Aalshund to Bekkjarvik....Ferries, fjords and friends
I basically went to Aalsund because a) The Artic circle wasn't going to happen and it looked good on the map and b) because I wanted a nice coffee.
I had a nice chai instead, the first money I spent in Norway but it was ok as it's part of a habit of mine when I visit a new town to sit in a cafe and people watch. This town reminded me somewhat of Cornish ones; a once normal fishing port swarmed by yottie folk in Old Navy and kashmir. I peeped into the boats moored on the marina, I've always loved when you see the forest of masts on the water. Most of these chaps were enjoying the early evening sun by chilling on the deck with a bottle of wine.
It's always trickier to find a decent place to sleep when you are close to a city, partly because I'm anxious to stay on one side of the thin line between poor traveller and actual homeless person. Finding a place which is clean and safe and away from dodgy people can be tricky but I managed to scope out a potential place over some abandoned fish factory.
Came back later to find out it was already occupied on the lower levels!! Some guys were spray painting, but on a closer look it was clear that this was their hang-out, we started chatting and they shared some beers and we chatted about life the universe and everything around the fire. It's encounters like these which is why I like to travel in the way I do, making new friends in every town and really getting to know how the locals think. It happens everywhere and is a sign that no matter how far people can be seperated by space and culture, you will always find common ground. Now I will always think of Aalsund not just as of a town I visited once but as somewhere I have mates.
The next day was long, I was lucky to find one guy who took me almost the whole way to Bekkjarvik- involving about 5 ferries. In can get awkward on long hitches like these as you run out of conversation, but Johan was university lecturer and told me a lot in the space of 8 hours so much I felt like I'd gained a new degree by the end. We discussed everything from EU economic policy to Lord of the Rings. A really rewarding experience that left me with a more in depth knowledge of Norway and it's place in the world.
Sleeping in the ferry port I manged to get over to Selbjorn early yesterday morning. I'm crashing with an old friend who is working in a hotel here, and my holiday can become a more normal one, we went crabbing and made a strange attempt at paella. Sun is shining and I want to see if it possible to get a tan in this country.
