At least our way overpriced hotel had the most amazing breakfast spread that the price almost seemed fair, for a second at least since a buffet like this I imagine to cost 70 Euros a person in Norway.  The whole room was full of food on multiple counters and you could have anything from herring to 4 different types of eggs to fruit and pancakes.  It was by far the best meal we had in Norway, and Hendrik wanted to stay another day so he could try more things at the breakfast buffet, but our bank account couldn’t handle it.

After checkout, we drove down the Atlantic Road over many beautiful bridges crossing over the island landscape.  Bridges overtook tunnels with ease and got a massive head start so I began to worry for my tunnel team.

Bridges of the Atlantic Road

We were headed south towards Geiranger and started to drive through the fjord region.  The Troll Road or Trollstigen was part of this area and we twisted and turned up through the hairpin turns.

The Hairpin road

We had excellent weather all the way up the mountain allowing for exquisite views of the bends.  From a distance they looked rather horrifying but when we were on them they were less hair raising.  On the top, we stopped to go to the lookout area and as we walked towards the main one, which was actually closed because the walkway was being repaired but all the tourists just made the barricades into an obstacle course, it began to rain.

Troll Road

Even though our pictures than had rain droplets in them, it was still better than not seeing the winding road at all, because just as we were heading back to our car on the broken path, a thick cloud rolled into the valley and around the lookout area obstructing the view.  Even when we continued to drive the whole road was completely covered in a marshmallow white.  We considered ourselves very lucky as we crossed tourists going the other way just making their way to the lookout point when there was nothing to see but a dense film of white.

Further along and 2 ferries later it was getting dark so we were on a lookout for a place to stay.  We saw signs advertising cabins with a fjord view and skeptically followed it to a location where we saw three red cabins on the side of the mountain.  We were given the best cabin unit in Hothaug Gard, a place known only for its cabins, since as we were told ours’ was ensuite with a toilet AND a shower.  It wasn’t even a ¼ of what we paid last night, but also didn’t include any food, so since we were in the middle of nowhere we had Ramen and got cozy with a fire.  After the not delicious but on the other hand cheap meal, we went for a walk to check out this fjord view which was advertised.

We walked further up the road we had driven on and Hendrik saw a hill which he demanded on climbing.  It was getting dark but it was a marked trail so we set off.  The ground was like a sponge and wherever I stepped water came up through the soft ground into my shoe.  At one point it was a pool of mud instead of a path and Hendrik, like a gentleman, carried me across to dryer ground.  We couldn’t go much further because it was getting dark fast and the trail seemed to be going around the mountain rather than up which was the original intention of going up the trail.  Little did I know that Hendrik had other intentions in mind which made this walk especially memorable.  On the way down we had to cross the mud pool going downhill this time.  As if he was well trained in carrying me across less than ideal terrains, Hendrik swooped me up so my non-water proof shoes wouldn’t be ruined.  He could have used some more training because before I knew it I was lying flat on my back head pointing down with Hendrik on top of me, my bum and back seeping up the mud.  Not only had he dropped me in a pool of wet dirt, but he also used me as a shield for his own slipping and fully protected himself from landing face first in the mud.  It was only a bonus that I had put on fresh jeans that day since now they were caked in mud.  At least it made it a perfectly memorable walk.