Silly Billies Return to Roam

I had been looking forward to this week since we first learned the World Orienteering Championships (WOC) were going to be held in Trondheim in 2010 - that was over a year and a half ago - I knew it would be very exciting and it certainly lived up to my expectations. Ian and Anne (Chris's parents) arrived in at Pirabadet terminal from Kristiansund on Saturday evening - just after I had said farewell to Al and Amber and watched them disappear on the train back to Oslo. The Forne's had been traveling around Southern Norway for the week before making their way to Trondheim. Chris was feeling apprehensive before the start of WOC, he had put in a lot of preparation over the past year and a bit we had been living in Trondheim - and on top of that he had just been asked if he could deliver the 'Oath of Fair Play' on behalf of all the competitors at the opening ceremony. Sunday morning was warm and clear, as Ian, Anne and I walked down to Sverresborg Folk Museum where the sprin...

Reine - a classic Lofoten view I visited Lofoten last July with Mum and Dad - it is an amazing place in north Norway, and we decided that it was worth the expense for Al and Amber to see it too - I was certainly excited to go back there again. So Al, Amber and I took the plane up to Bodø from Trondheim on Sunday evening. The 10 hour drive takes a mere 60 minutes by plane. We were hoping for some exciting views from the plane but unfortunately it was pretty cloudy. Chris had had to stay behind in Trondheim because this was his last week of preparation for the World Orienteering Championships (WOC) which would start in Trondheim the following week. We arrived in Bodø at 8pm and trudged down to the same campground that Mum, Dad, Chris and I had stayed at last year. We had to muck around sorting out a hire car in the morning, but eventually got one sorted and drove up toward the ferry crossing from Tyssfjorden to Lødingen. It was cloudy, but we still enjoyed the craggy scenery and raw roc...

We arrived in Lillehammer on July 25th to meet Al and Amber outside the train station laden with big packs and bikes. They were at the beginning of their 3 month holiday in Europe - some if which will involve cycle touring. They were amused by our wonky little new car and its strange noises - nevertheless we crammed everything in and took off towards Lom via the scenic route 51. After many hours driving and lots of excited catching up we arrived in Lom, ate some terrible Lom burgers and found a spot to put our tents. In the morning we continued through to Geiranger Fjord along the tourist route - then over the amazing Trollstigen road and down into Åndalsnes. We stopped every two minutes to jump out of the car and take photos of the amazing view. Breakfast on the jetty We liked this first aid vehicle Above the Trollstigen Rock perch From Åndalsnes we headed up the valley and parked our car at Rabben. We spent a while reorganizing gear, before heading off on foot into Svartvassbu. I...