Wotae: 14.07.2022
The small town of Flåm was not originally on our Norway bucket list, but we wanted to meet up with Nina and Mauri again, so now the four of us are sitting together in our cozy camp and opening our 5-liter canister of Rosé... :)
Unfortunately, the rain is still following us, but we won't let it dampen our mood. Actually, we all agree that if we weren't camping together in Norway, we would never leave the house in this weather... And yet, being surrounded by nature is so good for us! Following the motto "There is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing," we plan the next day.
After a leisurely breakfast, on July 6, 2022, we head to the Flåm Railway, apparently the most beautiful and idyllic railway line in Norway. They certainly charge a premium for it, at €45 per person for just an hour's journey... but at least the train climbs 866 meters from Flåm to Myrdal, making it one of the steepest train routes in the world. Along the way, the train stops at Kjosfossen, where the Huldra (a fairy from Norwegian folklore) dances and sings to amuse the tourists (according to legend, the Huldra led men astray and into the mountains).
Once we reach the top, it's quite cold and there are patches of snow. But that doesn't stop us from renting mountain bikes and racing down all the vertical meters back to Flåm. Okay, maybe "racing" is too much to say, considering the sharp 180-degree turns on the popular Rallarvegen bike path. It's wonderful to be able to ride down the path instead of up it! Of course, everything is wet from the rain, and we are soon covered in dirt... And as expected on our Norway trip, we get wet from above again. Frozen but happy, we look forward to a hot shower at the campsite. The perfect end to the day is a visit to the cozy pub in Flåm, which offers fantastic food and home-brewed beer.
Unfortunately, tomorrow we will have to go our separate ways again, but vacationing with friends is like a vacation within a vacation! Thank you Nina and Mauri for the fun time :)