The Lofoten Islands, Norway

Travelers Digest World Tour
Written By Mike Smith

We left the beautiful city of Stockholm, boarded a north bound train and headed toward the Arctic Circle. Sweden is a narrow, but quite long country and consists mostly of dense forests, breathtaking farmlands, misty meadows and uncultivated nature. The journey was long, the train mostly empty of passengers and the tranquility was mood setting. We played cards on the small table between us and passed away the hours as we continued our journey north. After several hours an announcement came over the train's intercom. We were passing the arctic circle and as we peered through the fogged windows we could make out a long and narrow band of white rocks representing the arctic circle. It was a feeling of utmost accomplishment and realization of having ventured beyond the Arctic Circle and we would continue north for several hundred more miles. The land was mountainous, desolate, and totally alone, but gloated it's beauty to our eyes and our cameras.

Traveling for several more hours we reached the northern most part of Sweden and had to change trains in the small village of Boden. At the appointed junction the train stopped and as we exited the train, we were bitten by the arctic wind and slightly stung by the sharp drop in temperature from the trains interior. The air was clean and moist, the scene around us was surreal and our excitement was revitalized instantly as we realized that we were where most have never ventured. The forty minute stop over gave us some time to shoot photos of the surrounding hills and their shadowy exposure through the misty fog.

As if by magic the train suddenly appeared through the cold thick air and again we were on our way. This train would take us west into Norway and along some of the world's most glorious fjords. These long and steep gorges were cut thousands of years ago as the giant glaciers receded from the thawing ice age. As the train labored up the steep mountains it slowed considerably, allowing us the opportunity to film the exulting fjords and the hundreds of rushing waterfalls flowing from their 1000 meter high cliffs. It was pure visual magic and we were totally engulfed with everything that lay just outside the trains windows.

Six hours after leaving Boden we arrived in the small port town of Narvik, Norway. Here we were to get off the train and take a 3 hour ferry over to the phenomenal Lofoten Islands. The sun was low in the cloudy sky and the cold arctic wind was driving the rain deep into our souls. Since most of our 2 year journey had been to much warmer climates, we were ill prepared for this weather. We definitely did not want to proceed any further today and decided to stay the night in a local hotel. Tourist information at the train depot was scarce, but with the aid of the station attendant and a call to a local hostel we arranged to be picked up by the hostel's van.

In about fifteen minutes a woman pulled up and ushered us to get in, we loaded our bags and with a minimal of English she muttered a greeting. The small hostel consisted of three small buildings and was situated below a bridge in the heart of the town. As we were checking in her husband came in and having become aware that they wouldn't take our Swedish Kroner, I asked him if he could give us a bed in the 6 person dorm until morning. I explained that we hadn't gave a single thought about having no local currency and at this time of day there would be no place to change our money to Norwegian Kroner. I then informed him that we would pay him as soon as the banks opened in the morning. The man, who was the owner, was overwhelmingly rude and made several demeaning comments. One such comment was that he didn't believe me and that I shouldn't come to Norway if I had no money and that being an American I was most likely a liar. He then went on with his childish and cruel behavior, but said out of charity we could stay the night. A gift from the heart...I suppose! I have to admit it was cold, wet and we were tired, but believe me I wouldn't have stayed in his hostel if the world was on fire and his was the only safe haven. I haven't been so angry and so disappointed in any one man's behavior in a long time.

Trying to maintain some sort of civilized tongue, I swallowed hard and gave him back the key he had handed me before and politely informed him that I would rather sleep in a den of grizzles. I found the entire event disgusting and was saddened to think that he was in the tourist industry and was behaving in such a fashion. I was hoping he was not a viable representative of this beautiful land. I looked at Dakota, tried to smile and faintly remember uttering the words... "Welcome to Norway."

We grabbed our bags and, in the cold pouring rain, walked the several hundred meters to the main street of the town. We walked into a small electronic store and commenced a conversation with the young lady behind the counter. She spoke some English and contrary to the man at the hostel, was quite polite and as soon as I mentioned that we were looking for a hotel she started making phone calls. When she finished, I asked her to call the local number of the touring agency we were suppose to contact upon arrival. She did and I informed him of our dilemma and as that it was so late, we had decided to stay one night here in town. We would board the ferry tomorrow morning. I knew that he had made the arrangements for our lodging, etc. on the Lofoten islands, but it was not much help at this moment as we were still several hours away.

The Lofoten Islands are great for adventure sports, such as mountain climbing, hiking, biking during warmer months, deep sea fishing, boating and are quite well known for Kayaking. I can think of no more beautiful place to kayak than in these mystic islands.

Our contact company was Coastal Odyssey Tour company. Owned and operated by Jonathan Bendiksen. We had been corresponding for several weeks through the internet and in agreement, decided to extend our tour to include the Lofoten islands and his sea kayaking adventures. We were anxious to get this night over with and after assuring him that we would find someplace to sleep and not to worry that we would see him tomorrow, we turned back to the lady behind the counter. As we were talking, the owner of the store came in and she informed him of our dire need for a hotel. His English was limited, but his concerned expression told me all I needed to know. I did have several hundred dollar's worth of Swedish Kroner and asked if there was anyplace to exchange them. He quickly opened his cash drawer and gestured for me to give him the Swedish money. He calculated the exchange rate and handed me Norwegian currency. This total stranger then drove us to the hotel the girl had arranged for us. It was definitely time to reevaluate my impression of the Norwegian people. One jerk and two saints.

With our bags, a fresh outlook and some local money, we walked into the Narvik Hotel at Kongensgate 36 where we met another courteous Norwegian. The reception lady not only had a room waiting, she gave us a thirty percent discount. Norway...your looking better! The memories of the jerk were fading as I slumped into a warm dry bed. Just another day in the life of a wandering adventurer. Life on the road is stimulating to say the least! The morning came early and after a tasty buffet breakfast and bidding farewell to the hotel's manager, we carried our bags down toward the dock. I was hoping that the new morning would bring some new weather...but no...the cold rain was still with us. I had been informed that the ferry left around ten so we should have plenty of time, as it was only a little after nine. It turned out that the dock was quite a bit further than we thought and the extra few minutes made the difference of either catching or missing the ferry. Luckily, it was still tied to the dock and was pitching violently with the swell of the waves as we, and a few others, tried to board it. Most likely the few other passengers were locals and may have lived on the islands, coming to town for a reprieve or some supplies.

The three hour ferry ride was mostly spent with me running out from the warm interior and out to the open deck, shooting some film and then quickly dashing back in from the freezing cold wind. I would have only a few moments to enjoy the warmth and another extravaganza of jagged mountains and small islands would appear and I'd have to race back on deck to capture it on film. This continued for the entire journey and by the time we reached the island town of Svolvær, I was not only wet, but blushed with red cheeks. We left the ferry, walked a few meters and started looking through the small crowd of people standing on the deck. We had no idea what Jonathan, looked like, but I had given him our description and after a moment or two a tall man walked over to us.

Climbing into his van we started chatting and I found him to not only appear as a straight forward man, but quite an adventurer himself. Jonathan is married to a Canadian woman and they had lived in the Whitehorse area of the Northwest Territories for several years, but his love for his home country, Norway, eventually brought them back to these inspiring islands. He still maintains a Sea Kayaking business in Vancouver and since moving back has started the Coastal Odyssey Tour adventure company here in the Lofoten Islands.

Looking around as we drove, I could easily understand why it was hard for him to stay away. The unfolding scenery of these glacier formed islands were unlike any on earth. The jagged mountains climbed effortlessly to the misty sky and were painted with natural forest and beautiful flora. Heavy blankets of snow lay across each peak and hundreds of erupting waterfalls echoed down their crevices. The shape and roughness of the mountains were unusual and looked more appropriate for a mountainous jungle in South America. The wind was exploding the ocean waves, the blowing rain created a blue haze and the entire vision of the scene was surreal, to say the least. Not what I had expected. No one could ever surmise this land without seeing it with their own eyes...it is fascinating!

The small town of Svolvær was & still is a port and fishing center. It has been for almost a thousand years. It is awarded with the luxury of paved roads throughout most of the chain of islands, electricity, even cell phone coverage, insulated cabins, shops, museums and some of the finest dining I've experienced anywhere. These few comforts do not diminish these islands as the ultimate destination to revitalize in the raw and natural beauty of this glorious planet. This land was surely the home of the mighty seafaring Vikings and contributed greatly to their inner strengths.

The town was mostly on the port side and in a few moments we crossed a bridge connecting to another miscue island. We pulled up in front of a strange looking wood rack and innocently, I asked Jonathan what it was? He was quite proud of his heritage and without hesitation. "Its a drying rack for the cod. The Lofoten Islands are famous for providing some of the best dried fish in the world and these racks allow the fish to dry naturally in the salt air." I then asked, after spotting hundreds of seagulls, how do they keep the birds from eating them? "They cover the rack with tight netting as the entire drying process can take several months." Makes sense to me was about all I could muster for an answer.