Wednesday 25th February
It’s raining quite heavily in Flam as we catch the Flam valley railway back to Myrdal. But as gain height in the valley this changes to heavy snow fall ruining our view some what! At Myrdal we change to the Oslo train and once again the view is mostly obscured by snow. At Finse (altitude 1222metres) we pass the highest point and can see the blue ice of Hardangerjokul glacier glittering in the southwest (well we should according to the guide book but of course we can’t). So we’re supposed to be enjoying the scenery but instead I’m trying to muffle my sobbing as I read ‘the last days of Rabbit Hayes’ and Daz is reading and occasionally guffawing at my red eyes and snotty face. Well he’s reading it next but he only sobs at animal stories like ‘Marley and me’ and despite the title of this book isn’t about a rabbit! At Lysaker we get off the train. It’s 2.30pm and our couch surfing hosts won’t be home until 5pm so we sit in a cafe for a few hours.
We catch a bus and we’re soon with our couchsurfing hosts. Mona and Erik and their 2 gorgeous dogs Amanda and Sylva (2 Shetland sheepdogs) – so cute!
Thursday 26th February
Another cold and overcast day. We take the dogs geocaching with us.
We walk to the Oslo Fjord, through the boat yard and past the Art museum.
Erik has big band rehearsals tonight and the cleaner is coming, so we all (including dogs) pile into Mona’s car for a mini tour. We visit Sandvik, where Mona grew up, and walk around the town centre with the dogs. We also see the bridge that features in many of Monet’s paintings.
Friday 27th February
We say goodbye to our lovely host and her cute dogs and get the bus into Oslo. We dump our bags in left luggage and we’re off sight seeing. After seeing some sights we have some scoff (food) in the trendy foodhall and then we’re off geocaching. We do 4 before we need to meet our host but our 3rd find is preceded by 30 minutes wandering around a church and grave yard. Daz wants to give up but i’m not leaving- someone found this cache yesterday!!!! Finally we think we have a result but it’s a decoy!! A couple more minutes and Daz finds it!!!! Brilliant – one of the most ingenious caches we’ve ever found!!!
Hels with the cache, very good find as it was made to look like part of the roof timbers but stuck on with magnets!
We meet our host, Cato. Back to his place, chat relax then out to meet his mate Tom. We have a brilliant evening including a ‘crepe’ dinner on swings (see photo) and then onto a pub. Tom and Cato are a really entertaining double act and we have a thoroughly good night. Thanks guys! Cato is planning a big bike tour and it’s good to hear about his plans, preparation and buying frenzies. We hope we will see him on the road again someday.
Saturday 28th February
Last day of February and last day of our holiday. Daz and I go off to see some more sights of Oslo and do some geocaching but neither is that stimulating. The weather is pants and the geocaches are run of the mill. Finally we end up in a pub (shock). From outside Daz told me they were showing 6 Nations rugby but it’s football. Man U vs Sunderland. Deep joy! Daz is happy and it’s warm in here. Good beer and packed. Apparently the Norwegians love English football especially Man U and Liverpool.
After the match Cato texts to say he will cook for us tonight, so we hop on the bus and head back to his apartment. Wow, he can cook, we have meatballs with a creamy meaty sauce served with mashed potato and sweet potato and accompanied by a nut, green bean and apple salad with home made marinade, yum yum! Whilst he is cooking we find MasterChef on the TV and enjoy Greg Wallace stuffing his face! Later we all sit about laughing at Fawlty Towers, classic!! Tomorrow we say goodbye to Oslo and are catching the bus to Göteborg Sweden then the train to Floby, to meet our new workaway hosts. We are looking forward to some time in Floby land, but hope Noel Edmonds has left!!!