First
i should say - there are not enough superlatives in the world to
adequately describe the Lofoten Islands' beauty. Even the word
“beauty” seems so deficient.
Suffice
it to say – the bus trip from Narvik to A (in the lofoten islands)
was easily the best bus trip i've ever had. We (i was with
Christiana and Tanya a German-Canadian mother and daughter team)
started out with small 'wows' and a few half-hearted attempts to snap
pictures from the bus windows. Within 20minutes of leaving Narvik
(which is actually a very cute town too) we were running from one
side of the bus to the other – jostling to get the best possible
angle to catch the scenery. The problem was – it was coming at us
from every angle! Out every window. Every time the bus turned a
corner you could not help but to crane your neck to see what stunning
scenery would be revealed.
Everything
from craggy mountains embellished with snow patches and waterfalls to
crystal clear, green, blue and purple sparkling fjords. Accompanied
by pristine lakes, churning rivers, iridescently green meadows
studded with wildflowers and postcard perfect cute villages complete
with brightly coloured, hut-like houses and quaint rowboats tethered
in sheltered harbours.
By
the end of the 8h trip (i had to travel straight from Narvik to Å,
the last stop on the one road in Lofoten, to get to my hostel) i
think i was actually exhausted from all the beauty.
i
know i'm gushing and sounding all tourist propogandaish – but if
you actually go there you will understand that what i've described is
still understating the appeal of the area. Check out the photos and
see for yourselves – even though they are taken from a bus window
(complete with reflections and distortions) they are still among the
best pictures i have from this trip.
Oh
yeah – i should add – Lofoten really did remind me of New
Zealand. It is similar to Milford Sound (from what i've seen in
pictures) – except for all the cute fishing villages and all the
northern hemisphere vegetation and animals (including very loud and strange looking sea gulls - with 24hr light they don't sleep either).
