The journey started on a Thursday in Gothenburg, and the drive took about 8 hours. I drove along the E134 through Telemark, and the farther I went, the more majestic the surroundings became. The mountains got taller, and the nature grew harsher. I was amazed by the sheer beauty of it all. The weather changed rapidly, with the clouds getting darker. When I arrived in Odda, where I planned to spend the night before starting my hike early the next day, my camping spot was fully booked. Fortunately, I found another site and spent the night in the car, grateful because it was pouring rain. I felt a bit sorry for the other campers pitching their tents in the rain!
Early the next morning, I drove up to the parking spot at Trolltunga and it was almost completely empty. Most hikers had likely canceled their walks due to the rough mountain weather. I read that over 100 rescue missions were conducted last year at Trolltunga because people underestimated both the weather and the demanding hike.
I was alone on the mountain with my heavy backpack filled with food, clothes, a tent, a sleeping bag, and other essentials. The weather tried to lure me in by showing the sun briefly, but it soon changed to rain and wind. I only met a few people on my journey, all very friendly and from different nationalities. After about 3 hours, I finally reached my camping spot, completely soaked despite using proper clothing.
At the campsite, I pitched my tent as quickly as possible to escape the cold rain and get some warm food in my stomach. Finally, the clouds started to scatter, and I felt the warmth of the sun again. I changed into dry clothes and hung up my wet ones to dry. I took a quick walk through the surroundings and visited the Trolltunga cliff. I saw a few people daring to walk out to the edge and sit with their legs dangling. Thankfully, there weren't many people, allowing me to take some photos of the Trolltunga cliff without any interference. During my walk, I discovered an amazing camp spot and decided to move my tent a bit further away. And as you might guess, the weather changed to rain again during this time. But hey, I had already pitched my tent once in the rain, so this was nothing I couldn't handle!
I spent the evening enjoying the amazing nature and its ever-changing conditions, from sun to rain to fog and haze. I managed to get some photos I'm really proud of. This was exactly what I was hoping for – being completely alone, and having just the basics for survival: food, water, and shelter. It might sound dramatic, but this was my first solo hike, making me feel like it was a matter of life or death! :D During the night, I had planned to take some photos with my tent lit from the inside, but the heavy fog made me decide to sleep instead. It was kind of cold, around 5 degrees Celsius, and with everything moist, it was a bit chilly. But I was prepared with heating bags and warm clothes, so it wasn't too bad.
In the morning, I took down my tent and headed back to my car. It was a 15 km walk and an 800-meter descent. My shoes were still wet, and my feet paid the price with blisters the size of golf balls. But I couldn't be happier!
With memories of this incredible journey still fresh in my mind, I'm already dreaming of where the road will take me next.