This will be my road journal.

It will be updated on a daily basis as I go from south of Stockholm to the northern most tip of continental Europe, North Cape

The journey begins on July 19th 2009 and ends when I return home. I will cover 4200 kilometers or 2600 miles through some of the most stunning scenery this world has to offer.

Please leave a comment or two here

This is my story:

2009-07-23

I woke up at around 06:00 today in Östersund. I then started driving the last leg home. Since I drove the exact same way home that I drove on my way up I knew I wouldn't find anything worth photographing. It's a boring highway all the way home. It did however give me time to reflect on what I had just done. I have had a great time even though I have, at times, been very very tired and pretty board. I have seen so much beautiful nature and have really tested myself. I'm very happy about the decision not to go to North Cape and instead turn south from Narvik. Otherwise I would never have gotten to experience the beauty that Norway has to offer. The trip from Narvik to Östersund was amazing. I didn't want it to end. I was driving along wonderinge what I would be amazed about around the next bend. If it was another scenic view that would blow me away or if it would be yet another tunnel going straight up for 8,9km, I just knew it would be something special at every turn.

To summarize my trip I would say I am glad that I've done it. I wouldn't want to drive to the top of Sweden on my own again. It's just too lonely up there and it gets pretty old after awhile. Driving through Norway though, that I would do again in a heartbeat. Preferably with company.

Some facts and figures: I drove a total of 4273km, that's 2655miles. I averaged a speed of 105km/h, that's 65mph. The fuel consumption was 14,2liters/100km or 16mpg, that's 606liters of fuel during this trip, or 160 gallons.

I would like to thank all of you who have been following my trip, leaving comments for me, and encouraging me. It has meant a lot. Thank you.

Here are the final screenshot of the GPS when I returned home:

 

2009-07-22:

Today I set several new records for myself. I drove for 14 hours straight and covered about 1300km. I'm writing this from a parking lot in Östersund at 00:13 am 2009-07-23. I set off 07:50 from Narvik. I will write more tomorrow, but I will upload some pictures.

Here are some stats.

 

The day started out like som many before; cloudy and more cloudy.

 

Still, nice mirror finish.

 

Pretty dreamy

 

I then had to take a ferry because the road stoped :)

 

View from ferry

 

THE SUN!!! Finally showed it's pretty face

 

I found a great spot along the road, with streams...

 

...and suspension bridge.

 

Same spot.

 

The suspension bridge again.

 

The stream again.

 

692meter above sea level. I swear if one jumped you could grab a piece of the sky, it was gigantic and soo close.

 

Back in Sweden again. Getting darker. Here outside Åre.

 

An oasis up there in the mountains.

 

Finally, a shot of the car. I will now fill up with powerade and head down to Sundsvall or at least begin my trip there. We'll se how far I can go before I need to sleep.

2009-07-21:

Today I woke up at about 4:30 am after sleeping 4,5hours in the passenger seat. It was cold and I had a sore throat. I drove to Abisko and arrived at about 9:00 am. I was so tired I could hardly stand up so I went into the tourist station there and found a nice chair to sit and rest in. After about 40minutes I began driving to Narvik. I had decided to check into a hotel for the night as I desperately needed a good night sleep and also wanted to check out Narvik a bit more. The weather has been pretty bad for most of my trip but today it was pretty good in the morning between 9-12am. Here in Narvik the weather isn't as nice, no sun and very cloudy. I hope it will be better weather tomorrow so I can go up in the cable cars to the viewpoint overlooking the city and the harbor. I have also decided to cut my trip short since the tires are wearing down fast and also because of the weather forecasts for the rest of the week. Nothing but clouds and rain and that kind of takes away the fun in visiting North Cape. If it isn't great weather then you can't see anything up there. Very foggy. So I will enjoy myself tonight with a good dinner and a nice comfy bed and tomorrow start the journey back home. A 1700km trip that will take 2-3days. I will upload pictures tonight after dinner.

A print screen of the GPS Trip Computer upon arriving here in Narvik.

 

On route to Abisko, finally stoped raining.

 

Nice view, but VERY cold! 6 degrees c.

 

Just entered Norway at Riksgränsen. It was a drastic change in scenery. Up here it feels like you're on the moon.

 

There were a lot of small cottages scattered all over the mountains. No electricity but solar panels to power the utilities.

 

The winding road.

 

more of the same.

Once into Norway the scenery changed for the better. It was a dramatic change and it kept me awake unlike the never ending roads of Sweden.

Now I have been down to the restaurant and have eaten a great steak and now it's time to lay back and chill.

 

2009-07-20:

I drove up to Gällivare today, these are the pictures from this leg of the trip:

 

Some lonely road today at about 2pm after the rain had finally stoped!

 

(Santas'?) Reindeer. They are everywhere up here!

 

Very shallow waters.

 

More of the same

 

Here are some spectacular views. I let the pictures speak for them self (I'm tired)

 

And finally, the lonely road continues...

 

2009-07-19:

I finally saw some signs of mountains after about 4 hours in the car