Saturday 11th June - Day 4. Reidal To Lom
Thought as we were surrounded by mountains on the east, it would be late before we saw the sun, but it was light when we awoke at 4am!!! Went back to sleep and laid in until 8am! What a beautiful first Norwegian morning! We continued our way along the E6 following the itinerary for the World of BMW Viking Adventure. This would have taken us along to Eidford, which looks over the Hardangerfjorden which is so deep that the ocean going cruise ships can sail along it. We were also expecting to pass the Voringvoss waterfalls. However as we rounded a corner we were greeted by a "road closed" sign. This was adjacent to a ferry so we pulled up at the kiosk and asked the girl if she knew what the situation was. She said the road was closed until Tuesday due to a rock fall. She showed us on the map how to get round. It was going to be a bit of a detour, but hey we are on an adventure! This therefore lead to our first ferry crossing from Brimnes to Bruravik. We boarded the boat and parked up near the front. This would be a precedent that we would catch onto given the large number of ferry rides we were to undertake this holiday, which means that bikes get priority and you drive to the front of the queue! On the boat we parked next to a red truck which had converted into a camper. There was an aged couple inside who peered at us through their passenger window. The man got out and came round to talk to us. He asked where we had come from and where we were going to. We said our proposed route was blocked so he said to his wife to pass the map and laid it out across the seat of the bike. It had various roads highlighted and he pointed out the route we now needed to take to get us back on track. As the boat docked after it's 12 minute journey we bade farewell after the German had taken a photo of the "BMVay". Cathy said to him her German was kaput; he said his English was shit, which it very much wasn't. We set off up the road he had pointed out on the map which was indeed spectacular. However the clouds began to close in and specks of rain appeared on the windscreen of the GS. Then more ran began to fall and visibility reduced. The temperature began to fall and from about 15 degrees earlier in the day it plummeted to 8 degrees. At one point we entered an 11 km tunnel which initially was a relief from the rain, but at the break at about halfway where it was torrential rain, then at the end it was dry. It started raining again and instead of going over the top as the friendly German we met on the Ferry had suggested, we went through a 24 km tunnel from Laerdal to Aurland (we later found out this was the world's longest road tunnel!) As we rode through the tunnel, the lighting changed in several areas from being dimly lit to a wonderful luminous glow of blues, greens, and pinks (a unique setting for an ice bar maybe?!) so we stayed relatively dry. As we came out the other side and then started to climb we passed some amazing waterfalls and raging torrents. On reflection we should have stopped (we have already decided camping was a no-no and that a night in a Hytte was a good idea) but we pushed on for Lom. The conditions as we climbed on a very spectacular road became wetter, colder and mistier. Vision was difficult and the rain stung my face as I had to lift my visor. The first accommodation was full from a private party so we pushed on. We tried a hotel but it was 1150nkr for B&B which with hindsight wasn't too bad. It was very Nordic looking. We eventually arrived in Lom and booked into a Hytte which cost 820 nkr for a 4 (bunk) bed one with toilet and shower. The river in Lom was in full flood and emitted a deafening roar which could be heard throughout the village. We hung everything out to dry and turned the heating up full. Cathy cooked a great meal, Szechuan chicken and rice with a glass of.....tap water. "I could murder a beer said Cathy". We had a wander through the town before bed about 11:30.pm. We woke slightly later and it was still light at midnight. Our journey North was leading us to the Midnight Sun!
