We completed the other hills on the western side by sidling up to them with no more than a glance to thank them for diverting large expected rainfall away from Bergen. Mountains can do this I believe, in the form of Orographical rainfall.
We slowly turn the big boat around, and through a Sydney Harbour size fjord with small islands creating a guard of honour until we let loose one side and no longer a fjord but the open seas. We take with us the musical god of nature – Grieg, who made music that brings nature with us.
This highly admired and respected Norwegian has influenced the average citizen to a degree that is lauded throughout this country today.
We went to bed with Edward and his precious piano concertos as they brought their gentle sounds to what often is to me, the reality of nature. One of the beauties of creativity is, we can use our own interpretation.
I used to get up before dark to escape the morning rush until I realised I was the morning rush. Everybody lay peacefully asleep or dozing, dreaming, enjoying the few awake moments of life when those moments are totally theirs.
I haven’t done any of those things for a while because I was rushing to do things so I can turn to ‘pd things’ to keep me functioning fairly well.
We started walking when she, the bus driver said: “We have arrived”. I was conscious of leaving the track any time but I always had a way out. Not so this time. There were wrong names and distances in some instances which meant luck had to throw us a lifelIne. Three of those were young men who literally showed us the right track.
We chatted to a near 90 year old woman who at that age surprised us with her grasp on English. The scenery was extremely beautiful, with islands with their soil pushed up from the ground below. We were lucky to have our wandering navigators.
The trails we are following have a physical theme also with the numerous rocks to be climbed and therefore placing a high focus on balance, it’s a bit like a daily pd exercise class. It would be great to have a video maybe to play for part of the class so I’ll look out for some material today.
I am now in the exercise zone and perform my pd warrior exercises daily for 20 minutes. Then I do my osteo exercises for 20 minutes. Our accommodation is at the back of a church and there is a tree branch and an old sturdy pipe where I can attach my resistance band.
On my ways to and fro I met a local who wanted to know about my sign ‘ Walking with Parkinsons’ so we had a long chat. A similar one occurred the other day. I enjoy those times greatly. I’ve had other conversations mainly with women our age.
Other chats have been about cost of living and the trustworthy economy. For tourists it is different and we are noticing changes as we go into summer.
Accommodation started its rise about mid May going up about 30% if you can find it and entertainment prices the same. If you are hiking those costs don’t matter as much, about 10% of the track is so wet you may have to change course or wait til the time when the track is dry and that’s the first week of June when more rooms open their ‘sleeping doors’ also.
Today we’re off to another beautiful part of the world near Sandnes with nearly all of their homes bordering on a pendulum.
It is difficult for all but Norwegians seem to take it better than most.
There were flat and hill walks; mountain and stream walks; bush but no bashing walks; dog and kid walks, on leash or no leash, every walk one might imagine. There were walkers and runners, and bikes, but only a few of each. The biggest shock was the ‘just a few’, on a glorious day with one of our few showers just cooling us a little.
As I said earlier I have adjusted our distance to equal the amount of kms of the pilgrimage between Oslo and Trondheim of 640 kms. This will happen in the next few days. Talk to you soon.
Congratulations on such wonderful recounts 🦄
Loving your descriptions Will—and also your notes on the connections you are making. Love to you and Coralie. xx
You two will certainly be packing a spectacular patchwork quilt to bring home yet again of wonderful and beautiful memories, unique experiences, emotional awakenings, various and often unexpected encounters with ‘special’ or unusual people along the way, and spectacular images of the extraordinary scenery you’ve stolen along the way. So pleased for you both that you have so enjoyed your Scandinavian sojourn, including the ups and downs along the way. The energy and determination shown by you two is both admiral and inspirational.
Looking so forward to catching up when you get back – you can then share the ‘warmth’ of your beautiful quilt with us!
Big warm hugs to see you through your last few days.
Love from Dode and Carolyn💖💖
Your descriptions are great. Enjoyed them all and look forward to a catch up o your return
Love Rob and barb
Always wonderful to hear of your adventures and also the details of your days Will. Your comment on Grieg inspired me to listen to his music for the first time in many years. Thank you! And I also googled Sandnes and saw some great photos of the area you and Corrie are travelling through. Keep inspiring us all Will to live every day to the full. Sue and Barry
You two seem to have hit your stride – both metaphorically and literally. So glad you are no longer getting up so early – for Corrie’s sake and because a man can only do so much exercise!! You seem to be having a splendid time., and im loving hearing it observed.
Dick