Home -> Europe -> Denmark - Sweden - Finland - Norway -> Travelogue 2002 -> Thursday 27 June

Alta - Krokelvdalen, we visit Troms

It is a long drive today but we start quietly, first enjoying the warmth of the sun sitting on the stairs of our apartment. Now that we write this account we only have got one problem: too many pictures; which ones shall we pick. But unknowing of this future problem we sit and enjoy our view over Alta.

Today's trip leads us the southwest, along many fjords and between many magnificent, snowy mountain tops. Considering the natural beauty this is the best day of our holiday until now. In Holland they have heavy showers, but here the weather is splendid.
Although we are still quite far north of the arctic circle, it is very warm. There is not much traffic and driving quietly (90 km. an hour is the speed limit) we enjoy the view.

Not far into sea there are many, great and small, islands, sometimes consisting of only one mountain. Although there are still many ferries, more and more tunnels and impressive bridges are build in Norway.

The beauty of the country is amazing and overwhelming, much better than what we expected! The sea, the mountains and the fjords, they are all so impressive!

At noon we look for a nice spot for a picnic. Well, we don't have to look for it, because everywhere there are beautiful places, like shown on the pictures here, near a waterfall. And no midges. It is strange that on some places huge swarms of midges are around and a few hundred meters farther on none at all.

A very nice place for a picknick, indeed..., all for ourselves alone. In Finland we had expected to find a lot of these places but couldn't find one, but here... they are just waiting for us!

At Olderdalen we could take a ferry to cut off a long road, but we feel we can't drive enough kilometers through this beautiful landscape and we take the long detour.

We have to drive around the Kåfjord, which cuts deep into the country. There are high waterfalls everywhere which fall down with a roaring sound.

It is all meltwater and the road constructors must have been very inventive about the draining system, otherwise the roads down near the fjord would soon be washed away. We wouldn't be surprised if there are big sewers under the road surface, to carry the water off to the fjord.

After the long Lyngenfjord we leave the fjords temporarily and turn to the west at Øvergård and then again to the north, on the E8 which leads to Tromsø. The mountains here are a bit lower, but still very impressive. Our cameras work overtime; we can't stop photographing.

Tromsø covers the biggest part of the island Tromsøya which is linked to the mainland and the next island by impressive bridges (and tunnels). Just before the first bridge stands the Ice Sea cathedral. After a short stop we pass the bridge and follow a road sign to the centre and a car park.

But the tunnel where we drive into doesn't lead us to a car park immediately, it appears to be a part of a huge underground road network. A four-lane road under the ground with crossroads to every direction and many roundabouts. When we finally appear in the open air we are in the middle of the town. This looks like an ideal solution for many traffic problems in big cities. But probably the soil is not everywhere as suitable for such a solution as it is here.

Tromsø, also called the 'Paris of the North', is a small, cosy town where one can have a pleasant time, certainly with the temperature we have now (about 24°C). We take a walk through the small centre and in a pub we recover a bit from the long journey. After 2 hours we leave the town to drive the last part to the camping.

Near Kroken is the next camping where we have a reservation. At night it becomes chillier and there is a lot of wind. Again we meet our Dutch 'neighbours' and they tell they have also looked for the canyon near Alta without success. After a short walk we disappear into our warm cabin, very happy with this fantastic day on which we have seen so much beauty.

Travel through Europe and Africa

with Elisabeth and Teije