Norway Day Three: A Rainy Drive Through The Misty Fjords

After my reflective morning walk, I  returned to my room at the Clarion Edge hotel in Tromso early Saturday morning. I had a nice breakfast and was off to explore the famous fjords of Norway. 

I remember first learning this strange word, fjords  in an elementary school Geography class. I remember trying to imagine how mountains and ocean can meet. I discovered this beauty on a trip to the South Georgia Islands and again when I visited Oslo a few years ago. The photograph above was  taken in  South Georgia Island.  They were spectacular.   I was  excited to now drive through some of famous Norway fjords. 

However the weather wasn’t co-operating.   A light rain fell as I drove through the tunnels of  Tromso,  past the airport and  westward toward the ocean. 

The rain shrouded the snow covered mountains in fog and mist. It was still a beautiful sight but I knew they would have been even more spectacular with clear blue skies and bright sunshine. 

Traffic was fairly heavy at first, but I still was able to pull over and photograph some of the old buildings,

and boats along the highway just outside of Tromso. 

I followed Highway 862 and was going to drive to the fishing village of Sommeroy . It is about 30 miles from Tromso and I heard there were some nice hiking trails on this island.  Traffic decreased when I made the turn onto Highway 862. It also being pouring rain. 

I followed the highway  through a valley surrounded by  large  cliffs again wondering how the would look on a clear day. 

The valley ended and I came to the edge of a long narrow fjord. 

I followed it along the waters of this inland  arm of the sea passing a few small houses. I wondered about the lives of these people in such an isolated area. 

The houses were  quite interesting. This one had  an unusual Norwegian mural painted on its side. 

Other  blended right  into the now wooded mountain sides.

The road hugged the rocky cliff side above the fjord,

and passed through a narrow tunnel.

The fjord then  widened and, as I approached the ocean, I  was soon seeing some some rocky shores,

and small beaches. I wondered about  the folks who built this small fire. Was it on a warm summer night under the midnight sun, or on a cold winter day under the northern lights? I love how my thoughts expand while I am traveling. 

I came to a one lane bridge leading onto the island of Sommaroy and it’s little fishing village. There is a traffic regulating traffic over the long narrow bridge and I sure hoped it was working as I slowly drove across. 

I wanted to get out and explore but the steady rain kept me in my dry car. I did stop and venture out when there were breaks in the rain and was able to photograph a few of these pretty birds, common eiders, this a male, 

and this one is a female.

I was disappointed with the rain. I had hoped to hike some trails here, see more wildlife and catch some views of the ocean from the hilltops. As it was, the rain continued and I made my way back to Tromso, making one detour to view the  tiny village of Brensholmen.

There was also a hiking trail near here which I would have hiked if it weren’t raining. It’s not that I haven’t hiked in the rain before. I have and sometimes enjoy it. However, it is not conducive to talking photographs and sharing the experience. Driving my car allowed me to at least share some of the beautiful Norwegian fjords with you. 

The rain continued as I drove the hour or so back to my hotel in Tromso. Once again I faced the dark tunnels of Tromso but this time found a much closer parking space. I still had to walk back to the hotels in the cold rain but it was worth it. I have come to love Norway already, even in the rain. Here is a link to some more photographs from my drive through the fjords of Norway. Maybe someday I’ll see them in the sun. Norway Day Three: Drive to Sommeraroy. June 2 2018.

“Half the fun of the travel is the aesthetic of lostness.” – Ray Bradbury