We are now in Kristiansand, towards the south-most tip of Norway. It is not half way through the distance in Norway, but marks a definite stage on the North Sea route. We are having a day off and have rented a rather luxurious apartment, quite cheaply but organised for us by a posh hotel.
It was quite heavy going to get this far, and a brief resumé in a moment. The route from here is going to be more hilly and harder cycling. Also, there are likely to be less frequent camp-sites etc (and etc is expensive in Norway). We did not have much info on the section, then found a good guide to it all in a bookshop in this town. So, some apprehension but also anticipation. After a certain point, Eigeresund, the route is close to a railway, so we may even take a train ride for some of it! Apparently, you can also take a bike on a bus in Norway.
Before this, our story so far ended up with bypassing some of the cycling by going to an island and taking a regular ferry from the island. The island is called Jomfruland, and we stayed in a camp-site, where again people were welcoming. The island is flat and not too long so we cycled as far as the road went in both directions. Then to Kragero on a ferry, and an hour later on another ferry to Stabbestad and as quick a ride as we could manage to the next ferry 20 km on. There were a Dutch couple on this ferry, going the same way, but they went ahead of us pretty soon! It was Saturday; the ferry was down a side road descending, as as we started on this we met them coming up. Katherine wrote about this ferry not running on Saturday, with nothing to say until you got there. Well, we avoided the re-ascent and continued to the wonderful scenery she wrote about. That evening in a really good camp-site, which mad up for it a bit.
Next, on to Arendal. In a place called Tvedestrand we stopped for lunch, hamburgers which were the most expensive we have ever encountered, but remarkably good and reminded what a good hamburger tastes like! Near Arandal, we were overtaken by a woman on a bike who really shot past on an uphill (I think we were walking up it). We greeted as she past but thought nothing of it, but when we had got a bit further, she spoke to us and said, why pay for a hotel in Arendal when we could stay at her house; of course we said Yes to this one. She gave us directions and when we were there made supper for us and we chatted till too late. She was staying in her brother's house cat-sitting wile he and family were away. We were(as usual) slow in getting off and she came around the next day; has kept in touch by text messages since. So one gains friends!
Arendal to Kristiansand was in two relatively short stages. On the first of there, part was on the old “King's road”, all gravel and dirt road. The guide describes it as “undulating” which is sorely an understatement. Had to share pushing bikes up one hill in it, and far too steep coming down, on gravel, to ride to had to walk down as well as up. Not too much fun, though through beautiful, remote forest until a motorway at the end!
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