Ski and Paddle Norway 2009

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Remnants of yesterdays weather still lingered when I got up at 0730. However the gale force wind had abated considerably. It was to be an easy day as I had various errands to do before I was ready for the next section to Ifjord.

After an unmemorable breakfast I set about my tasks. The first was a haircut. I had not had one since Christmas and it did not look pretty. There was a hairdresser beside the hotel and she gave me a number 1. Even the eyebrows got a hard trim to stop so much ice accumulating on them.

Next was maps. I got all the maps I needed for the next section to Ifjord. This was some 130 km which should take about 4 days. I found the maps in the bookshop and sportshop.

I had some pressing bank matters to deal with and also needed to top up my wallet at the mini bank ATM. The bank staff were noticeably unfriendly, perhaps it was the haircut.

Finally I had to buy some food. Just when I was about to go a local journalist called at the hotel. He wanted to do a small interview. I obliged and we had rattled it off in half and hour. It was for a Lapp newspaper called Saggat.

I finally made the supermarket and bought some of the usual staples, namely chocolate, milk powder, nuts, drinking chocolate and some muesli. This was the basics. I had to go back to the sports shop to buy some very expensive dehydrated meals which I knew to be easy to prepare and tasty.

I finally had to buy some camping gas and new boot laces before I had everything I needed. The only thing missing was a new basket for my ski stick as one of the leather supports had broken. Nobody had a replacement and I hoped I could continue with the damaged one which still had 3 of the 4 leather bands in place.

Finally it was all done by late afternoon. I had nothing more to do so went for a pizza. I ordered a large one. When it arrived I was astonished. Having got used to poor value for money in Finnmark I was expecting something to whet my appetite. What I got must have been a good 60 cm across and heaped with ingredients. It was very good but even I only managed three quarters of it.

I managed to borrow an old computer at the hotel. With it I spent a couple of hours researching the route ahead and sending a few emails. I also transferred money for the kayak and kayaking equipment which was about to be shipped from Finland, where it was made, to Kirkenes.

The weather forecast did not make good reading. It seemed north Norway was going to receive a few low pressures over the next week.

I also tried to contact Ifjord Camping to confirm they would be open when I arrived as I heard they might be closed. Nobody answered the phone.

Then finally the blog in the evening and when that was finished I was ready to go. Tomorrow it was about 30 km.

Initially 10 km along the road until I reached a track which went up into the mountains a short way passing the hazards the steep birch forest might bring. At the end of this track I would be onto the Finnmarksvidda plateau again. Then it was about 15 km to a very simple cabin, the last luxury for a while.

Today was a boring day. It had to be done and the rest was good. I was however eager to get going again. By my estimates I reckoned I had about 8 to 10 days to go to reach Nordkinn, Norway’s most northerly mainland point.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 20th, 2009 at 9:07 pm and is filed under Update. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.