My Eyes Are Hurting

I really dont know where to start with this post as there is just too much to choose from. I wonder if it is possible to have sore eyes from too much beauty.

After our campsite in the forest by the rockpool, we drove further towards Stavanger. By lunchtime we had driven just 20 km and stopped for 2 cups of tea and numerous “Omg take a photo of that” moments. They say you just can’t hurry Norway and its a very true saying.

The scenery is amazing from the rocky mountains to the lakes and bubbling rivers to the gorgeous alpine ski houses, the road to Stavanger has it all.

So when we actually got to Stavanger, (we chose to stay by the coast), I nearly cried with disappointment. I mean it was beautiful and all with a sandy beach and a little marina but to compare with what we had come from…

We have delayed our hike for 2 reasons, actually 3. Firstly it was raining, secondly the route seemed more practical going to Stavanger first and lastly delaying tactics on my part. The hikes going to kill me.

This morning it was still drizzling and yet Norway still looks beautiful in the rain. We visited the Sword in The Rock monument first. I’ve included a little tale of its origin below.

According to the legend, as retold in the saga of Harald Fairhair, the reason he had for gathering Norway into one kingdom, was allegedly that he desired to wed Gyda Eriksdatter. Harald was in love with Gyda, the daughter of a King, but when he sent for her, she refused him, supposedly because she did not find him suffiently powerful, however should he manage to be the sovereign of the entire Norway, she would have him. Harald Fairhair rose to the challenge, and promised not to cut his hair before he had united Norway into one kingdom. The rest they say is history and the Swords in the Rock monument is to commemorate the battle of Hafrsfjord where Harald Fairhair gathered Norway into one kingdom in 872.

We parked just out of Stavanger for the day, for free, next to a cemetery which led straight to The Old Town Stavanger. You will find it’s location on the Park4night App.

The Old Town with the white wooden houses and cobbled lanes is incredibly cute and we happened to visit one of the old cottages on display to depict how things were back in the 1800s.

It was an upstairs downstairs cottage where 2 families had resided in a space barely big enough to swing a cat. Gorgeously decorated though.

It was however the harbour town with the brightly painted coffee shops that won my heart, (and my money). Norwegians make great coffee even if its expensive at around $6 NZ a cup. We are both suckers for a pretty cafe and a great cup of coffee.

It was also great to see the fishing boats tied to the wharf selling fresh seafood straight from the bins.

Stavanger is a delightful city and despite seeing more people than we have seen in a week, it still felt quiet and unhurried.

From Stavanger we caught the ferry to Oanes from Lauvvick. It was perhaps a 10 minute ferry crossing which cost us 236 NOK. Thats nearly 50 NZD.

Now I have a fellow blogger to thank for our next campsite. They are probably a couple of weeks ahead of us on their journey and I had tucked away a memory of a campsite they had stayed near Preikestolen which had been amazing.

Thanks@wanderingbird.com it is AMAZING!!!!

Would you believe we sat outside in the rain around a roaring fire just so that we could stare at the view? We will both probably have pneumonia tomorrow but boy it was worth it.