Our first challenge before we could start our trip was to get out excessive amount of luggage under the 60kgs (30kgs each) allowed by our airline. Each of our bikes weighed in at around 19kgs so we had 12kgs left for luggage. No easy task when you're heading to Norway for 5 months and you need whitewater gear for cold conditions including PFD, helmet, throw bag, spraydeck, paddle, drysuit and thermals! After some ruthless culling of 'non essentials' we managed to fit all of me and Jordie's gear into one suitcase and squeezed everything heavy into hang luggage. We weighed everything and according to the scales we were bang on 60 kgs total...
Not too much stuff
Elevators helped us a lot
Friendly policeman offering to carry Amy's bags for her. (He didn't offer to carry mine or Jordie's)
When we arrived at the airport it was a different story, somehow our luggage had gained weight overnight and we were 9 kgs over. As the airline charges $70AUD per excess kg we were looking at around $630AUD overweight charges. Luckily the wonderfully understanding lady at the check in turned a bit of a blind eye for us an allowed us through with no extra charges.
We played a lot of Monopoly deal during our stopovers
After 47 hours of travel and some dramas getting on a train in London. They charged us excessive amounts of money for bringing our bikes and tried to confiscate our rafting knives. We arrived in Amsterdam Central Train Station and as our pick up failed to appear we ended up carrying all our stuff to the closest cheapest backpackers we could find. First we indulged in some much needed showers then headed out to join the masses of people celebrating Kings Day.
Big breakfast: bacon eggs mushrooms baked beans and toast, we needed it.
Getting into the orange of things
Crazy day in Amsterdam, so many people out on the street celebrating and having a good time
Our meeting point
Check out the booze cruises
Kings Day has to be one of the coolest festivals I have been to. There was different music on every street corner as well as blasting from huge speakers mounted on the boats on the canals and everyone was having a good time.
The next day we decided to be a bit cultural so we went to see some museums.
Sex museum...
Condoms
Artefacts..?
We also went to see Body Worlds which is an interesting exhibition focusing on the effect of happiness on health with displays of real human bodies.
Riot control
Then we went to a torture museum which looked at torture techniques through the ages. Of all the european countries Russia and England had the biggest contributions of sick torture techniques.
We also met up with Angad and Lisette who took us out for some authentic Dutch food. Yum.
Dessert. Amazing
Waffles with white chocolate, milk chocolate, strawberries, and covered in whipped cream.
Finally we boarded a plane for Norway. We spent a night sleeping in Peppes Pizza Oslo Airport which was surprisingly comfortable. Then jumped on a train to Voss.
Lots of snow
Also some pretty flowers
The view from our room
We've now been in Voss for just under a week and have already been on a cool hike up to the top of Hanguren to see some snow. I got to paddle on the Marine Juvet with Basso and some friends. Jordie and Basso and I did a mish of a bike ride up a massive hill then down some nice trails, and we had our first raft trip of the season on the Raundalselvi (it was snowing at the put in).
Put in of the Marine Juvet beautiful sunny day
First waterfall
Paddling under blue skies in Norway = amazing
Super boof by Basso
Almost at the top of the hill.
Riding in the woods
Timberhole on the Raundal
