Living the Dream Solo Around the World Trip
- Thread starter schalk vd merwe
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schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
That weather looks a bit nippy 
Looking forward to the Nord Kapp photo's :thumleft:
Looking forward to the Nord Kapp photo's :thumleft:
schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
Yes it is cold up there even in mid summer when the sun shines 24 hrs/dayRi said:That weather looks a bit nippy
Looking forward to the Nord Kapp photo's :thumleft:
schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
Nordkapp
The follwing day I left Alta which is next to the sea for NordKapp which is 240 km apart. It is a beautiful road with beautiful scenery. Eventually the road was all along the sea. It was raining and cold and I had my rain suit on. I travelled through a couple of tunnels. Then I came to a long tunnel which goes through under the sea. There used to be a toll for crossing through this tunnel but the government eventually did away with that as it was affecting tourism.
Thousands of people would come to Nordkapp this time of the year to see the Midnight Sun. The sun shines the whole day and “night”. The sun would just stay above to horizon. The best time to see this is more or less on 21 June every year. At the normal 12 noon the sun would sit on the South side and The Midnight Sun would sit on the North side.
I arrived in the rain at Honningsvag and first went to fill fuel and buy a Coke. Honningsvag is a harbour town closes to NordKapp. So all these big tourist ships would anker there and then they would take a tourist bus from there to NordKapp which is 34 km away. It cost big money for one of these shipping liner tours but if you can afford it I think it is worthwhile because they also sail into these Fiords all over. Norway is one beautiful country.
Then I started to proceed towards Nordkapp. The wind was extremely strong and the road was winding with mountain passes. The humidity was so high that water drops was forming on the inside of my visor. So in order to see you have to ride with the visor open and then the rain drops would hit you in the eyes.
On the way I enquired for a cabin but they were all full. To camp with a tent in this strong wind would be impossible. Then 13 km from NordKapp I found a vacant cabin very small, but boy at an R 1000 a day. The cabin was really nice and the heater was on all the time. It had two bunk beds in and a kettle to make coffee. The bathrooms were outside and the wind was pumping all the time with the rain raining down horizontal.
The lady at reception told me that a guy on a 1200 GS was blown off the road that day and is lying in hospital now with broken bones.
After unpacking I went down to the reception and the lady was nice and she gave me some cake for free. The reception is also a restaurant at the same time. I would have loved to have a beer but at R 144-00 for a 340 ml can, I abstained for a while.
So at 12 am I made my first attempt to go and see the midnight sun at NordKapp. It was the same, the wind pumping and riding in the rain with moisture on the inside of my visor although it was only 13 km away. It was overcast and I could not see the sun. The wind was pushing me from one side to the other side so at the entrance to the big boll I turned around and went back again. The 13 km felt like eternity traveling at 30-40 km an hour with rain hitting me in the face.
Back at the cabin it was unbelievable nice and cozy with the heater permanently on. I had a Rooibos tee and went to bed while outside the light is like daylight. At 2 am I heard another bike. When I looked through the window I saw it was a young couple. They then attempted to put a tent up in the rain and wind. If my room was not so small I could have invited them in but my luggage took up all the floor space, though the top bunk bed was still open.
The next morning/day on the way to the shower I went to speak with the couple with the bike. They were packing up again and wanted to go more south where it is warmer. They are from Russia. They also went to see the midnight sun the previous night/day but as it was overcast so they gave it up as a bad job. They told me to go just after 12 am because then you don’t pay at the entrance any more.
So after a nice hot shower I WhatSapp my German friends Conni and Alexander down in Sweden to find out what they think. To stay another day and pay another R 1000 or to move on. No they said I must stay and make an effort to see the midnight sun. So off I went and paid my R 1000 before I lose my cozy wood cabin.
It was a Sunday now and I took the bike and rode up to a little tourist hotel up the road. I closed my eyes and paid the R 144 for a beer (About 10 Euro). In for a penny in for a pound.
Then after 12 am I traveled the 13 km to NordKapp for the last time. There were clouds but you could see the Midnight Sun. There were hundreds of camper vans camping real close to each other just outside the main gate. Just like the Russian couple said there would be no paying after 12 am. I rode in and in between some poles and around the building right up to the Earth Boll. There were people taking pictures of them self’s and I waited till they were finished before I asked them to take some photos of me with my cell phone and my camera as well.
I have come a long way to see this. First Africa up and Down all the way to the most southern point. Then Europe down and up to the most northern point. I felled great.
I then traveled the 13 km back and went to bed, pulling the curtains close to keep the sun out. At about 8 am I got up and went for a shower and then loaded the bike. Then I hit the road going south again to Alta. It turned out to be a nice day and I stopped all over to take photos along the see.
The follwing day I left Alta which is next to the sea for NordKapp which is 240 km apart. It is a beautiful road with beautiful scenery. Eventually the road was all along the sea. It was raining and cold and I had my rain suit on. I travelled through a couple of tunnels. Then I came to a long tunnel which goes through under the sea. There used to be a toll for crossing through this tunnel but the government eventually did away with that as it was affecting tourism.
Thousands of people would come to Nordkapp this time of the year to see the Midnight Sun. The sun shines the whole day and “night”. The sun would just stay above to horizon. The best time to see this is more or less on 21 June every year. At the normal 12 noon the sun would sit on the South side and The Midnight Sun would sit on the North side.
I arrived in the rain at Honningsvag and first went to fill fuel and buy a Coke. Honningsvag is a harbour town closes to NordKapp. So all these big tourist ships would anker there and then they would take a tourist bus from there to NordKapp which is 34 km away. It cost big money for one of these shipping liner tours but if you can afford it I think it is worthwhile because they also sail into these Fiords all over. Norway is one beautiful country.
Then I started to proceed towards Nordkapp. The wind was extremely strong and the road was winding with mountain passes. The humidity was so high that water drops was forming on the inside of my visor. So in order to see you have to ride with the visor open and then the rain drops would hit you in the eyes.
On the way I enquired for a cabin but they were all full. To camp with a tent in this strong wind would be impossible. Then 13 km from NordKapp I found a vacant cabin very small, but boy at an R 1000 a day. The cabin was really nice and the heater was on all the time. It had two bunk beds in and a kettle to make coffee. The bathrooms were outside and the wind was pumping all the time with the rain raining down horizontal.
The lady at reception told me that a guy on a 1200 GS was blown off the road that day and is lying in hospital now with broken bones.
After unpacking I went down to the reception and the lady was nice and she gave me some cake for free. The reception is also a restaurant at the same time. I would have loved to have a beer but at R 144-00 for a 340 ml can, I abstained for a while.
So at 12 am I made my first attempt to go and see the midnight sun at NordKapp. It was the same, the wind pumping and riding in the rain with moisture on the inside of my visor although it was only 13 km away. It was overcast and I could not see the sun. The wind was pushing me from one side to the other side so at the entrance to the big boll I turned around and went back again. The 13 km felt like eternity traveling at 30-40 km an hour with rain hitting me in the face.
Back at the cabin it was unbelievable nice and cozy with the heater permanently on. I had a Rooibos tee and went to bed while outside the light is like daylight. At 2 am I heard another bike. When I looked through the window I saw it was a young couple. They then attempted to put a tent up in the rain and wind. If my room was not so small I could have invited them in but my luggage took up all the floor space, though the top bunk bed was still open.
The next morning/day on the way to the shower I went to speak with the couple with the bike. They were packing up again and wanted to go more south where it is warmer. They are from Russia. They also went to see the midnight sun the previous night/day but as it was overcast so they gave it up as a bad job. They told me to go just after 12 am because then you don’t pay at the entrance any more.
So after a nice hot shower I WhatSapp my German friends Conni and Alexander down in Sweden to find out what they think. To stay another day and pay another R 1000 or to move on. No they said I must stay and make an effort to see the midnight sun. So off I went and paid my R 1000 before I lose my cozy wood cabin.
It was a Sunday now and I took the bike and rode up to a little tourist hotel up the road. I closed my eyes and paid the R 144 for a beer (About 10 Euro). In for a penny in for a pound.
Then after 12 am I traveled the 13 km to NordKapp for the last time. There were clouds but you could see the Midnight Sun. There were hundreds of camper vans camping real close to each other just outside the main gate. Just like the Russian couple said there would be no paying after 12 am. I rode in and in between some poles and around the building right up to the Earth Boll. There were people taking pictures of them self’s and I waited till they were finished before I asked them to take some photos of me with my cell phone and my camera as well.
I have come a long way to see this. First Africa up and Down all the way to the most southern point. Then Europe down and up to the most northern point. I felled great.
I then traveled the 13 km back and went to bed, pulling the curtains close to keep the sun out. At about 8 am I got up and went for a shower and then loaded the bike. Then I hit the road going south again to Alta. It turned out to be a nice day and I stopped all over to take photos along the see.
schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
schalk vd merwe
Race Dog
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