Bellarine Traveller: The North Cape & Honingsvag

As we were leaving the beautiful country of Finland, the tour leader said “folks, you will see some more big lakes today” – and he was right. I cannot believe how many lakes, streams & rivers there are in Finland. It is a magnificent country, so different to Australia and it has a really interesting history.

When you want a glass of water you turn on the tap and the water is ice cold, like you have just taken it out of the fridge. The water is also very pure and clear.

We did learn some interesting facts relating to the Chernobyl Nuclear disaster that happened in 1986. The accident was not originally acknowledged by the USSR. The Saami reindeer herders noticed that many reindeer were ill. They could not work out what was wrong with them. After many reindeer dying and with tests being done it was discovered they had radiation poisoning. The rest is now, sadly history.

We had a stop at Karasjok which is the seat of the Saami Parliament. The “Samediggi” is an elected body for the Norwegian Sami, with representatives chosen by direct elections in constituencies all over Norway. Only registered Saami’s can vote.

The Sammi people have an excellent museum here as well. It is very informative and they have an wondeful display of traditional buildings. The temperatures in Lapland & this area of Norway are very severe – quite frankly I have no idea how people have survived over the many years and still survive today.

The annual temperatures vary from +20°C in the summer to -20°C in the winter. There are not many very hot days in the summertime. In the wintertime the temperatures may fall to minus thirty degrees a number of times, and the wind chill factor makes it feel even colder.

Usually about the 21^st December the daylight hours are only 2¼ hours per day!

You see many people travelling to this area at present in campervans, cycling holidays and many people go hiking. The weather is quite cold and there is a lot of fog around.

As we drove into Norway the geography and vegetation changed a lot. We crossed the border it seemed like only minutes and we saw our first fiord. Around the fiord and everywhere we have been since there are many smaller mountains that have huge drifts of snow still. The snow should melt in the next couple of weeks. The drive along this huge fiord was stunning – we think our Great Ocean Road drive is fabulous (and it is) but this is equally as good.

We did drive up to the North Cape which is an excellent viewing area for the midnight sun. However as we were driving up the fog came in and it was like ‘pea-soup’. Needless to say we had no hope of seeing the midnight sun at North Cape. There is however, an excellent information centre there and they show a film all about the area and the people and how they live and survive in the harsh climate.

We will have a couple of other nights when we may see the midnight sun!

As you drive to the North Cape the scenery is a bit ‘moon-like’ a lot of rocks and slate everywhere with some patches of the tundra grasses and many large snow drifts. You do see reindeer grazing along the roadside.

Before leaving the North Cape we were asked if we would like to do an optional tour – to take a boat ride from a small fishing village near the North Cape and see some bird nesting areas. This was a great tour and everyone who went said it was one of the best we had done. Even if we had not seen a bird, the scenery alone was magnificent. The birds we saw included Puffins – these were lovely, they have a white belly and black backs – other that a large beak you could be excused for thinking they were small flying penguins! We saw a huge variety of birds including the rare white-tailed eagle.

All through this area you see many racks where the locals dry fish. The dried fish is eaten as is and not cooked – presume it is a bit like jerky.

We have moved further into Norway to Alta – we have a couple of days here so we can catch our breath and have a sleep-in!