Midsummer among clouds in Norway

Here comes the summer

(All photos are my own)

Midsummer morning and I found myself quietly alone, high up on the bank of a river on the porch of a Scandi cabin with a steaming mug of tea and a view of unmelted snow.

The journey had been really too long but I had met friendly souls who had helped me with my baggage laden self along. An American from Montana studying in Prague and now exploring a family lineage from Norway, and a girl from Germany who had moved to Bergen on Norway's West coast... and that was where I was headed. Not quite the coast but the little town of Voss, known back in the day apparently, for its whorehouse!

Overloaded

I'd been warned that Norway would empty my pockets. "Take food and take beer!" As my goal in Voss was to both volunteer and party at the week-long extreme sports festival, I needed both!

And so, with 36 beers, food for 10 days, all my camping gear, warm clothes and rain jacket, ("weather could be pretty shitty so bring warm clothes" my buddies had coached), I needed help just to move, so thank goodness for Montana Girl and The Bergen German!

My chosen 'study abroad' city was Karlstad in Sweden so the first leg to Oslo was short, sweet and uneventful. I wasn't too impressed with the first half of the rattling train trip either. Where were these fabled Norwegian mountains and views?

A couple of hours into the 5 hour-traverse Norway trip and the snow began. Some dirty and almost melted, but more clean, white and banked up in gullies and on mountain crests.

Quaint wooden houses with earthen roofs began to be more common amongst the stern modern houses. Tractors were in the fields, strawberries grew in lines, and I wondered if the little dirt tracks were kept clear of snow in the winter. I asked my neighbour. "Yes" she said. "And not only that, some of these people live and farm here year-round, the children need to travel an hour to school. I know because my mother was one of them. "

As we got closer to Voss the rivers surged and roared with the turquoise blue of cold ice melt water - perfect for kayaking!

"Last year, my neighbour leaned towards my window with her knitting needles clicking away, it was so dry some of these rivers never flowed at all. "

And then Voss was announced and The Bergen German materialised from somewhere on the train and helped me unload with Scandi efficiency. My wonderful friend whom I had met in Uganda 10 years ago arrived to meet me at the station and my Voss experience began with a party: Julian's birthday, a Swiss friend I had also made in Uganda, who was celebrating in an international style. Pink chilli cocktails in Martini glasses were clenched in the hands of Brits, Norwegians, a Kenyan, a Netherlander, some Swedes, a few Germans, a Frenchie, a Finn and a Pole.

I guess Voss would begin with a midsummer hangover... but I couldn't complain about my accommodation on those first few nights!

Remember:

Voss gets lots of summer rain so be prepared.

Voss is all about being active so try any one of the many sports available to you.

Norwegians have pretty good English so don't be shy to stop and ask.

Photo gallery