Return To Dark Nights

Return To Dark Nights

By roychinnorNo Comments
We have now left the Arctic Circle behind us and are heading back into balmier climes, I hope. Actually our last day in the Arctic was a rather warm sunny one but you couldn’t rely on it continuing. The visit has been well worthwhile for the scenery alone, particularly Norway. It has also been an interesting insight into the culture here as well. Although across Norway, north Sweden and Finland there are differences in culture, I felt these were outweighed by the similarities. The population of this part of the Arctic Circle have learnt how to live with nature rather than trying to adapt nature to suit human traits. There are noticeable similarities with the Canadian population where the climate is just as harsh. Tasks generally can be achieved when the person is ready to do them, relatively little needs to be done immediately. The people are more relaxed than in most of Western Europe or the USA. This attitude...
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Arctic Lives Up To Its’ Name

Arctic Lives Up To Its’ Name

By roychinnorNo Comments
I have been negligent in my reporting duties and for that I apologise. My only excuse is that the driving since leaving Bergen has been fantastic. The scenery here is much the same as the west coast of Scotland, only there is much more of it in Norway. From Bergen we have driven north despite the cold and the rain (I know, Britain has been basking in sun for the past ten days or so. In the famous words of the late Harry Secombe "Raspberries"). We travelled up through Alesund, Trondheim, Mosjoen and eventually to Narvik. The daily distances weren't great, around two hundred miles a day, but the time taken to cover those miles was roughly double that of normal driving. This is because every fifty miles, or so, you need to take a ferry, and because although the roads aren't all that bad, they are single carriageway with almost no overtaking points. Once you are behind a truck you...
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I Like Bergen, But….

I Like Bergen, But….

By roychinnorNo Comments
Friday started promisingly, with the sun out and Bridget looking resplendent under her new hood. A minor false start when I notice her brake lights were permanently on, but it was just a two minute job to adjust the switch and we were off. Finding the correct route out of Oslo proved straightforward and we were quickly shaking ourselves free from the suburbs. Within a few kilometres the scenery improved immensely. Initially meadows and woodland, then sea inlets with woodland down to the waters edge. The trees by no means just pine, but a mixture of birch, willow, as well as conifers and many more. At the roadside were plenty of signs warning of the presence of and deer crossings and the scenery became very similar to that of the Trossachs in Scotland. I have checked if moose and elk are the same thing and can confirm that they are and it is the American language that causes the problem. There was...
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MG Norsk Club

MG Norsk Club

By roychinnorNo Comments
Before leaving Gothenburg I had made contact with Ola Thygesen, President of MG Norsk Club. I related the problem I had with Bridget’s soft-top being vandalised and he made some quick enquiries with a local importer of MG spares. Ola reported back saying that it might be possible to add the soft-top to an existing order, with Moss in England, if we were quick. I said to go ahead and I would call Ola next morning. The day started with some sunshine! This was the first day that I really started to get into my normal travel mood. The route from Gothenburg to Oslo is far less inhabited than everything before it and there was even the promise of some wildlife. I came upon my first road signs of this trip warning of possible moose crossing the road. At around 11:00am Ola phoned to say “You’re soft-top has arrived”. Even though the order was mid-afternoon the day before, Moss pulled out all...
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