there and found the last boat to leave to go see the glacier was @ 1pm (it is 3pm)

·        Back down to E6 then to Mo I Rana, parked @ 4:00 and looked around the shops

·        AC bought film (2x36 = 158 NOK / £13), and birthday card for his mum, drew 2000 NOK

·        Back to van (starting to rain) then south 16kms to Yttervik Camping (170NOK for 1 night) @ 5:00, set up, and sat and watched the rain

·        Tea @ 7:00 (meatballs and pasta)

Friday 24 June cloudy /showers / breezy, 15°C - Mo I Rana to Steinkjer

·        Up @ 9:00, packed up the van etc, and left @ 10:15

·        Drove along fjord then up over mountain pass (misty) (soon to be replaced with 8km tunnel) and into Mosjoen, arr there @ 11:45

·        Did some grocery shopping, then bought an outside door mat, then had lunch @ 12:30

·        Got back to van, wouldn’t start, left it 5 minutes then it started, got petrol (39 litres = 429 NOK, @ 41258)

·        Drove south again @ 1:00, kept driving through to Steinkjer, found camp (Guldbergaunet  Camping, 120 NOK for 1 night), set up etc @ 5:00

·        Rode bikes to town and went for a swim @ 6:00 (90 NOK ea / £7.50 ea), back to camp @ 7:00

·        Cooked tea (sausages and veggies) then out for a walk @ 8:30 to nearby shop, bought chocolade then back for coffee

·        Long driving day today, about 350kms, on mainly 80km/h roads

Saturday 25 June cloudy / showers / heavy showers, 14°C - Steinkjer to Trondheim

·        Up @ 8:30, packed up etc and left @ 10:00

·        Stopped to get petrol (39.7 litres = 416 NOK, @ 41541 kms) and drew 2000 NOK

·        Back onto E6 heading south, stopped @ town called Hell, took photos then onto Toll road towards Trondheim (10 NOK for 4km tunnel), turned off to camp (Storsand 200 NOK per night for 2 nights), arr 12:15

·        Set up van then had lunch in Kiosk @ camp (bacon and eggs, 45 NOK ea), then caught bus to town (98 NOK, 20 minute bus trip) @ 1:40

·        Walked around town, AC bought 2 books (Lord of the Flies and Past Mortem, 99 NOK ea) and Liz bought magazine

·        Walked through Torget, stopped for hot chocolate and cake, then to Nidaros Domkirke, then along to Gamle Bybro for photos of river and warehouses

·        Walked back through town to Stiftsgarden then around shops, bought groceries then back to Bus station for bus @ 5:30, back to camp @ 5:45

·        Relaxed, walked around the camp between rain showers (dog show on tomorrow, place full of dogs and dog people!)

·        Tea @ 7:00 (pork schnitzel and vegetables) then sat inside and watched rain (again)  

Sunday 26 June cloudy / showers, 15°C - Trondheim

·        Up @ 10:00, decided to have a lazy Sunday

·        Had breakfast and sat around, caught 1:10 bus to town (98 NOK), walked around streets, looked in the few shops that were open, bought DVD (Day After Tomorrow, 100NOK) for rainy days!

·        Had lunch @ BurgerKing, then walked back to bus station and caught bus back to camp @ 3:20, arr 3:45

·        Spent the rest of the day reading, relaxing, watching the world

·        Had tea @ 7:00 (fish with béarnaise sauce and veggies)

Monday 27 June cloudy / showers / windy, 14°C - Trondheim to Molde

·        Up @ 8:30, packed up van in the rain again

·        Left camp @ 9:45, drove to shopping centre in Vikhammer, bought groceries and a postal bag

·        Left @ 10:30, drove onto E6, through toll (25 NOK) then past Trondheim and south

·        Turned off onto E39, missed toll booth (oops….might get a letter later!) then west on E39

·        Got lost (missed a turn) just before the ferry @ Halsa, wound up on 65, turned around after 20kms

·        Stopped for lunch @ 1:00 on 65 @ Co-op shop, filled up with petrol (42 litres = 483 NOK, @ 41831 kms) @ same shop

·        Back to E39 then down to Halsa, caught 2:30 ferry (run every ½ hour, 20 minute crossing) to Kanestraum (a bit breezy but ok)

·        Still on E39 through toll booth @ Bergsoya and onto 1200m long suspension bridge (nice in the wind) then through to Molde

·        Found camp, next to airport about 2km from town, @  4:00, found a spot next to the water and set up

·        Relaxed, watched rain, supposed to clear over the next couple of days

·        Tea @ 7:00 (Polse (sausages), onions and corn)

Tuesday 28 June cloudy / rain / cloudy / misty, 14°C

·        Up @ 8:30, packed up van etc, left camp @ 9:30

·        Drove into Molde town, parked in underground carpark (carved out of the rock)

·        Walked around town, posted AC’s mum’s birthday parcel (150 NOK), bought rolls for lunch and went to the library to surf the net for free

·        Back to the van @ 11:15, and drove to end of E39, waited for ferry to Vestnes, long queue, but we got on the 11:45 sailing (van 90 NOK, passenger 31 NOK, total 121 NOK) for 35 minutes

·        Sat downstairs on boat and had hot chocolate (salon under vehicle deck!)

·        Off @ 12:25, drove on E39 through to Alesund, arrived in town @ 1:15, went to parking area for campervans, sat and had lunch then back out to camp next to stadium (Volsdalen Camping, 340 NOK for 2 nights (£28)) @ 2:30

·        Set up van (another seaview!) then relaxed, watched DVD (day after tomorrow)

·        Went for a walk @ 6:00, walked to stadium (tattoo on tonight) then back to camp along overside of main road

·        Tea @ 7:00 ( chicken curry), then relaxed

Wednesday 29 June fine, 17°C

·        Up @ 8:30, got organised, had breakfast

·        Left camp @  on 10:15 bikes, rode into Alesund (3 kms)

·        Parked the bikes and walked around shops, dropped films (9 of) in for processing @ 11:45, drew 2000 NOK

·        Bought “salad bar” tub for lunch from Kiwi (!) supermarket, then sat in sun beside harbour and ate it

·        Got on “train” @ 1:00 (tourist tractor thing), for 100 NOK ea, took us through streets then up Aksla (189m) for view then back down into town (back @ 2:15)

·        Picked up films (1975 NOK!!!) drew another 2000 (from NZ account) NOK then had icecream and looked at photos

·        Back on bikes @ 3:30 and rode out to Aquarium (Atlanterhavsparken) (3.5 kms), 90 NOK ea and wandered around

·        Back on bikes and back to town @ 5:00, went to wharf area to sit in sun and watch Hurtigruten arrive @ 6:00

·        Rode back to camp @ 7:00, did some grocery shopping on the way

·        Had tea (beef rissoles and pesto) then out for a walk down to the beach below the camp, then relaxed, sun still shining @ 10:30

Thursday 30 June fine, 24°C - Alesund to Geiranger , Norway

·        Up @ 8:00, had breakfast etc, packed up van, left camp @ 9:30

·        Filled up with petrol (29 litres = 314 NOK,@ 42019 kms)

·        Drove on E39 west to Sjoholt then onto 650 south, along fjords and through a few tunnels, to Linge

·        Drove to ferry terminal, arr 10:45, bought ticket for ferry to Eidsdal (49 NOK for van and driver, 20 NOK for Liz = 69 NOK / £6), then the van wouldn’t start (startermotor problem again)

·        Sat there for 1 hour then called RAC in UK to arrange a tow, after another hour we got it going again (seems to be the way you hold your tongue, or turn the key), onto ferry @ 12:40 for 10 minute crossing to Eidsdal

·        Drove up valley on Ornevej (Eagles road) to Geiranger Fjord, stopped at the top and at 1^st bend for photos, then dropped down to fjord level (11 hairpin bends, in 7 km drops about 500m)

·        Found camp in town (Geiranger camping, 157 NOK per night for 2 nights) www.geirangercamping.no) @ 1:30

·        Found site and set up, then wandered into town, 2 big cruise boats in ( Aurora near town and Crystal Symphony out further), plus Adriana had just left and Gann paid a brief visit, as well as the Hurtigruti @ 2:00!!! Town was full of tourists

·        Walked around the shops, had an icecream sitting on the quayside then back to the camp, groceries shopping on the way

·        Sat in the sun then went for a ride about 5:30 round the west side of the fjord to Homlong to watch the boats leave @ 6:00. Crystal ontime but Aurora @ 6:30

·        Back to camp fro tea @ 7:00 (hotdogs!)

·        Walked around the camp and town (quieter now) @ 8:00 then back to camp for hot chocolate @ 9:00

Friday 1 July fine / partly cloudy, 23°C - Geiranger

·        Up @ 8:30, had breakfast, etc, did some washing

·        Left @ 11:30, walked up the hill past the church to the Union Hotel

·        From there joined a walking track up the side of the mountain, climbed 350m to Vesteras farm / restaurant, took 45 minutes

·        Stopped for lunch (homemade sandwiches) then for an icecream

·        Then carried on to viewpoint overlooking Geiranger town and fjord, another 3.5kms along the moutain

·        Back to farm then back down the road to village, went to café for smoothie then drew 2000 NOK @ 3:00

·        Back to camp, stuffed

·        Sat and relaxed for a while, then rented kayaks (300 NOK for 1 hour) and paddles around the fjord a bit, looked @ Arion cruiseship, then back to camp @ 5:45

·        Ship left @ 6:00

·        Tea @ 7:00 (cod fillets and noodles)

·        Out for awalk around the village and camp @ 8:30, back @ 9:30 for hot chocolate

·        Crashed

Saturday 2 July cloudy / fine, 22°C - Geiranger to Forde

·        Up @ 8:30, got organised, packed up and left @ 9:45

·        Parked in ferry queue for ferry to Hellesylt

·        Walked around shops then back to van, onto ferry @ 10:45 (190 NOK for van and AC, 95 NOK for Liz = 285 NOK / £23)

·        Sailed @ 11:00, sailed past QEII which had just come in, past Seven Sisters falls and abandoned farms

·        Into Hellesylt @ 12:05, drove onto 60 over pass to 15 then to Stryn @ 1:00

·        Stopped for lunch @ Coop supermarket café, got some groceries

·        Went to Info centre, used internet (15 NOK) then back to van @ 2:00

·        South on 60 around the end of Nordfjord, through Loen and Olden and over pass to Byrkjelo (very Milford Sound looking valley)

·        South on E39 (paused for herd of goats on road) to Forde, arr 4:30

·        Found camp (Forde Camping, 175 NOK for 1 night), set up

·        Biked into town (3km) for look around (Saturday so shops closed early), picked up some more groceries then back to camp @ 6:00

·        Tea @ 7:00 (Polse (sausages, potatoes and onions)) then out for a walk around the camp @ 8:00

Sunday 3 July fine / cloudy / rain, 20°C - Forde to Bergen , Norway

·        Up @ 8:30, packed van etc and left camp @ 10:00

·        Road E39 to Bergen closed due to boulder coming off cliff so had to use Road 5 instead

·        North on E39, got petrol @ Vassenden (42 litres =  430 NOK, @ 42308) then on to Skei then onto 5, stopped for photo overlooking Fjaerlandfjorde then through tunnels down to Sogndal then through more tunnels to ferry over Sognefjord (125 NOK), 15 minutes

·        Drove through to Laerdalen Tunnel then through (25 kms long, longest in the world), taking about 20 minutes, with 3 caverns in it with blue lighting

·        Through to Flam for lunch @ 1:30, ate in a quayside café (180 NOK for 2 sandwiches and cakes!) and watched the cruise boats

·        Left @ 2:00 then back into tunnels etc on E16 through to Voss then through to Bergen, missed turnoff for camp on way into town so went through centre and north on 585 to camp

·        Checked in @ 4:30 (Bergen Bobilsenter, 195 NOK / night, 2 nights) and set up. A carpark with marked “sites” and toilets, about 1km from town on coast, designed for campers

·         Starting to rain

·        Went for a walk along the road and back then had tea @ 7:00 (steak burger patties and pesto)

·        Relaxed and watched the rain

·        Out for a walk the other way along the road, then back through cycle tunnel @ 8:00

·        Long days driving (350kms over 6 hours) with lots of tunnels (ranging from 200m to 25kms, about 40 in total!)

Monday 4 July cloudy / showers / cloudy, 22°C

·        Up @ 8:30, had breakfast etc

·        Left camp @ 9:30, walked to town via Bryggens, went to infocentre

·        Bought 2 tickets for “ Bergen in a Nutshell” tour (bus tour + up Mount Ulriken ), 130 NOK ea (£11)

·        Got on next tour (11:00) and drove through town to cable car station @ Mt Ulriken

·        Got on cable car for 10 minute ride up the mountain (642m) on Ulrikbanen, a bit misty at the top, but good view, had morning tea

·        Back down and back into town on tour bus, got off @ start point @ 12:30

·        Got lunch @ 7 Eleven (polse, noodles and 2 drinks, 80 NOK), sat in Torgallmenningen and ate it

·        Walked to Post Office and posted cd (31 NOK) with holiday photos to AC’s mum and dad, then bought English magazines

·        Walked through gardens around Lille Lungegardsvann to Bibiotek (library) surfed the net

·        Into mall next door for hot chocolate

·        Walked torailway station then along Marken, then through to Foibanen (funicular railway) and went up hill (60 NOK ea), 5 minute journey up 320m, for another view over the city

·        Back down and walked around fish market then bought some groceries

·        Walked back to camp, arr 5:00, relaxed

·        Tea @ 7:00 (chicken curry), then out for a walk @ 8:00, watched Mona Lisa cruise ship leave, then walked alond road north then back @ 9:00

Tuesday 5 July fine / windy / cloudy, 20°C - Bergen to Geilo , Norway

·        Up @ 8:30, had breakfast etc, left camp @ 9:30

·        Drove to E39 then to Asare, filled up with petrol (43.84 litres = 473.47 NOK, @ 42645 kms), drew 2000 NOK

·        OntoE16 then to 7, up over high pass then down a steep gorge to Hardangerfjord, very windy

·        Along the side of the fjord, over a brand new 1 lane suspension bridge, and lots of narrowcliff hugging roads

·        Stopped @ Granvin for toilet and stretch of legs then on through 7km tunnel and narrow road to ferry @ Bruavik, ferry 69 NOK, 10 minute crossing in the wind, @ 12:30

·        Drove to Eidfjord and stopped for lunch @ 1:00, had yoghurts and danish’s (wiener brod’s) from supermarket and sat on quay side in the sun

·        Left @ 2:00 then drove up valley, up steep gorges, through spiral tunnels, past waterfalls and out onto Hardanger Vidda plateau

·        Crossed the plateau (very windy), lots of snow, tundra, stopped for photos of lake with ice on it, then down valley to Geilo

·        Found camp (Geilo Camping, 175 NOK for 1 night) @ 4:00

·        Set up then rode into village (ski village) for look around then cloudy suddenly started rolling in (we are 800 above sea level!) so back to camp

·        Relaxed

·        Tea @ 7:00 (ravioli) then out for a walk to bottom of other ski runs in town @ 8:00, back @ 9:00

Wednesday 6 July cloudy / fine, 22°C

·        Up @ 8:30, had breakfast, packed up van, left @ 9:45

·        Drove on 7, stopped for petrol @ Gol @ 11:00 (37.63 litres = 419 NOK, @ 42928 kms)

·        Went to Stavkirke in Gol, reconstruction of an old Stavkirke (timber church), 70 NOK ea

·        Back on the road @ 11:30, carried on 7 south, stopped for Polse @ service station (25 NOK ea!) @ 1:30, @ Vik

·        Carried on south on 7 then onto E18 @ Sandvik, paid toll (20 NOK) for tunnel under Oslo then onto E6, into tunnel then branched off and came up on Ekeberg Hill

·        Found camp (Ekeberg Camping, 500 NOK for 2 nights!) @ 3:00

·        Set up then went for walk through streets to find supermarket to buy groceries (hot!)

·        Sat in the sun / shade

·        Tea @ 7:00 (chicken Caesar salad) then out for a walk around the camp @ 8:00

·        Sun set @ 10:00

Thursday 7 July fine, 25°C - Oslo

·        Up @ 8:30, warm already, had breakfast etc

·        Left camp @ 10:15, caught 74 bus to Olso Sentral Train Station (15 minutes, bought day card (Dageskort) for 60 NOK ea (£5))

·        Drew money (2000 NOK)

·        Walked to Donningens gata, went to (former) site of central Post Office, to find it had moved, but small post shop left. Went in to get “Post Restante” mail for Carrie and Paul in London (who are getting our redirected mail), got card then next door to collect small parcel

·        Walked back to Karl Johens Gate, sat @ café and opened mail. Nothing interesting except for papers for van

·        Walked to Aetat (Norway Employment Bureau), sat in queue then saw someone about work in Olso, would have to register and get ID number (15 day process) before they could help

·        Got info and forms, left @ 12:00, walked through town to Grensen, bought noodles and calzone for lunch, sat in the sun on the pavement and ate (75 NOK)

·        Walked to Universitetsgata, went to Addeco (job agency), they said we would have to complete the online registration ( in Norwegian) before they would help

·        Walked down to Manpower in Dronning Mauds Gate, and got told that jobs for non-Norwegian speaks were very hard to find

·        Walked down to waterfront, got an ice cream and sat in the sun, then caught a tram to Oslo Sentral

·        Sat in café, had a drink and surf the (free) internet. Read the news about the bombs in London (3 on tubes, 1 on a bus)

·        Bought magazines (English) then down to catch T-bane (metro) but wait too long so back up to road and caught bus 34 back up to camp @ 5:00

·        Relaxed, listed to the BBC world service about London bombs, got hold of Carrie in London , problems with her, London transport shutdown, so she was going to walk home

·        Had tea @ 7:30 (fish fingers and peas) in the shade

·        Out for a walk around camp @ 8:30, back @ 9:00

·        Sat outside

Friday 8 July fine, 26°C - Oslo

·        Up @ 8:30, had breakfast etc, packed up van and checked out

·        Drove to VW workshop in Ryen district, just along the road from the camp

·        Talked to them about looking @ the starter motor problem, they were too busy, but suggested another VW garage 5 minutes away in Bryn, went there, same story, too busy

·        Man @ garage rang around and finally got a place in Kolbotn (10kms south of Oslo ) that could look @ it

·        Finally got van started @ 11:45 and drove south on E6, through Kolbotn, got lost, eventually found the place (Bosch Workshop) @ 12:30

·        Mechanic looked at it, starter motor is the problem, part ordered and picked up within 10 minutes

·        Had to wait for engine to cool before they could replace it, walk to local shop bought yoghurts and chips for lunch, sat in the shade

·        Back to garage, work finished @ 3:30, total bill 3588 NOK (£300)

·        Went to bank to draw 3000 NOK from NZ visa account

·        Drove van to Fjordcamping, about 2 km towards Olso, checked in @ 4:00 (440 NOK for 2 nights), then set up

·        Out for a bike ride @ 4:30, down to beach, sat in sun, feet in the water until 5:30, then back to camp and the shade

·        Tea @ 7:00 (Polse Hotdogs)

·        Out for a walk around the beach @ 8:00, back @ 9:00

·        Relaxed

Saturday 9 July fine, 30°C - Oslo

·        Up @ 8:30, had breakfast etc, did some washing

·        Caught 10:10 bus from opposite camp to Hauketo Station, then train to Oslo Sentral (bought flexi ticket on bus (150 NOK for 8 tickets), each ticket allows for transfer within 1 hour)

·        Arrived in Oslo Station @ 10:35

·        Went up to café to surf wireless internet, got interrupted by fire alarm, so put laptop in storage locker (20 NOK for 24 hours) and left

·        Walked along Karl Johans Gate, stopped to look around Domkirke then on to Parliament building, carried on up Karl Johans Gate to Det Kongelige Slott ( Royal Palace / Official Residence)

·        Walked around building then back down to Acker Brygge shopping centre and waterfont

·        AC bought new shoes (slip on sneakers, 399 NOK / £30)

·        Drew 2000 NOK from NZ visa

·        Walked to Radhus then round to back went to 7 Eleven and bought salads for lunch, sat by the fountain @ the Radhus and ate lunch

·        Went into Radhus for a quick look @ the main hall then back to waterfront and up to Akershus Festning (old fortress) for a walk around, looked @ Costa Atlantica cruise ships which waqs tied up

·        Walked back to Prinsens Gate, caught 13 tram up to Vigeland Park / Frognerparken and walked up through bronze statues to granite sculptures at the top, sat with feet in fountain for a while then caught tram back to Oslo S @ 4:30

·        Picked up laptop and bought drinks @ café and surfed net (free), did some grocery shopping @ ICA in station

·        Caught 6:06 train back to Hauketo Station, then bus back to camp (bus connects with train!), back @ camp @ 6:30

·        Relaxed, tea @ 8:00 (schnitzel and noodles), did dishes

·        AC went for a bike ride @ 8:30, back @ 9:20, rode about 10kms

Sunday 10 July fine, 30°C - Oslo , Norway - Goteborg , Sweden

·        Up @ 8:30, had breakfast etc, packed up van

·        Left camp @ 9:45, drove onto E18, heading south, then onto E6

·        Crossed into Sweden then found automatic petrol station, only had a little Swedish Kroner (SEK), so put 150 SEK = 12.82 litres, @ 43289 (6003kms since leaving Edinburgh)

·        Then found another station, filled tank (41.87 litres = 497 SEK, @ 43317 kms), paid in NOK (1 NOK = 1.1 SEK), change in SEK

·        Drove on south, mainly motorway, stopped for lunch @ roadside café (open sandwiches and cakes) then on again

·        Arrived @ Goteborg 2:15, found camp (same one as the first time here, Liseburg Camping Karrulund) and checked in, parked and set up (390 SEK for 1 night (high season now))

·        Relaxed in shade, walked down to shop and back

·        Tea @ 7:00 (meatballs and pesto) then walked around camp, full camp now, Swedish / Norwegian holiday season