365 Days of Solitude: Land of the Midnight Sun

Hello again - so soon I know you are all surprised! After three days in Vienna, I am now in Prague with my mom and brother. Due to inclement weather I'm indoors, which is good news as far as blogging is concerned because it has provided me time to do some writing.

Norway was the perfect cure for my sadness of leaving Iona. The rest of the UK was great, but after leaving Iona I was experiencing an acute case of homesickness for the place and being in the same country wasn't helping me feel any better or move on. Arriving in Norway was like a breath of fresh air because it helped me put those feelings into perspective and enjoy my memories but also embrace the journey that is still to come. It also helped seeing Martin again and getting to meet the rest of his family for the first time! And I immediately felt comfortable in Bodø, because it reminded me strongly of Crested Butte. I was interested to experience the 'midnight sun' since we were above the arctic circle and was amazed that rather than making the nights uncomfortably drawn out, it gave them a vitality that held off the need for rest. I don't think that we went to bed before midnight at any point during our week there!

For our first full day, we took the Næss's boat to Landegode which is located just west of Bodø. While the rest of the family was at school, Lars and Petra (along with Martin, who joined us instead of studying for his tests) showed us around the island and took us fishing. Amazingly, the weather was the best I'd experienced since the balminess of Croatia back in January. They assured us that it was not the norm but hey, I wasn't complaining!

We spent the next few days hanging out around the house, going on hikes, enjoying barbecues (with whale meat), jamming on Lars-Petter's drums and guitar before taking off for the weekend with the whole family (minus Erik and Johannes because of work and school obligations) to the Lofoten Islands. From Bodø, we embarked on a ferry bound for Svolvær and spent the better part of six hours in the hot tub on the back deck. When all eight of us had squeezed into the jacuzzi, Lars started to break out beer bottles for all (minus the two minors). We quickly pointed out that there was a sign saying "no glass bottles in the hot tub" as well as a security camera just overhead and aimed us, to which Lars responded, "Pay attention, I'll show you this trick only once". He then plugged the top to this beer with his thumb, submerged the bottle in the water and hid the hand and beverage behind his back - Norwegian problem solving, I love it!

The Lofoten Islands were worryingly covered with clouds and rain when our ferry arrived but by the next morning it had cleared up to where we were able to enjoy the first part of the day at Henningsvær as well as our stops at Lofotr and Nusfjord. At Lofotr we visited the viking museum which included an interactive exhibit in a reconstructed feasting hall that bore striking resemblance to King Theoden's residence in Rohan. On Sunday we returned to Bodø in the afternoon, but not before taking a 'swim' in the ocean. After having been in the ocean in Scotland, my body was mostly prepared for the feat but it was still quite uncomfortable! Fortunately, the ambient temperature was much warmer than when I swam on Iona so getting out and drying off wasn't so unpleasant. The ferry ride back to the mainland was the complete opposite of the journey over, at least as far as the weather was concerned because it was perfectly clear. All around you could see the spiky peaks of Lofoten and the mainland rising up from the horizon, most still capped in snow. It was quite the sight being out in the surf, in the middle of it all. On Monday we said our goodbyes to the Næss' which was made slightly less sad by the fact that Martin and his girlfriend Ida will be traveling in the States this summer so even though I won't be there to see them, my mom and Chuck will get to hang out with them soon! An uneventful plane ride to Austria nearly catches me up to the present and is where I'll pick up next time. Until then!

Midnight in Norway as seen from Keiservarden.

Disembarking the boat in Landegode.

Time to fish!

Nearly got away.....

...but I got him in the end!

Nearly got myself too.

Coffee break on the beach.

Veldig bro(s)!

On the boat, headed back to Bodø.

Crazy looking rocks.

Made it!

Looking out on the fjord.

Finnkonnakken - it's the Norwegian equivalent of spelling 'Mississippi'.

Whale - it's what's for dinner. Seriously.

Martin and Ida.

Stuck in a Norwegian web spider web.

Chuck at the helm.

Elias on piano.

Chuck getting a lesson in Norwegian from Elias and Lars-Petter.

Midnight in Henningsvær - no wonder I wasn't asleep! It seriously felt and looked like 7 or 8 at night.

Except for the fact that no one else was out and about.

Brothers from other mothers.

The Lofoten Crew! In front of the Pippy-Longstocking house. From left to right, back to front: Elias, Lars-Petter, Martin, Margaret, Lars, Petra, and Chuck.

My mom told me that I used to make drawings like this. Creepy.

Hmm, you say?

Oh my cod, what is that? Something about it looks fishy. Sorry for my dry humor. I know it really stinks. Speaking of stinks, these large drying racks of cod are all over Lofoten. The cod are gutted, beheaded, and hung to dry and then sold around the world as a delicacy. It actually is a very nutritious food because the process leaves all the nutrients in the meat so however you eat it, dry or rehydrated, it's good! Getting back to the smell thing - there's an underlying dead fish smell in most of the villages during the drying process, but it just adds to the whole ocean/island experience!

Chillin' with the rescue crew.

Getting in touch with his heritage.

Chuck pulling off the viking look quite convincingly.

And me channeling my inner Rohirrim.

Norwegian gardening tools.

The mountains on Lofoten were incredible.

Awesome deck off one of the Nusfjord houses.

Fish oil plant - luckily it wasn't running while we were there.

Long night at the pub for this fisherman...

Uhhhh, what the heck is that?

Oh, just the town mascot of Nusfjord.

You're sure there aren't any of those things in the water?

Don't ask me why, but this happened.

My parter in this venture, Lars-Petter, didn't even dunk his head under! I say if you're going to be jumping in the Norwegian Sea might as well go all the way.

Still, nice job man! And thank goodness we're no longer in the water. I think the elapsed time from jumping in to getting out was less than three seconds but let me tell you, it was plenty.