Meløy

Yet another frozen adventure, on the island of Meløy.


As usual, we had gail force winds and ice rain on our backpacking trip.

Hiked through soggy wetlands and reindeer pastureland.

I did, however, enjoy watching dew drops leap from my shoes and hang against the mossy backdrop.

Photo: Lydia Linnea Palsdottir

Our entire party was so burnt out we could barely put one foot in front of the other.

In a wind so strong that even the puddles were white capped.

Lars resembled Gandalf/Moses, leading us (grumbling) through the wilderness.

Like the children of Israel.

Instead of setting up camp in the frozen waste, we re-routed to a cozy little cabin.

A lakeside refuge that afforded the view of silvered storm clouds and a soft heather horizon.

 The next morning surprised us with clear skies and a sparkling shoreline.

After breakfast, we wandered down to the beach, over lichen carpeted "trails"

 Trails here, consist of muddy "paths" between moss covered boulders.

The lumps in the terrain make me feel as if there is an army of sneaky gnomes 

awaiting to ambush poor, unassuming backpackers .

I didn't know Northern Norway could be this colorful.

After lunch, Gandalf took us up to Meløytind, which overlooks the islands and our house.

Wandered back for storytelling and beef stroganoff.

While hiking all day, I harbored the hope of a delicious sunset for dessert.

Henning found it.

The richest of colors.

I secretly think the only way to describe sunsets is with food vocabulary.
Sumptuous.

In the morning,

Jon, Henning, Lydia, and I took the short road back.

Sweden reached into an anthill and gave me a taste of it's contents.

(not the first time I've eaten bugs off of Jon's hand)

They were sweet, like orange juice.

Thanks to the sun, the green decided to show.

You could hear those leaves bursting like popcorn.

Jon treated us to ice-cream and we went for a romp in the graveyard.

Then the tired, happy creatures fell down in the soft, warm moss to sleep, on the edge of the fjord.

I live in a fairytale.