My route in Norway

If I were to put the trip together into one route, I would now lay it out like this: Bergen → Sognefjord → Flom → Lerdahl → Geiranger Fjord → Atlantic Road → small coastal towns and villages. This route allows you to see different landscapes of Norway without turning the trip into an endless race between points on the map.

I would only immediately put extra time on the road, because in Norway it is almost impossible to move exclusively according to plan. You will definitely see a place where you want to stay, meet a beautiful road, a small waterfall, or just want to drink coffee with a view of the fjord, which means that you will have to let go of your schedule a little.

At the same time, I would not try to change my overnight location every day just to see another point. Sometimes it's better to spend two evenings in one place and explore the surroundings in peace than to pack a suitcase every day and spend your energy moving again. On such a journey, not only the list of things you've seen is important, but also how comfortable you feel along the way.

A list of necessary items

After this trip, I have a very specific list of things that I would no longer underestimate. A good waterproof jacket, comfortable shoes, a phone charger, a power bank, and something to eat in the car would seem to be the most common things, but when there are mountains around and the nearest cafe is unknown, you start to look at a simple candy bar with completely different eyes.

I would definitely take a thermos. Stopping by a fjord, pouring yourself a hot coffee and just looking at the water for a few minutes turned out to be one of the most enjoyable little rituals of the trip. Sometimes, for some reason, such moments are more memorable than a long visit to a famous landmark.

What did I take with me from this trip

After Norway, I was left with the feeling that I had visited a country where nature calmly occupies the first place and does not try to prove anything to anyone. There's no need to come up with entertainment every minute, because sometimes it's enough just to drive, look out the window and wait for the scenery to appear around the next bend. And that's probably what I liked the most.

Geiranger Fjord

I was driving among the fjords, getting caught in the rain, getting confused on the roads, taking too many photos, reviewing the route several times, and still constantly rejoicing that I was here. Sometimes I got tired, sometimes I got wet, sometimes I realized that the next point was still far away, but I never had the feeling that it was all in vain.

Norway has left me with the feeling of an unfinished journey: I seem to have seen a lot, but I still want to take the car again one day, load up my things and drive on, along those roads that I didn't have enough time for this time. And that's probably why I liked this route so much – it didn't set a beautiful point in the journey, but left the feeling that there are still a lot of roads, fjords, small villages and turns ahead, beyond which there will definitely be something new.