Wotae: 26.09.2017
The day started with us almost being late for the train. Two minutes before departure, we hurried onto the platform, hungry but presentable, with all our luggage, and were very glad to have reserved seats.
After the ticket check, we went to the onboard bistro, where we bought overpriced sandwiches along with our drinks. After breakfast, we spent the journey to Myrdal listening to music, communicating with another interrail traveler from Germany, looking out of the window, and resting.
Halfway through, the train was flooded with a group of Japanese tourists, who unfortunately also got off at Myrdal with us.
The Myrdal station is located at an altitude of 866 meters (at this point, we were already at 1222 meters!) and is the starting point of the most beautiful railway route in Europe, where the Flåm Railway runs.
The route passes through several small towns, waterfalls, mountain slopes, and tunnels, downhill to Flåm, located at 2 meters above sea level at the Aurlandsfjord. The view over the fjord, the valleys, and the waterfalls is truly breathtaking.
A special attraction of the route is the Kjosfossen, an impressive waterfall with a drop of over 90 meters. The train stops here for a few minutes, and you can get off and take photos of the cascading waterfall.
We were particularly surprised when suddenly mysterious music started playing and a woman in a red dress appeared, dancing next to the waterfall. This is one of the Huldren, one of the fairies from Norwegian folklore, who supposedly live in the region and seduce men with their beautiful first impression. 😉
Upon arriving in Flåm, we made our way to the youth hostel, where we checked into a room in a wooden house. After a short break, we explored the area, climbed a 'mountain' with a view of the fjord, and visited the tourist trap called the 'Mall of Norway' at the train station.
After a quick stop at the supermarket, we had (quite tasty) ready-made meals for dinner. The last challenge of the day was the 6-minute shower (camping showers with a coin that mercilessly turn off the hot water after 6 minutes...). Now we're going to relax a bit and soon go to sleep.
So, goodnight from the small, beautiful Flåm!