Huge day today but incredible scenery - one of the "great railway journeys of the world" (The Flam railway) and a boat trip on one of Norway's most spectacular Fijords - got the picture???
Had to start early though - the first train left Oslo Central at 8 and we had to pick up our tickets at least half an hour prior so - 6.30 breakfast and set off through the COLD dark streets of Oslo.
First stage was on the normal regional train from Oslo to Bergen but we went as far as Myrdal where we changed to the famous Flam Railway. The first leg was through some spectaclar mountains, lakes, rivers, hydro power stations, ski resorts up to 1220 metres above sea level - snow on many of the peaks. Absolutely spectaclar. The Flam really justifies its claim to be one of the world's great railway journeys - watch out when we get home, there are going to be a lot of photographs!!
Story: About three or four minutes from the start of the Flam trip, the train stops to let everyone out on a platform to view/photograph a huge and spectacular waterfall. Our carriage was half full of Japanese and when we got back in to resume the journey, there they all were - fast asleep!! One of the engineering and scenic wonders of the world and you pay to sleep through it!!!
Flam itself is in the head of the fijord and we had lunch at a restaurant there with probably the best view you can ever have with your fish and chips and coffee! We then boarded the fijord ferry which took us on a two our tip up to the top of the fijord at Gudvangen.
We were then taken by bus to the station at Voss and then the train into Bergen where we arrive at 8, got a cab to the hotel and went to the 7/11 to get some yoghurt for "dinner"
Tomorrow we explore Bergen which appears to be just beautiful at night. We board the "Hutigruten" ferry from about tomorrow - just a word of
Warning - WiFi apparently becomes very unreliable from here on so Facebook and blog will become a bit spasmodic as well - don't worry if one or both are "off air" over the next week.
Today was undoubtedly one of our most memorable travel days!!!
Trivia: TheFlam rilway was built in the 1860's and many of the roads built for the project are still in use themselves.
Cap report: firmly planted on he head!
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