Ekeberg Camping, Oslo, Norway - Wednesday, 10 August

Geoff
Today, we took the 34 bus from just outside the campsite to the Central Station. After visiting tourist information, we then took a 30 bus to the Kon-Tiki Museum. I'd bought 24 hour tickets last night at the campsite reception and this worked out very much cheaper than single tickets.

The museum was great. It told the life story of Thor Heyerdahl, the Norwegian zoologist, who, with five others, set sail in 1947 on a balsa wood raft from Callao near Lima, Peru across the Pacific Ocean to Polynesia in an effort to prove that the then residents of the islands might be descended from peoples somewhere in South America. Hitherto, it had been assumed that their ancestors came from somewhere to the west of Polynesia. As the trade winds and currents enabled Kon-Tiki (which had no means of steering), to reach Polynesia after 101 days, the crew proved their theory in the face of earlier incredulity. We watched a 1951 Oscar-winning documentary narrated by Heyerdahl. The Kon-Tiki raft was on display, as was the Ra II, a papyrus reed boat, which undertook another perilous voyage some years later. The Ra II was on display as well.

I read Thor Heyerdahl's book, "The Kon-Tiki Expedition", maybe forty years ago and, I think, "Fatu-Hiva", also by him.

Thor Heyerdahl

Kon-Tiki

We had a superb lunch in the cafe of the adjacent Maritime Museum, rolls generously filled with the most amazingly fresh shrimps and, I think, something like pieces of we call crab sticks. They were lovely. Apart from that, we didn't spend much money. Norwegian prices are horrendous - although we bought a smallish piece of Brie for about £6.00 and a baguette. Both were very good.

Oslo from the Maritime Museum

We had talked about doing the Norway in a Nutshell trip by train out to the coast at Bergen, some seven hours. A journey through a fjord by boat could also be included and we had thought we might manage a night in a hotel in Bergen so as not to cram too much into one day. The price was frightening (although we knew that - it's what is known as spending the kids' inheritance) but, in the event, all trips over the next couple of days were fully booked so that made the decision for us. The thought of seven hours on a crowded train had little appeal anyway. We are now planning to head back into Sweden tomorrow.

Amanda

It rained all night, and at 2.30 the wind got up and G had to go outside and wind the awning in. He also retrieved his washing which had been hanging under the awning but was now lying on the sodden, muddy ground. Some vehicles had to be towed out of the mud this morning.. We shall trust that it will dry out a bit by the time we leave.

We caught the bus into the city and headed straight for a hole in the wall (it's hard work keeping all the different kroner in separate places and then remembering where they are) before catching another bus which gave us the opportunity to see quite a bit of Oslo on our way to the Kon-Tiki Museum on the other side of the harbour. G was very keen to go there having read Thor Heyerdahl's book about the expedition in his twenties. I read it in my early teens, as part of a Guide badge. I can't remember what the badge was, but I think I had to read a  non-fiction book involving exploration of some kind, and that was the available book on my parents' bookshelves. It was such a phenomenon that I think every home probably had one!

The exhibition was well worth a visit, and included the reconstructed original Kon-Tiki and Ra II. We also watched a showing of the original documentary made in 1951, only 4 years after the expedition. Our adventure pales into insignificance compared to the crew's 101 day achievement.
Our "make it up as we go along" philosophy has served us well so far, but hit a bit of a snag today. Fortunately we were already having second thoughts about the possible train trip to Bergen because of the weather when we discovered, on our return to the TIC for wifi access, that all seats were sold out for days ahead. It will have to wait for another time. The views are said to be absolutely spectacular but, even so, the thought of seven and a half hours in a packed train is a bit daunting. Out of high season might be a better bet!

So we are now making new plans for the next couple of weeks, and think we will take the opportunity to explore more of Sweden and cross to Stockholm via a loop north taking in the area around Lake Siljan.

Incidentally, I had a nice reply to my email to the Norwegian Toll people saying that the invoices usually take 4 to 6 months to come through, so no need to worry!

A group of lads in an ancient camper from The Netherlands just turned up and parked between us and the campsite roadway and far too close, blocking out our light and making a worrying amount of noise. And also blocking as well as churning up our least boggy exit route. Fortunately they have just moved because they couldn't reach the hookup. Phew!