Maråk

What a day!! Though the temperature has dropped by about 20° since we arrived in Scandinavia, we simply rug up and enjoy some of the most amazing views ever!! That's what raincoats are for, right? We started the day with a cruise along Geirangerfjord. It's misty and cold and threatening to rain. In fact, the chances of rain today are 90%! We board one of the sightseeing boats (it's a vehicular boat) and chug the 7km or so to Hellesylt at the end of the fjord arm, taking a little over an hour. It turns even cooler and the rain starts but that doesn't stop me from spending the entire trip on deck, with trusty raincoat working overtime. I was the only one standing at the end ... mad, right? My fingers are freezing but it's worth the risk of frostbite to take in all that Geirangerfjord has to offer. I think we're lucky to be travelling in the rain ... the waterfalls are waterfalling like crazy and it's spectacular. We pass the Seven Sisters Waterfall with The Suitor on the opposite bank. Legend has it that a young man tried to court seven sisters but none of them would have him. Somehow, they were turned into waterfalls (the famous Norwegian trolls probably did it) and they were destined to stay on opposite sides of the fjord forever. Serves him right for messing with sisters!! Either way, they looked lovely and lively in the mists of the fjord.
We take the bus along the famous Golden Route to Dalsnibba, the highest lookout in Norway - 1500m above sea level. Again, we take the hairy hairpin bends around uber-steep cliffs and pay the exorbitant toll to take the private road to Dalsnibba. From Stryn (where we stop for lunch and eat Norwegian cake because we can and is delicious so why not?) it's only 21kms but the incline makes the ride 40+ minutes. There is more oohing and ahhing and gnashing of teeth from the bus occupants along the risky way. You will recognise the view here from every travel photograph ever taken in Norway ever!! Our photos show mists and clouds and it is still spectacular. Sam doesn't brave the cold for very long (which is fair ... it's 3° after all) but I try for some sucky selfies to prove that I am brave enough to step onto the cliff, bold enough to walk the skywalk and stupid enough to stand in the cold and the rain for the sake of photography. My fingers are frozen again within minutes because I'm not wearing my gloves. These are the sacrifices we make for photography, right? I love it!!
We return to Geiranger the "back way" (still as glorious as ever), descending into the mists that is the windy and treacherous road that leads to Geiranger. We get off at the midway point down the mountain to walk the "Waterfall Way" to the township and ogle more glorious waterfalls along the way. It's rugged but the walk is easy. We reward ourselves with a boozy dinner and our room view over the, now, rain-free and ever-beautiful Geirangerfjord. Samara laments because she only patted one puppy today...
My posts are getting longer ... I don't apologise 😉Read more