The road got smaller, twistier, more pot holes, more grass down the middle, the GPS said 'Ferry fifteen miles'
IF there was a ferry it would probably be one sailing a week, but to where?
Sue maybe knows something I don't! Oh, OK, maybe not then ....
We drop down to the deserted ferry terminal at the end of 'the road' (Ha) and I says to Sue, "I bet there's only two ferries a week from here ... and today's not one of them" The place wasn't totally deserted, one beat up old Volvo, two occupants, the driver started laughing, he had heard me ...
They've been there since the night before waiting for the ferry. They had camped up in the woods half a mile away. It took Sue five minutes to find the ferry terminal building open, heated, toilets and fresh water, and two large leather sofa settees
"Well I'd have stayed the night in there" she tells them with a smug grin. I just had to larf
Welcome to Lysefjord Ferry Terminal at Songesand
... and the occupants of said beat up old Volvo
They are both professional roller boarders and extreme sports aficionados and we two geriatrics end up being 'marooned' with them
We have a real good laugh with them, they are totally surprised that we don't know where we are or where we are going ... well does it matter?
We have to 'phone the ferry company, number in the centrally heated terminal mit leather sofa's, tell them who we are, where we are, and where we want to go ....
I can maybe answer just one of those three variables
Sue 'phoned up, as the terminal building instructions had said, to be told that the ferry booking office was closed, but ring this number ...
She did, and spoke to the captain of the ferry, mid voyage, who would come for us ...
At our friends suggestion, we agree to head for Lysebotn at the head of the fjord, with them. We 'phone up and after two hours of hilarity, Micky taking, leg pulling and putting the world to rights, the ferry comes.
Well the captain said he would ...
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Lysebotn Fjord
So we find out from our new friends that we're actually heading for Lysebotn, the Mecca for extreme sports. People throw themselves off the cliff tops, 1,000 metres above the fjord, with nothing more than an umbrella strapped to their back ... or roller board down the twenty four hairpins from the top to the bottom
So once off the ferry and fond farewells to two lovely kids, we climb those said hairpins and fortunately for us, and maybe a roller boarder or two, we have a free accent
At the top, as we had been told, there were literally millions of small man made stone monuments, for mile after mile, as far as the eye could see...
Back on the road, heading south all the time, we find another hut, sheer luyxury this one. Will sleep six, shower, toilet, and the cheapest of them all at 350Nk
In the morning, before leaving, I maybe strap my roll bag on for the last time, for today were on the ferry from Kristiansand to Hirtshals in Denmark ... we're on the way home.
It contains a tent and an Exped sleeping mat, unused these last two weeks, for the huts rule supreme
The ferry to Denmark ...
We stopped a last night in Denmark back at the warm welcome that is the MC Tourcamp, before riding 600 miles to Rotterdam for the overnight ferry to Hull Wednesday 3rd July.
Many thanks to Johnny Boxer and Bilko for keeping us up to speed with what was happening with DFDS
.... and you don't need a big Charley and Ewan 'Wannabee' macho bike to go touring on. Sue's likkle G650Xcountry never missed a beat, did all that was asked of it, at probably 70mpg. Maybe, just maybe, the best bike that BMW ever had built
My F800GS completed the 4,000 miles without a problem. Riding with Sue's Xcountry 68mpg (ish) No oil used, and at 94,150 miles is heading for the Alps on Monday ... another story
Good to hear from you Tom
