4./5./6. Juli 2023 Honningsvåg

I think it was a wise decision to start the trip to the North Cape immediately. From the 4th of July the weather remains cloudy, foggy and sometimes rainy. My bike is also not available and so we are stuck in Honningsvåg. At least I found a bike mechanic who can repair my rear wheel for a very fair price.

Luckily we are staying in a hotel with a small wellness facility and so my daily sauna session actively promotes the recovery of my strained muscles.

On July 5, we meet up with Ernesto, a cross-country skier friend from Zetzwil. He, too, has cycled all the way from Switzerland to here on his touring bike with electric motor support and bicycle trailer, including his own power plant, i.e. solar system, all of which he built himself. His vehicle also always attracts a lot of attention. Although one week after us started, he is already on this day in Honningsvåg via Poland, the Baltic countries and Finland. So he has overtaken us "on the right". Of course he hopes for good weather on Friday to drive then to the North Cape. Good luck Ernesto and good trip.

Toast with friends

7. 7. 2023 Transfer to Tromsø

This morning, at the crack of dawn, we are definitely heading back towards Switzerland. The Hurtigruten ship "MS Nordlys", named after the spectacular Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis), built in 1994 with room for 590 passengers brings us back to Tromsø. Shortly after departure the cloud cover clears and splendid summer weather with absolutely calm sea accompanies us the whole day. We would have liked to have this weather for the conquest of the North Cape.

MS Nordlys - our Taxi

Intermediate stop in Hammerfest - the northernmost city in the world (70.7° north. latitude)

 

8./9./10./11. 7. 2023 Tromsø and return to Switzerland

The story is quickly told.

We spend again a few days in Tromsø in splendid summer weather. We take another short bike ride around the island, visit some sights like the arctic botanical garden or explore an old sealing ship (MS Polstjerna). Of course, the fine dinners with fresh fish must not be missed on these days.

 

The last project of this trip is to procure the cardboard boxes needed for our bicycles for the return flight. Everything works out perfectly as planned. Checking in the cargo is a bit awkward but ultimately successful.

So we land on time in Zurich on Tuesday, where we experience - not unexpectedly - a small heat shock. For me, the 37° Celsius are definitely too much and I let Tobias (best thanks Tobias!) chauffeur me home. Roswitha and Urs take the heat trip on themselves and return to Seengen on their bikes.

A big thank you to both of them for the great time on this bike trip together, the experience was unique and characterized by a huge amount of sensorial impressions, which you can probably only experience on a bike!

A little pride fills me to have put into practice my beer idea expressed at the regulars' table.

Bye, bye Norway