6/01/2010

The trip to Tromsø (part 3)

On the morning of leaving the town, we had a surprisingly beautiful weather. The fog has retreated and the snowy mountains has appeared on the horizon. We did not even know how the environment looked like during those days we spent there. But finally everything worked out, first the Aurora and then the landscape. So here are some panoramas I took fast before we left.





After taking these last pictures we went out of the island, to start hitch-hiking again :)
The clouds came back, and wind has tried to make our job harder. And I probably don't even have to say that it was very cold of course. We had to split up into two groups (me alone). Our goal was Narvik, about 250 km. We had to be fast, because after darkness, it is almost impossible to catch a car. Who would stop for some dark shadows standing next to the road... And the night still falls quicly in March in the north.
While my friends had luck a bit earlier then me, I could catch my first car in the early afternoon. Finally we did not make it Narvik, and met again on the bus 50 km from Narvik, after my 4th car put me down near Gratangen.
In Narvik we had a place to sleep, which we found on couchsurfing at a very nice person (NARVIKING), who hosted us for 3 nights. (If you are planning to visit Narvik, and you are part of cousurfing, I can absolutely recommend him).

So here are some pictures from our stay:


































But those days passed by quickly. As the hitching was not that easy as in the south, we did not want to risk missing our train, so we took the bus till Fauske (with student discount it was not that bad, as it included the ferry between Bognes and Skarberget).
























After 9 days of travelling we arrived back to Oslo on 10th May. Thinking back to the trip, it was a bit tough, a bit crazy but with full of experiences. Totally worthed it!

5/22/2010

The trip to Tromsø (part 2)

So after two tough days of hitch-hiking, we have finally arrived to Tromsø. Although the weather was terrible and snowing heavily most of the time, I could catch some seconds when it was possible to take some shots.
Here you can see the Arctic Cathedral with the bridge where you get to the island.









Here are some pictures which can give an idea about the situation:

























Some photos of the city:









































































Then Tromsø from the bridge and from the top of the nearby mountain:













 
And for the end of this post... My first photos in my life of Aurora Borealis. It was taken just a few days after the first time I could see her.
I travelled 1600 km from Oslo to Tromsø, hoping to finally see the wonderful lights of the North. I spent there 3 days in March, and although it was totally cloudy those days, last night the clouds opened up for me, so I even got the chance to take a picture of her.
I know these are not the best shots, but they are mine. I took them. And I am very happy to say this :)

5/13/2010

The trip to Tromsø (part 1)

In the first week of March, I had a trip the northern regions of Norway together with two friends. First we took the train to Fauske, because it does not go norther than that. After the 17 hours of travelling we tried to hitch-hike to Tromsø (which is about 500km from Fauske) as our accomodation was there. Unfortunately, after a whole day of trying in -15 degrees, we had to take a bus till Narvik. By accident we met some people at the bus station, who gave us a room to stay during the night, so we could continue our trip next day.



/picture: Reindeer over the Arctic Circle/











The view of Narvik, on the next morning from our window.




Of course we started with hitch-hiking again, hoping to be more successful. After a while, a Swedish lieutenant stopped and took us to Bjerkvik (30 km from Narvik), where 10 000 soldiers were having military training.












This day was even colder than the previous one. And we were stuck again, in this small town.











Only in the late afternoon could we manage to get further, seperated from each other in 3 trucks.