Wunderschöns Norwege

Wies zu däm schöne Biud hie obe isch cho, wei mir euch verzeue - dr Wäg derthäre isch nämlich zimlech beschwärlich gsi, verrägnet, chaut und sehr sehr windig. Aber wie immer hets näbscht em harsche Wätter o schöni Erläbniss gäh..

We want to tell the story of our road to this lovely picture - the road was often quite hard with lots of rain and wind. But always there were positive and nice things to brighten our day when the weather would not.

Mir hei zum Bispiu z entspanntischte Schaf in ganz Norwege krützt:

For example the most relaxed sheep of Norway:

Si die Strass hie z dürab gfahre (Fv500, Lysevegen)

We drove down this winding road (Fv500, Lysevegen)

Hei d Ussicht gnosse uf karge Passstrassene...

Enjoyed the view on a sparse pass road...

Hei d Heddal Chiuche bsuecht, die gröschti Stabkirche in Norwege.

We visited Heddal church, the biggest of its kind in Norway.

Hei so viu schöni roti Hüsli gseh.

Saw so many beautiful read houses.

Und Momo het wieder ganz viu schöni Plätzli gfunde zum Parkiere oder zum Schlafe.

And Momo found lots of nice places for a rest or for a nights sleep.

Und hei natürlich viu Fisch gfange - nume leider isch no ke Kabeljau Saison gsi, so heimer üs uf Seelachs beschränkt.

And of course we caught lots of fish. Unfortunately the season for cod did not yet start, but there was lots of Pollock to catch.

Es wyters sehr grosses Highlight isch gsi wo mir imene schöne Wald plötzlich huufewys Steipilze gfunde hei. Us de schöne Exemplar heimer de z feinschte Risotto gmacht womir je gässe hei und die weniger schöne heimer gschiblet und tröcknet. 

Another big highlight was the discovery of a forest filled with Porcino. We made a delicious risotto out of the really beautiful ones and dried the rest.

Am nächschte Abe heimer das wunderschöne Plätzli hie gfunde zum Übernachte.

The next night we spent on a truly amazing spot.

Ir Nacht het sich de das idyllische Plätzli als absolute Windkanal entpuppt. Viu gschlafe heimer nid und gäge Morge isches immer wie schlimmer worde. Womer de scho am ufstah si gsi hets e so e starchi Windböe gä, dasses dr Teil vom Zelt wo über z Outo drüber use luegt het glüpft und (mir immer no aui drü im Zäut) sich z Dachzelt fasch über üs zämägleit het. Nume mit vereinte Chräft heimer vo inne chönne dergäge stemme und d Böe abwarte. Dr Freddy het ganz grossi Ouge gmacht u isch sobaud er het chönne usem Zäut gflüchtet - nume für no grösseri Ouge z mache wo när dusse dr Rege so schnäu horizontal isch cho dasses weh ta het.

The spot was amazing until we found out we had parked in a sort of wind tunnel. We didn't catch a lot of sleep and the wind turned for the worse during the morning hours. Upon getting up there was such a strong gust of wind that the lower half of our roof top tent started to fold back - right over our three heads. Only with united force we were able to straighten the tent out and await the end of the gust of wind. Freddy couldn't believe it and escaped the tent as soon as he was allowed to - just to be surprised by the rain coming horizontally and with pain-inducing force.

Luschtigerwys isches o usgrächnet d Nacht gsi womer entschiede hei, die atröcknete Steipilze mit ufe z näh is Zäut für dass sie ar Heizig besser chöi nache tröckne, so quasi ds Schlafzimmer als Dörrex missbruche.

So het die Irichtig usgseh. U wie dir euch chöit vorstelle hei mir am 3 ir Nach gfluechet wo dr Wind üs im Schlaf het Pilze ufe Chopf gwäit. Glücklicherwys heimer schnäu reagiert u de glich no die meischte Pilze chönne rette.

This windy night so happened to be the night we decided to take the half-dried porcino into the tent to allow it to dry completely in front of our heater. That's how our mushroom-shelve looked. You can just imagine how badly we were swearing when - at 3 in the morning - mushrooms started falling on our heads because the tent was shaking in the wind. Fortunately we were able to save most of the mushrooms.

So, i de nächschte Nächt heimer ume besser ufpasst, wo gnau mir üses Zäut ufsteue u de o wieder meh Schlaf gfunde.

You can believe us when we say that during the next few nights we were really carful in our choice of sleeping spot and thus were able to catch some sleep.

Aus Belohnig für die strängi Nacht heimer de derfür dörfe d "Trollstigen" fahre, e Strass, wome gad e chli Angscht bechunnt weme übere Rand drüber abe luegt.

We were then treated to a ride along the incredibly impressive road named "Trollstigen". The view from top was pretty scary.

Sogar dr namensgebend Troll heimer gfunde.

We even found the troll giving its name to the famous street.

Der Freddy het das aues nid so gross interessiert, er isch froh gsi umenes Bett wo nid über ihm zämä klappt.

Freddy was not so much interested in the ride - he was jsut glad to have a sturdy bed not threatening to collapse above him.

Eis vo de nächschte grosse Highlights isch d Fahrt entlang vor Atlantic Ocean Road gsi. S isch nid e lange Strasseabschnitt, aber berüehmt für die schöne Brügge wo vo eire chlyne Insle zur nächschte füehre und derfür, dassme bir Fahrt am Atlantik ganz nach isch. Mir hei de no gstoppt und wieder mau gfischet vore spezielle Fischerbrügg. Und de o gad wieder Glück gha miteme schöne Seelachs. 

Another highlight was the drive along the infamous Atlantic Ocean Road. That's a road with lots of bridges where you feel really close to the Atlantic Ocean. Of course we put in a stop to try for some fish and were successfull - Pollock it was again.

Mittlerwyle isch d Stimmig scho sehr herbschtlich hie.

By now the landscape looked a lot like fall.

Nach vilne stränge Nächt mit Räge und um die 0 Grad simer du uf de Lofote acho.

After another set of exhausting nights (rain, wind and temperatures around 0 degrees) we arrived on Lofoten.

Dr Räge u Wind hei üs zilmech fertig gmacht, mir hätte üs so fescht Schnee gwünscht aber wüu mä sich settigs nid cha wünsche, heimer de ufgäh und e Unterkunft buechet. Am meischte het sich wie immer dr Freddy gfreut ar warme Stube.

The rain was so exhausting and refused to turn into snow so we gave up and rented a hut. As always Freddy was most delighted about that decision.

Die Unterkunft het ganz viu schöns z biete gha. S härzige Hüsli an sich isch scho schön gsi, derzue hets no e Billiard-Tisch und e Pingpong-Tisch im Stall dernäbe gä. Derzue isch die wunderschöni Umgäbig uf de Lofote cho, e Elch wo fasch täglich verbi isch cho und nach es paar Nächt sogar no d Nordliechter wo mir üs so fescht gwünscht hei. Löht nech vo de nächschte Biuder säuber la überzüge.

Our hut was quite amazing. Not only was it a cutely decorated and cosy hut, there was also a pool table and table tennis in the barn next door. Additionally there was the lovely Lofoten vista, a resident moose who visited almost daily and after some nights we finally spotted northern lights. Have a look at the pictures and you'll understand.

Mir hei ja scho gwüsst wie schön die Nordliechter si, aber nacheme Jahr "Abstinenz" hei sie üs zimlech umghoue. Sie si teilwys rächt starch gsi, o we glichzytig no Vollmond isch gsi.

Even though we knew that the Northern lights were the magic phenomenon we ever observed we were again overwhelmed. They were sometimes quite strong, even though there was also a full moon.

Näbscht de Elche heimer ono Seehünd gseh. Und zwar gseht dir eine im nächschte Biud - vorusgsetzt dir findet ihn :-)

We also spotted a seal. Can you see it?

Villicht wemer chli ine zoome?

Maybe if we enhance a little bit?

Nach üsne schöne 10 Täg im Hüsli uf de Lofote simer wieder wyter u dises mau isch zum Glück ändlich dr Winter cho - das isch zwar chaut u sträng, aber bim Campe simer würklich lieber chli cheuter unterwägs u hei derfür Schnee statt Räge.

Zersch hei mir üs aber müesse usrüschte für die Cheuti. Dr Freddy het zum Bispiu e Winterjagge brucht. Die heter (zu sim Leid) direkt im Lade chönne ga aprobiere. D Jagge het ihm am Afang nid sehr gfaue, aber dr Räscht vom Tierlade scho - fasch wär är no zumene Ladedieb worde.

After the lovely 10 days in the Lofoten hut we felt ready once more to try our luck with the weather - and finally winter had arrived. Even if that means colder temperatures, camping is still easier with snow than with cold rain.

But first we had to buy some equippment to shield us against the cold. Freddy needed a winter jacket. We found one in a pet shop and he was even allowed in to try it on, not really to his liking. Everything else in the shop appealed much more to him than the jacket. He almost turned thief at one point.

När hei mir warmi Winterschueh brucht. Ungloublich isch gsi aus wie schwierig sich das usegstellt het - schön warmi Schueh z choufe imene Land wo scho mit Schnee bedeckt isch gsi - überall hets gheisse, d Wintermode chömi de no. Nach langem Sueche simer de fündig worde u si super zfriede dermit.

After that it was time to buy warm boots. We couldn't believe how hard it was to find nice warm boots in a country already covered in snow. In most stores we were told that the winter collection was only about to arrive. After some looking we finally found a fitting pair and are super happy with our purchase.

Ganz gli het dr Freddy sini Jagge afa toleriere u je cheuter es isch worde, desto meh het är sie glehrt schetze.

Soon Freddy learned to tolerate his jacked and when temperatures sank even lower he started to like it a lot.

Mittlerwile heimer o wieder täglich Rentier troffe.

In the meantime we were able to observe a lot of reindeer again.

Mängisch i ganz grosser Azahl.

Sometimes in huge flocks.

Chlyses Interlude: Hie no e Gruess vo Freddy's Fründe us Berlin- d Arkoudi und d Piper si zämä bim Tierarzt gsi. Uf däm Foto isch d Piper ar Arkoudi ga Biistand leischte wo sie uf d Waag het müesse. Dir fählet üs!

Little interlude: Greetings from Freddys friends from Berlin, Piper and Arkoudi. The two had a visit at the vet and the pictures shows how Piper supported Arkoudi when the latter had to sit on the scale. We miss you!

So, nomau zrugg zur Chelti. S sch mängisch scho erstuunlech was aues so gfriert und vor auem wie schnäu dasses cha ga. Mittlerwile het me z Dachzelt nume guet zuebracht we öpper obe druf ghocket isch während azurre - aus Gwicht für em zuegfrorene Stoff chli entgäge z ha. Viu Fotos gits nid für aues z zeige, d Finger si i settignet Momente nid bereit, no die zuesätzlichi Cheuti uf sich z näh fürnes Foto z mache.

And another few impressions about camping in the cold. It's sometimes still surprising how many things are able to freeze and in what a short time they do so. By now we had to use a new method to be able to close the half frozen tent. It only worked with one of us sitting on top to add weight. There are not a lot of pictures because using the little heat we were able to retain in our fingers for taking picutres was seldomly a good idea.

Apropos chalti Finger: d Sina het üs in Berlin näbem Omnia no e chole-betriebene Taschewärmer gschänkt. Ganz es luschtigs Ding u we mes mau zum loufe bracht wirds sehr agnähm warm, Danke!!

Talking of cold fingers: Sina from Berlin presented us not only with an Omnia, but also with a coal-powered pocket warmer. It's a funny little tool and once it starts burning it can give of a really cosy warmth, thank you!!

Derfür simer nomau mitere Nacht vou Nordliechter belohnt worde.

We were gifted with another night of northern lights.

Wo d Nordliechtaktivität am sterchschte worde isch, het sich leider e dicki Wolkedechi über ganz Lappland gleit. Ir erschte aktive Nacht heimer no chli öppis hinter de Wulche gseh, aber die wytere Nächt heimer de nume mit Biuder vo anderne us Island und Kanada chönne gniesse.

The northern lights activity started to increase a lot. But at the same time a thick cover of clouds started to cover all of Lapland. During the first very active night we could still see something behind the clouds, but during the next nights we were only able to enjoy pictures of lucky people in Iceland and Canada.

Dieses mau heimer es paar Zytraffer vo de Nordliechter ufgnoh - ir Hoffnig, d Bewegig chönne übere z bringe. Hie heimer die schönschte Exemplar ufeglade (leider nid i voller Qualität, süsch wirds z gross).

During this year we tried to make some timelapses of the northern lights - we hope to show you a bit how the lights move about the sky. We upploaded the nicest of them, unfortunately only in low quality because of the file size.

Danke fürs mitreise und mitgniesse!

Thank you for travelling and enjoying with us!