Sometimes you can already tell from the reviews that a campsite is different from the others. About Ali, the owner, it was said: He cooks for his guests, and order is more of a secondary concern here, but everything is done with love and care. Exactly what we wanted to see.
Hardly had we entered the living room, which also serves as the reception, when Ali informed us that he still had fish from the previous day and wanted to cook in the evening. A few Swiss guests had also announced their arrival. Half an hour later, we found ourselves in the communal kitchen; I could have returned my vegetables back to the van – everything was almost ready. It smelled of rice, chicken, fish, and fresh salad.
Gradually, the other guests started to arrive: a German couple, two Danes, and finally Stephan and Helen from Switzerland. Since we had already been helping in the kitchen for a while, someone asked how long we had actually been there. Umm... since just now.
The evening ended in the little fire hut with Ali, Stephan, and us – funny, thoughtful, loud, and quiet all at once. Ali shared stories of his life: arriving from Yemen 20 years ago, adopted by his Norwegian father, who is now sick in a home. Ali speaks fluent Norwegian and English but still struggles with racism from time to time. And he fears he might be alone soon.
The next day, when Stephan and Frank were supposed to go fishing, I suggested that Ali simply join them and I'd take over the reception. He laughed until he realized I was serious. We made a deal – and stayed another day.
The day began very slowly after a long night. We had a long breakfast and explored the beautiful campsite a bit. It is situated on a small peninsula in the middle of the fjord. From our spot, we could watch the ebb and flow of the tide, which was quite impressive.
In the early afternoon, the boat set off with a yodeling Stephan in the bow – a spectacle! Helen and I got comfortable in the sun and kept an eye on the entrance.
A few hours later, the men returned with a small cod. Dinner that evening was reindeer for the non-pescatarians, accompanied by new guests – Uli and Sabine from Berlin, Ludwig and his father from Munich. And again, the evening ended in the fire hut, with music, stories, polar lights, and even a little dancing. What a vibe!
The next morning, we helped to move a caravan that had gotten stuck. It took longer than expected, but finally, Stephan's electric car with our Australian recovery strap pulled it out of the mud. Then it was time to say goodbye. A little wistfully, we rolled on south – carrying many beautiful memories with us.
Chief Little Fish – or How to Make Friends on the Road
Sometimes you can already tell from the reviews that a campsite is different from the rest. About Ali, the owner, people wrote: he cooks for his guests, and while things may not be super organized, everything is still done with love and care. Exactly the kind of place we wanted to see.
As soon as we had paid in the living room – which doubles as the reception – Ali told us he still had fish from the day before and was planning to cook dinner. A couple of Swiss guests were on their way too. Half an hour later we found ourselves in the communal kitchen. The vegetables I had brought along could go straight back to the van – everything was already almost ready. Rice simmering on the stove, chicken and fish sizzling in the oven, fresh salad being tossed. It smelled amazing.
One by one, the other guests arrived: a German couple, two Danes, and finally Stephan and Helen from Switzerland. Since we had been helping Ali in the kitchen for a while, someone asked how long we’d been staying there. Umm … since just now.
The evening ended in the little fire hut with Ali, Stephan, and us – funny, thoughtful, loud and quiet all at once. Ali told us about his life: moving from Yemen over 20 years ago, adopted by his Norwegian father who is now sick and in a nursing home. Ali speaks fluent Norwegian and English, yet still faces racism from time to time. And he admitted he is afraid of ending up alone.
The next day, when Stephan and Frank were supposed to go fishing, I suggested Ali should just go with them and I’d take over reception. He laughed until he realized I was serious. Deal! So we decided to stay another day. The day starts slowly after a long night. We linger over breakfast and wander around the beautiful campsite, perched on a small peninsula in the middle of the fjord. From our spot we can watch the tide ebb and flow – and it’s pretty impressive.
By early afternoon the boat set off, with a yodeling Stephan in the bow – what a sight! Helen and I stayed back, set up a table in the sun with the campsite entrance in view, and made ourselves comfortable.
A few hours later the men returned with a small cod. Dinner that night was reindeer for the non-pescatarians, joined by new arrivals – Uli and Sabine from Berlin, and Ludwig with his father from Munich. Another evening in the fire hut followed: music, stories, northern lights, and even a little dancing. The atmosphere was simply magical.
The next morning we helped move a caravan that had gotten stuck. It turned out trickier than expected, but eventually Stephan’s electric car – with the help of our Australian recovery strap – pulled it free. Then it was time to say goodbye. A little wistfully, we rolled on south, carrying lots of wonderful memories with us.
