Honey with blueberries and all Scandinavia part 2

31 January 2014 Travel time: with 28 July 2013 on 09 august 2013
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Ninth day of the tour

This day was full of adventure. But I will not get ahead of myself, I will tell the story sequentially and in order.

According to the program, today we have a boat trip along the Sognefjord and a trip along the Flå m railway. After an excellent breakfast at the hotel, we leave Bergen. The weather is still sunny and warm.

On the way, stop for a photo break near the beautiful cascading Tvindefossen waterfall. Then transfer to Flam. From Bergen to Flå m, the distance is 165 km. And by 11 o'clock we are there. Along the way, the head did not stop spinning in all directions and admiring the Norwegian landscapes.


Our first trip was on the Flå m railway. This trip is not cheap, it costs 56 euros. But this is only the cost of round trip tickets. Before the train leaves, we still have about an hour, and we go to the souvenir shops. The most interesting thing about these shops is Norwegian sweaters. The number of Norwegian sweaters in the shops is huge, the prices are also very different. The range of average prices is from 675 kroons to 995 kroons. I have not seen lower prices, but they were higher.

Before boarding the train, Dima tells us some shocking news. In the Gudvangen tunnel, which we passed just an hour ago, there was an accident and a fire broke out there. And the tunnel was closed to extinguish the fire. It turns out that after driving a three-kilometer stretch, a cargo truck crashed into a wall and caught fire, and this caused a series of collisions of cars following it and a fire. According to media reports, 75 people were injured from smoke in the tunnel during the fire.

And we, having heard this terrible news, immediately realized how lucky we were that we managed to pass this tunnel before this terrible incident.

Gudvangen tunnel is the second longest tunnel in Norway, its length is 11 km. And it was on it that we had to drive again in the evening, when moving from Flå m to the hotel in Stavanger. This is the shortest way from Flå m to Stavanger.

Having mentally and aloud thanked our guardian angel, we board the train car that follows from Flå m to Myrdal. Our group occupied one half of the carriage, and another tourist group occupied the other half. In addition to our two tourist groups, the conductor - controller did not let anyone else into the car. We rode enjoying wonderful views from the windows of the car. Near the Kjosfossen waterfall, the train made a short stop, and all the passengers of the train poured out onto the observation deck at the waterfall. The music began to play and near the waterfall the mountain fairies - huldra began their dance. After watching their dance and taking pictures, we returned back to the car and drove to the final station of our route.


In Myrdal, we did not get off the car, as we had a round-trip ticket. The train picked up new passengers and we started our journey back to Flam. Another small group of tourists was put into our car. But there were still enough empty seats for a good view from the car windows. On the way back, the train again makes a short stop near the waterfall, which made it possible to once again enjoy the beautiful sight at the waterfall and take new photos.

After returning to Flam, we have an hour of free time for shopping and snacks. After it, we go to the boat, which will take us around the Sognefjord. We were lucky again, and our group was put on a small boat, where we were alone, without outside tourists. A cold drizzle began, but there were warm blankets in the cabin, and hot drinks and coffee could be bought from the stewart. We periodically went out to the upper deck, took pictures, fed the seagulls, admired the waterfalls, and then returned to the cabin, and warmed ourselves under the blankets and drank hot coffee. Romance!! ! So flew two hours of our short cruise on the fjord.

And now, it's time to get on our bus, and go further to Stavanger.

The tunnel is still closed to traffic, and our crew decides to take a detour through the mountains along the highest road. While it was still light, we watched with interest the hard-to-reach places where tourists are not taken. The road was long and very difficult. The bus then climbed the mountains, then descended along the serpentines into the valley. And so many times. Thus, we made a detour on our route of at least two hundred kilometers along mountain serpentines. But the road still ended, and we, at about one in the morning, drove up to our ferry to cross to Stavanger. We were not immediately put on the ferry, we had to wait for the next one. But finally we get on the ferry, and at three in the morning we check into a hotel in the center of Stavanger.

Once again at the hotel, a rich Norwegian breakfast. The bus in the morning stood up to 13 hours. Therefore, part of the group went on foot at 10 o'clock to the city center for a survey, and part remained at the hotel to wait for the bus. I also didn’t go to the survey, because after the survey we were scheduled to climb Mount Preikestolen.


From the group, 12 people decided to climb the mountain. At first we traveled by bus, then crossed the Lysefjord by ferry, and after about forty minutes we arrived at the lower station of the Preikestolen mountain.

When the bus pulled into the parking lot at the lower station, the weather deteriorated and it became overcast. But we all went briskly up the path. The first 500 meters was at least some trail. But then it began to rain and fog set in, and the trail ended : (, and the ascent began over huge boulders, in the rain and in thick fog. Part of the younger group went far ahead, and we, five older people, fell behind. We wandered on the mountain, like hedgehogs, in the fog, it was raining from above, wet and slippery boulders under my feet. That's how I, by some miracle, climbed to the mark of 2800 meters. I did not reach the top for almost a kilometer. But by that time, I was already very tired , and when I saw that two girls from our group were returning back, I decided to go back to the bus with them. They told me that there was a heavy fog on the top of the mountain, and there was no visibility already a few steps away. Therefore, it makes no sense to go up there This was the biggest disappointment for us, because everyone climbs the Preikestolen for beautiful views.

My companions were great fellows, they helped me down, secured me in the most dangerous places. And the rain and fog continued all five hours of our campaign.

After the hike, on the bus, everyone changed into dry clothes, and, exchanging impressions, went back to the hotel. There was no visibility at all at the top, the fog was so thick that it was practically invisible a few steps away. Therefore, no one has pictures of the views from the mountain. But we still have a lot of pictures from the ascent and descent, with rain and fog.

When I asked why no one but me came back, everyone answered me that they wanted to test themselves, and everyone was very pleased that they had passed this test.


Based on my own experience, I recommend not to make such climbs during unstable weather. There, even in good sunny weather, the ascent will be very difficult, and not only for older people, but even for young people. Well, I won’t risk such extreme climbs anymore. I also recommend that other tourists evaluate their physical capabilities very realistically.

We returned to the hotel early, but after such a load, I stayed in the room to rest, because tomorrow we have a long journey to Gothenburg.

After an excellent breakfast at the hotel, check out at 8 am. The bus takes us to Gothenburg. Before reaching Oslo, we take a ferry and cross the Oslofjord by ferry. This ferry crossing gave us the opportunity to relax on the deck, enjoy the beautiful views of Oslo from the sea, and reduce travel time. This is a very good relaxation in the middle of a long journey. We arrived in Gothenburg already in the evening, and the survey took place already at sunset.

After the survey, we drive to a hotel in the vicinity of Gothenburg. And here everyone was surprised when they saw in which hotel we will stay the last night.

In all my five years of traveling, I have never seen such a hotel. The size of the hotel room was almost the size of a cabin on a ferry, and even the beds were in two tiers. It was the Ibis hotel near Gothenburg. The group turned out to be humorous, they joked that it was probably Accord holding a dress rehearsal before boarding the ferry. But the sediment from the hotel was not too pleasant. Well, we spent one night there. Hot showers and clean bedding were in all rooms.

In the morning, the Ibis hotel rehabilitated itself a bit with its excellent breakfast. After breakfast we drive back to Gothenburg. We have free time until 2 pm. I signed up for the boat through the channels, but as it turned out, there was no Russian audio guide on it. Only Swedish, German and English. I had to abandon the boat : ( For this reason, no one went to the boat through the canals of Gothenburg.


Therefore, everyone, including us, goes to the botanical garden in the morning. The entrance there is free. The garden is open from 9 am to 9 pm. We walked for a long time in the garden. Despite the rather cool climate, there are many flower beds in the botanical garden with beautiful bright flowers. And these flower beds brought great aesthetic pleasure.

After the garden, we pass to the embankment, to the famous Barken Viking yacht, turned into a hotel with a restaurant. Next to the yacht, another attraction of the city is the Gothenburg Utkiken skyscraper, which the townspeople call "Lipstick". Not far from here is the main office of the Wall Line ferry company, with their brand name - a monkey, on the facade of the building.

The city also has its own Poseidon with a Fish fountain. Another very interesting square in front of the hotel in the building of the former post office. In this square, as well as in Place Massena in Nice, pensive little men sit on pillars. The hotel itself is very beautiful inside and the entrance to it is free. Free toilets are open for tourists. You can sit and relax in the hotel lobby with a cup of coffee, and use the free Wi-Fi.

And so the turn came to write about the last transit day in Poland.

The ferry arrived in Gdynia at 9-20. While we were disembarking and waiting for the bus, we left the port at 10 o'clock. Drive to Lviv is 760 km. That's about 12 hours of travel, plus the border, plus setting the clock forward an hour. We drove quite fast, as far as the Polish national road allowed us.

But already on the half way it became clear to us that none of us had time for our trains. The delay of the ferry by two hours just caused our delay.

But our group is very positive, no one panics, no swears, we all joke and smile. Only one of our leaders, Dima, is concerned about what he should do next. He constantly calls the Akkord office and solves this problem.

And I must say a huge thank you to the company that found a worthy solution in this situation. The main part of the tourists had to leave for Kyiv, and only my friend and I were traveling in a southerly direction.


When we had already crossed the border, Dima and my friend put me in a pumped-out Audi with a wonderful driver Gena and sent to catch up with our train to Khmelnitsky. But no matter how he tried, the broken road did not make it possible to go fast, and again we missed our train by five minutes.

Gena calls the Akkord office, and he is instructed to take us straight to Kherson.

This is how we moved on. Now without much haste, with rest and sanitary stops. The roads in our area are a little better, and already at 14-30 we are at the entrance to the city, at the meeting place with my husband. There we change into our car and drive home.

Thus, in 13.5 hours we drove about 950 km. And it's all thanks to the skill and endurance of our driver.

The rest of the group was put on a fresh bus and taken by bus directly to Kyiv. And by eight o'clock in the morning they were already on the Kiev railway. station. This is how our tour ended.

Now the end of the tour has been changed, one more day has been added, so there will most likely not be such a delay in the races following our group.

I liked the tour very much, the tour program is excellent. And now, when we added one more day in Å lesund, it became even more interesting. It is a pity that our program did not include a visit to the Atlantic Road. I would also visit this “project of the century” with great pleasure. And I still have a dream to visit Mount Dalsniba. You can get there by bus. I hope that I will still have such an opportunity.

Many thanks to my classmates on the tour for the positive and goodwill during the entire tour. After him, I continue to be friends with many of them. See you on new travels!

Translated automatically from Russian. View original
To add or remove photos in a story, go to album of this story
Санузел в каюте
Наша каюта на пароме
Ужин на пароме
Завтрак на пароме
Нас встречает символ паромной компании
Паром Стена лайн
Небоскреб в Гетеборге с названием
Яхта в которой гостиница с рестораном
яркие и красивые клумбы ботанического сада
русалочка в ботаническом саду
Ботанический сад Гетеборга
Каналы Гетеборга
ж.д. вокзал Гетеборга
здание мении города
Фонтан Посейдона с рыбкой
Задкмчивые человечки сидят на столбах перед отелем
Рецепшен в отеле богато украшена настоящим хрусталем
Отель  5* в бывшем здании почты
Главный офис паромной компании Стена Лайн
Вид на Гетеборг
вот такой завтрак был в Ставангере
отель в Ставангере
Последняя станция до которой я дошла
Вот такой туман стоял на вершине Прекестулен, Этим фото со мной поделилась моя одногруппница.
Дождевичек мне очень пригодился
Катер поошел под самый водопад
Круиз по Согнефьорду
Шикарные шкурки из песца
Норвежские свитера
Отсюда наш поезд будет отправляться в Мюрдал
Водопад Твиденфоссен
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