Cold, rough, windy, beautiful.

In 2019, my second solo trip took me to Norway. My bucket list included the Lofoten in the north, Åndalsnes and the classics Preikestolen, Kjeragbolten and Trolltunga in the south. I kept my expectations rather low, because I had to expect that not all of my destinations would be hikeable due to the weather when traveling from late August to early September. But Norway was incredibly kind with me. Admittedly, there was the one or other night that I had to end at 5 o’clock in the morning due to the wind or that only had a few hours of sleep ready due to fear, but my expectations were eventually far exceeded.

A year later in September 2020, after I had given up my job and apartment in Berlin, I traveled to Norway again. The reunion in the most beautiful sunshine could not have been more heartwarming. I remember sitting in the bus from Abisko (SE) to Narvik (NO) when Sweden suddenly looked a bit old. The high mountains with sharp peaks are embraced by blue fjords, making for dramatic backdrops. This time I wanted to stay longer in the country and worked on a farm near Tromsø for room and board. From there I drove to the Lyngen Alps, explored Senja and the Lofoten Islands on a road trip, and had the great fortune to spend two weeks on Svalbard.