Norway - my legs are tired!

Took the ferry from Stromstad, Sweden, to Sandefjord, Norway. Beautiful boat ride and excellent buffet lunch, drinks, tea, coffee etc included. Next day should have ended in a ferry across a fjord. We were warned by someone going the other way that it may not be running. It wasn't. Desn't start till summer solstice (23rd June here), though someone else was told tomorrow. No information up anywhere. Information is all just hearsay from the nearest shop. this meant a 40km detour and what the book didn't say was the height of the mountain to be crossed, with the road corkscrewing up. We pushed. We woke very late next day to the rain.

At the end of the day, it was getting late with another 30km to do. That isn't 30km along thee flat, that is up and down and up and down and .... Our guide said an alteranitve route was to take a boat taxi out to an island (where there was a camp site) and a ferry back to the next town. A taxi was about to leave with some other people so we could share the cost. A quick decision and we were on that boat. A beautiful ride out, a flat island to cycle round, really friendly people at the campsite and the ferry running the next day. With the sun shining it was another beautiful boat trip. The next fjord crossing ran but then the final one of the day didn't run Saturdays or Sundays. I do wish the guide book would warn you. This meant a 20km detour. All roads are roller-coaster roads, with steep ups and steep downs going round corners, so you have to put the brakes on. But the scenery was just stunning, Fjords and lakes with the water clear and deep blue, high rocky cliffs, pine forests, little villages, harbours, sandy beaches, it's all there. I just wish my legs were a little fitter. We meant others doing the route but we never see them for long. Most are younger and most are only doing part of the route, but not quite all.

We are finding the people here are very friendly and most speak excellent English. Though the countryside is often remote, there are pretty little towns and things like cafes, when you are just feeling tired. Sweden seemed just remote, with pretty little town and villages but with no one about and no cafes.

Tomorrow there are no ferries, so the only unexpectedness will be the number and steepness of the hills. Well not quite unexpected. This is Norway.