A land of art nouveau! In the first ever guidebook I glanced at about Norway, I noticed a city perched on a peninsula surrounded by blue sky and about the most spectular setting ever. Ålesund is where I had to be. I would often gaze at that photo like it was that of the lady I love most. No matter how many times I looked at that photo, I just had to see it with my own eyes.
When I started this adventure a month ago I wasn't planning on coming up to Norway but Ålesund called my name and I was determined in Chris Farrell fashion to get here! As an unplanned detour, I also went through some trials and tribulations along the way as the weather has been fickle and it was difficult getting lifts the other day. Norway is typically a very expensive place to travel but with the combination of a weak krone and a strong US dollar, costs are very reasonable these days (still, it's not as cheap as India or Thailand). Carrying a bag to collect cans and bottles along the way has helped top up my travel funds a fair bit. The other night I pitched my new tent for the first time at Vinstra and then got a lift to Dombas with a truckie from Belarus. With another lift, we'd stop at Trollveggen.
At more than a mile high, it is the highest mountain wall in Europe. Although Norway has right-of-access camping, I opted to camp at an official campground in Ålesund so I could cook and have a shower. Last night I set up my tent and then walked as fast as I could up to the Aksla lookout. Splendid! Spectacular! Grandiose!
In 1904, a fire completely destroyed Ålesund overnight, with a gale adding to the force of the blaze. Only one life was lost, however. Historically, towns of Norway were built mostly of wood, and many were destroyed by fire but Ålesund was hit especially hard. After the fire, buildings were built from stone in art nouveau style. Ålesund's setting, along with that of places like Cape Town and Wellington, is among the most spectacular of any city or town I've ever visited. Ålesund is perfect for a stroll at close to midnight as I went on a photo safari.
I would love to live here! The campground manager told me that whilst Norway is currently inexpensive for tourists, many places have tried to raise prices but then locals complain. Indeed, I've seen scores of campervans, caravans, and Harley riders despite the weather.
This morning I wanted to get out there quickly whilst the sun was shining. The weather was supposed to turn foul again so I tried to get up to the lookout as fast as possible but I didn't make it on time.
Situated at the beginning of Geirangerfjord, Ålesund is a major cruise ship draw. Despite two large cruise ships in port, the on-site cafe at the Aksla lookout wasn't open. I called Mom whilst she was visiting Dad so I could show her this incredible view. Today, much like during most of this trip, the weather was on-again, off-again. I'd duck into a shop to glance at souvenirs whilst it rained and then went outside for photos once the sun was out.
Buying wine is complicated in Norway as the only place that sells it is the Vinmonopolet, and they're designed so the entrance is difficult to find. They're open limited hours to begin with (until 6 PM) and not at all on Sundays. Germany this is not! Stocked up on some wine for this evening, I had a gorgeous view as I had fish and chips for dinner. For a place right next to the sea and for its fishing industry, the fish was pretty ordinary. I just can't stay away from the lookout as I walked up there again; it's not hard to do when the sun sets at 10:30 PM.
Standing up here reminded me of one of my favourite travel stories. Not long after my first journey, which was to Australia in '04, I read an article about a man in his mid-30's who was addicted to alcohol and crack cocaine, but his brother had a job that required him to travel a lot for work. His brother's all-time favourite place was the fjords of Norway, so his brother convinced him to get his passport and go with him to Norway. He enjoyed the journey so much that he gave up his addictions and then became a frequent traveller himself, having been to some 50 countries. It's amazing how some places can really touch your heart. Sitting peacefully in my tent with a cup of wine after a long day, I'm plotting my course for tomorrow as the needle is pointing north.
Like that special lady that I talked about, Ålesund was worth the wait, even if I wished the weather was just a bit better.
