Scandiroads #1 - Ready for take-off

For as long as a year I had been waiting for this day to come, for this adventure to take off. We all have dreams and the simple solution to those chasing them remains: just go for it, do what has to be done and start planning, make it happen. That’s all there is to it really, that’s all it took for me to fly back to Tromso, the city that had stolen my heart when it showed me the winterwonderland it turned into last winter. Back then, the sun barely showed itself or for a generous maximum of 4 hours. Norway seems to have a thing for extreme, because now, the sun did not want to leave at all, and remained with us day and night. So basically that’s the one comparison we can find between New York City and Tromso: the city that never sleeps. Tromso is the kind of city I could definitely see myself living some day, but for now I would have to do with this one evening. Maybe I should’ve rested after the 2 hour train ride, 2 hour flight, 2 hour transfer-time and 2hour flight again, but of course I didn’t.

I wanted to emerge with my favourite city again, there was no time to waste. Picking up the rental car was an adventure as it was, somehow I always got extremely nervous being responsible for something expensive and vulnerable. And although the thought of rocky mountainroads and curvy lakesides scared me, the fact that you count about 1 car per minute makes up for that, so I could allow myself to actually enjoy the extremely smooth car that drove me to my stay. After climbing some of the steep hills of the wooden-housed neighbourhood, and of course sliding down backwards every now and then as Dutch and hills aren’t very familiar, I made it. It was the kind of building you’d find in some fairytale forest. High, made out of the usual wood with a bright white colour to it. Enthusiastically I went inside and I immediately entered the perfect showroom of what a Norwegian house looks like. Cosy carpet, wooden stairs, hand-made art, some hiking gear here and there and the smell of wood. It didn’t feel like I was in a hotel, I felt like I was at home. The rooms weren’t any less amazing, the cosiest bed I could ask for, a little do-it-yourself kitchen and the discovery that next morning a bottle of waffle batter would be waiting by the door. I opened my window and took a breath of the purest air possible, the kind of air that makes you feel like you just breathed in a piece of gum, I could no longer resist and put on my trusted hiking gear to get lost in the city.

Now we all must have heard that Norway is a quite expensive country but it is safe to say it is worth the money. Anything you buy guarantees you with good quality, and after a day like this I didn’t care much for my plan to cook or Mac-Donalds every evening and went for one of the most fancy located restaurants: a red wooden version that peacefully lay by the harbour, where boats floated on the wrinkling dark water that reflected the soft orange city lights, that did not add much to the image as the sky was still bright and blue, at 10PM. The food and cola were worth their 30 euros, nothing is better than quietly enjoying a decent meal between some locals and some tourists as well, Tromso happens to be very beloved by many European travellers and then especially Russians, Germans, Asians and my countrymen. But it didn’t disrupt the peace at all, in fact, it added to the cosiness of the town. Nothing’s better than a little stroll after dinner to prevent that after-dinner-dip, so off I went.

By the harbourside I found my way besides the perfect, flawless wooden buildings with their own unique colours, trough abandoned curvy, hilly streets. Staring trough the windows of the now sleeping boutiques filled with trolls, wooden art, outdoor gear and all that comes to mind when thinking of Norway. It is a very funny contrast then, when suddenly a massive bridge filled with cars going from Troms to Tromsdalen, pops up. It’s also being taken advantage of by all the fit residents of the town, literally everyone here seems to be in shape and nobody cares for fancy clothing, wisely chooses decent outdoor gear. The bridge is shaped in the same way the entire city is: hilly. But while doing so the gate on my right allowed me to stare through its holes, far beneath me into the clearest water you could possibly imagine. Cristal blue water, softly wrinkling as drizzling rain drops reached the surface. And that was all the movement there was to it, the water turned deep blue and completely still, as it found its way to the blurry pointy mountaintops at its end. As I reached the highest point of the bridge were it was going downhill rapidly, the Eiffel tower of Tromso popped up: the ice cathedral. Shiny white and sharp it stood there, on the foot of a green hill filled with colourful wooden houses. Although this popular icon can be seen from almost anywhere as Tromsdalen is located a little lower than Troms, I just wanted to be close to it again. It’s a funny feeling to return to a place you’ve been before. It is like time stood still, like the city waited for you to come back. The ironic truth is that nothing or nobody waits, as has been proven, the city was still thriving, but I was truly hoping that some day I could thrive with it and be here.

After a way too short but happy evening I found my way back to the b&b (b&w actually) and laughed at myself for thinking all those steep hills might have burned the calories from my fat ass burger from before, but that was probably just that: a thought. But steep it was, I was literally leaning forward to prevent falling backwards, and I forced myself to stop sometimes to stare at the beautiful, quiet wooden houses and their little porches and big windows, because when walking I simply had to pay attention to not falling over. I had a surprisingly good night’s rest although I have to admit that even with the curtains closed my body simply sensed the never ending daylight, so it took me a while to force my body into sleeping mode. After happily housewife baking fresh waffle batter that the owner had put by our door together with some fresh jam, it was time to go. Narvik was today’s destination, where I also would be staying for 1 night. A little 232km but a big 4 hours, yes, Dutch find that a long drive. It was a surprisingly sunny 22 degrees day with a clear blue sky which made me look forward to all the good that was to come.

And as I left the inhabited world behind, an endless clear, wrinkling lake followed me for at least an hour, leading me deeper and deeper into the abandoned world where nature ruled. Slowly the amount of villas by the lake decreased, as well as the cars joining me on my journey. Now imagine a high mountain, and then about 473 times higher, sharp as a knife, covered in a silver layer of invincible eternal snow. Imagine the clearest water that shows everything hidden on the bottom, and then also imagine that peaceful sound of running water and nothing else but your own heartbeat. Imagine more trees than you can come up with a number for in just 1 view. And imagine, in front of you, nothing but an endlessly stretching, curvy road, the one sign of humanity in this rough, overwhelming world where nature called the shots. This is what I got to enjoy for the next hours, and no mountain is shaped the same, no water flows the same. Whenever stopping I simply took a breath of the purest air possible, I simply gazed upon one of the waters that all came in their own sizes, dancing their own dances. I stretched my neck trying to get a glimpse of some movement on the rocky mountains, me and my endless desire to spot a bear or moose. Despite it being one of the few roads in this country, I could still count all the cars I saw on my 2 hands in the first hour. I felt so free, I felt so at peace with myself, I felt happy. I could go anywhere, nobody told me where to go and when to be, this was my adventure. And it was going to Narvik, a lively city that ensured me with unforgettable views on my way to it.

- It's an amazing life