Day 2 Senja - A Bridge too Far !

 With the lure of a hot cooked breakfast we staggered down semi comatose to a room full of lovely breakfast goodies including according to one local, some Gluten free cornflakes ?  Well fed we boarded our SAS flight to Tromso. Our rote took us by way of some spectacular snow covered Mtns and fjords. Landing confirmed Kev’s worst fears that it was in fact bloody cold, but we soon warmed up scouring numerous car bays trying to find our hire car thanks to some pretty crap directional advice from the Alamo rep. 

It would be great to say it was an easy 3-4 hour drive to Senja but it wasn’t ! Leaving Tromos was difficult trying to find a visible bridge thwarted by successive no through roads and a number of malls !  Eventually outside Tromso it was a beautiful drive Artic Circle drive following snow covered hills and ice covered lakes direct to Senja. Senja is referred to as one on the most beautiful locations in Norway ! We found the local supermarket before being found by our accommodation hosts as we drove aimlessly around the local steeets. After a long day and our beaut and warm accommodation it was a perfect setting for a cold beer and some Chicken Korma with the rise expertly cooked rice by Chef Henley ! 

Arrival Tromso .. it’s cold !

Our Accomm Senja 

Who needs a fridge !

Dinner time Senja !

Suitcase gets a good working over !

Kev gives his suitcase a good talking to in Senja 

Day 1 Oslo - $6.50 too Much !

It was a bit worrying seeing Kev walk into my Oslo Hotel after his 30+ hour journey from OZ Initially I'd thought that he'd aged out of sight until I found out that his inability to walk a straight line was caused by his malfunctioning suitcase wheels which he'd recently bought for the exorbitant price of $7 from a thrift shop in Greensborough !
After a good "man hug", a grizzle about crap suitcase wheels and a strong coffee fix, it was up to our room where just like the old days, Kev successfully "fluffed" around doing bugger all for the next 3-4 hours ! Suggesting some food we braved the icy Oslo breeze to walk to nearby Maccas for a Chicken Mcfeast before returning to our room to.crash. Wonky wheels or not itwas great to see my partner in crime back in action for yet another amazing adventure !
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The Trip begins with an unscheduled Fly Over !

Well it was pretty much par for the course. 29 hours of discomfort filled with the usual - 3 screaming kids from Istanbul (tick), seat rage as a result of limited space (tick), non functioning equipment including a seat tray, a seat and supplied earphones yet another tick)
The things a little different this time were - the go round at Oslo after we were 6 inches from touching down (no reason given, the journey by way of Istanbul with its massive terminal and its giant board indicating numerous flghts to Russia (ambivalent Turkey) and the elderly Indian lady who barged her way up the escalator ( when I yelled at her saying are you in a race she just grabbed my arm .. I reckon she thought I was saying do you want a hand !
My 45 degree eating tray did provide some challenging moments as did my efforts to tie my shoelaces in my confined sape .. dont they realise that bladder pressure on anyone aged over 60 is not a good idea !

Still why complain when the weather in Oslo is a beautiful 9 degrees, when the hotel buses are prompt and when even Norwegian passport control cuts you some slack when I couldnt answer where id come from ..my jet lagged brain was still in a daze !
Now its time to relax as my partner in crime makes his way from OZ to Oslo tomorrow for the start of our European All Sorts adventure .. party on !
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What's coming our way !

 

Tromso Norway

Senja Norway

Lofoten Norway 

Tbilisi - Georgia

Mestia - Georgia

Burgundy France

Armenia

Adventure filled !

You might wonder how 2 persons of our vintage can call a trip adventure based ! While we have not graced the headlines since our 2019 Scottish cycling classic (a little thing called covid got in the way) it doesnt mean that our adventure days are done and dusted but rather just more refined ! 

While the topic of adventure this time may not be some fanatical cycling epic there's more than enough on the agenda over our 5 weeks away to take a few more years off our lives !

Tromso Norway will set the standard of survival with last weeks min temp reporting a slightly chilly -18c. Assuming our hearts and cars engine continues to function we will take on Senja and Lofoten where a few massive hills await as well as some possible snow cycling and ice kayaking ! Assuming we survive its then off to France to catch up with our great friends Viv and Linton where our challenge will be to remain on our bikes and sober as we spend 3 days cycling in the beautiful Burgundy region famed for its multitude of vineyards !

After France the adventure level goes up a notch as we journey to Armenia and Georgia (the country) by way of Warsaw. Our challenges here will be to avoid being conscripted into the Russian army while safely navigating some of Armenia and Georgia's stunning mountain roads !

Bidding farewell to the Caucasus its off to the UK for some R&R with our mate Pommie Kev before shoving Kev on to his homeward bound flight while I seek out some history in stunning Slovenia !                                      

Itinerary

Norway 11 Days - 17/4 - 27/4

Tromso - 

Senja -

Lofoten Islands 

France 5 Days - 28/4 - 2/5

Beaune - 

Paris -

Poland  1 Day - 3/5

Warsaw - 

Armenia 7 Days - 4/5-10/5

Yerevan - 

Tatev - 

Sevan - 

Georgia - 7 Days 11/5-17/5

Tbilisi - 

Khazbegi - 

Chiatura - 

Mestia - 

Batumi - 

UK - 4 days 18/5-21/5

Poole -     

Slovenia - 9 days 22/5-30/5