Explicative photo gallery: exploring Norwegian lands

   I have never imagined myself when I grow up as being what I am now, but I could not be any happier that I did not turn out to be an astronaut, a teacher or a dentist (no offence to the professions). Currently, I find myself in a personal journey of discovering hidden passions, hobbies and of living a custom lifestyle. I feel like I am on the right track here, in Norway.

1. Rotsethornet, Volda

Volda, Western Norway is the city/village in which I am living and studying. The mountain in the photo is Rotsethornet and it has 649 m height and it appears to be easy to climb, but it is not and it is way more challenging and difficult to get down.

2. Rotevatnet, Volda

Rotevatnet lake, Volda, Norway. The lake is situated in the center of Volda and it is a popular everyday destination for fanatics of kayaking, boating, swimming, barbecues or just people who search to play volley, walk on slack lines or chill.

3. Rotevatnet, Volda

Here I am, at Rotevatnet, trying to walk on the slack line without holding on to a branch. Never done this before.

4. Ålesund

Ålesund is exactly how one sees it in the pictures when getting to the Fjellstua viewpoint. This canon was built a very long time ago and it remained alive together with bunkers reminiscences from WWII. 

5. Fjellstua viewpoint, Ålesund

After climbing sharp 418 steps to get to this viewpoint, I realized that it is exactly as shown in photographs. 

6. Molladalen, Sunnmøre region (I wrote a blogpost on Natura's website about it)

This was the very first trip I joined within a group of 18 Norwegian speakers. Final destination: Molladalen, Western Norway, a popular attraction for climbers and hikers. I  hiked for 3hrs30m, climbed Mohns Topp without ropes on freezing, stormy weather and slippery rocks and, climbed Bladet: a blade-shaped rock.

7. Bladet, Molladalen

I have only climbed two times in my life before this experience and none was as thrilling as this one. Photo: me waving, on top of Bladet, held by a safety rope.What a shame that the weather was foggy and the visibility of the landscapes was obstructed. Around me, there would be fjords, mountains, ice and snow.

8. Molladalen

After a long climbing/hiking experience to get to the top through severe rain, wind and cold, I turned my head before getting close to the end of the trail and saw this glamorous rainbow behind us.

9. Briksdalsbreen, Olden

Five years ago, this glacier called Briksdal was three, if not more times bigger than it is now. Global warming is seen even in Norway, where the cold weather surmounts the hot one. (me: second on the right). These are all Erasmus students, Fall 2016. And no, the colors of the photo (especially the water) are not adjusted or edited.

10. Nordfjord, Olden

One of the most beautiful fjords I have seen until now (second place): Nordfjord view from the ferry. While everybody was wearing three layers of clothes, hoods and pants, my resistance from childhood stroke and I did not need more than what is seen (tanktop, hat and warm shoes).

11. Climbing at Klatrefeltet Beachen, Stryn

Beachen is one of these famous climbing places, where beginners, advanced and professionals come and climb on vertical cliffs, but also on tilted and warped ones. I have learned how to make a climbing knot and somebody actually climbed with it (checked, of course by a tour guide), that is why I feel emotionally attached to this safety rope.

12. Gjølmunnebrua, via ferrata Loen, Stryn

A unique experience, never lived something even remotely similar before. This iron, hanging bridge is called Gjølmunnebrua and it is the longest via ferrata bridge in Europe, having a length of 120 m and a height of 770 m. It was built a very long time ago and reopened in 2012. Since the landscape is breathtaking, we decided to see it a bit more closer and clear (look mom, no hands!)

13. Via ferrata Loen, Stryn

This photography encompasses four hours of sweat, dedication and high-intensity muscle training. Another thing I have not done before is via ferrata (Italian: iron road) cliff climbing, so here I am after intense hours of vertical, lopsided and reclining cliffs - because I chose the E level trail, the most difficult one. But that is normal to me - pushing my limits.

14. Iron bridge, via ferrata Loen

This is the second hanging bridge in this via ferrata in Loen. It has 36 m length and only 3 iron cables that one's harness, more specifically the carbines are clamped to. It is even scarier than Gjølmunnebrua, since if one falls, it is rather difficult to climb back on and the whole bridge shakes violently. 

15. Storseisundet Bridge, Atlanterhavsveien, Åndalsnes

Atlanterhavsveien (The Atlantic Ocean Road) is made up of 8 bridges and Storseisundet is the longest one. It passes through an archipelago and it is the connection between Eide municipality and Averøy municipality. This bridge was opened in 1989.

16. Trollstigen, Geiranger

Trollstigen (English: Trolls' path) is a mountainous serpentine road, which has 11 hairpin bends and a steep inclination of 10 percent. It is a popular road and also, a second one of this kind that I drive on. First one was in Romania-Transfăgărășan.

17. Geirangerfjorden, Stranda municipality

Geirangerfjord is the first one in top three most beautiful fjords I have seen and it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We camped for one night at the basis of the mountain and I can tell for sure that I have never seen such a rich, clear and bright starry sky as in that night. 

18. Geirangerfjorden camping, Stranda municipality

The very first set of sky photographs I ever took was in Geirangerfjorden, This is us, surrounded and bounded by stunning mountains even at night and a jaw-dropping starry sky (which is not very visible in this photo, but it is the best I could do).

19. Volda close to Christmas time

Since Christmas time is approaching, Volda municipality made a tiny effort into placing and decorating a pine tree with lights. It gives a pleasant, comfy atmosphere.