A country of rocks and water

Hello to everyone at home or wherever you're roaming. In the now colder and darker Norway, there's still a lot going on, so I hardly have time to describe everything properly.

Now the days are shorter than in Germany again, and the time to admire Trondheim's lights at night is getting longer. I still can't get enough of it!

Actually, I'm currently busy getting initial results for my master's thesis. Besides doing a literature review, there are database evaluations and simulations of a heat pump system. So the work provides a good balance alongside the excursions. And this balance is also necessary. Three weeks ago, the Norwegian government lifted all COVID restrictions. So now official student organizations can plan trips. As a result, I also signed up for two slightly different trips, which I will report on later. Additionally, I recently visited the fjords and will be visiting Lofoten for the third time. This time with the many people I've met here. Planning a trip for thirteen people is not easy, and compromises have to be made. So a total of four trips are planned for October and November.

Extending my stay abroad for another semester was a good decision. The invested time pays off disproportionately, even compared to the first semester.

Since my last post, I have been to the good old Heinfordstua again. For this, we waited in shifts from 9:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. at the university, and the waiting paid off. A modern sauna, a beautiful hiking area, and boat rides make the leisure time in this cabin very diversified.

My past weekends in cabins have given a good impression of what you can experience there. However, this time it was somewhat special (and at least a surprise for me). This time I'll let the pictures do the talking...

We also took a shorter cabin trip to the Trollheimen mountain range. This time with a different mixed group. Portugal, Brazil, France, and of course Italy were all represented. It's always fun when different nations come together to celebrate their country-specific stereotypes. And when it comes to food, the Italians are naturally at the forefront with their quirks. We did a 6-hour summit tour and, of course, had spaghetti with pesto in the evening. Relaxing with guitar music and a social gathering perfects the atmosphere in a cabin.

In Trondheim, we also took the time to see the city from the Nidelva river.

Each trip brings a new piece of Norwegian landscape to admire. However, you'll find the broadest range of landscapes on a trip specifically designed for that purpose. Since I arrived in Norway in January, I haven't had the opportunity to see the famous fjords on the west coast. This area is also home to many scenic routes. These are roads where nature is even more impressive, and various architectural viewpoints offer the opportunity for a panoramic rest. Many of these roads are closed from November due to snow and avalanche danger. October is therefore the last chance to visit. I invited my roommate Håkon. A Frenchwoman and a Colombian girl also joined us for the trip. 1300 kilometers, 5 days of driving with 5 hours on the road each day. This provided the opportunity to visit some famous and less famous places. The rainy Atlantic Road, the dark cave system of the 'Troll Church', Europe's highest cliff wall 'Trollveggen', many glaciers, and of course fjords. I had the chance to admire some of these views in 2018 when I visited a fellow student in Trondheim. This, of course, doesn't take away from the awe-inspiring wonders that millions of years of slow but steady forces crafting beneath our feet can produce. Also, our accommodations (ranging from 100 to 180€ per night) were all extremely comfortable. In my experience, Norwegian hosts maintain a good standard in their accommodations. One accommodation was located next to a picturesque glacier lake. Lakes fed by glacial ice can easily be recognized by their incredibly intense turquoise color. This is due to the rock flour carried in the glacial water, which reflects only the green-blue light components. When you see thousands of liters of glacial water plunging from a cliff edge into the depths, it's hard to imagine that this mass of water is melting from the glacier every second. On the other hand, Europe's largest glacier stretches across the mountains of the fjords, and its ice mass (although declining) still seems incomprehensible. Of course, in the fjords, you also have to take some ferries to get from point A to point B, which brings a pleasant change after several hours of driving.

The Viking fjord Nærøyfjord. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site for a reason

The Viking fjord Nærøyfjord. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site for a reason

In my opinion, everyone should travel through the fjords themselves at least once. Road trips are a special kind of vacation that provides a unique atmosphere. When you drive along a vast and cold plateau with exciting peaks in the distance, it gives you a sense of peace that's hard to compare. Reindeer are just the icing on the cake.

Video compilation of the trip: https://youtu.be/2FPSNCKCMJI

After this trip, I only had one full day to work for my university before the next planned trip. You only make such experiences once. For this one, we're heading to Hoddevik on the west coast. Waves are waiting for us. Waves on which many of us will gather their first surfing experiences.