August 26th 2015: Norway: Flåm 2

Monty the Motorhome is still in Flåm, as we’ve decided to spend another day here and mooch about.

Yesterday we looked at the forecast and saw sunshine and showers. However by 10.00am the sky was completely blue and the sun was blazing down. This really confirmed our thoughts about staying.

However now I’ve come to write up what we did I’m really struggling. I suppose the most accurate description would be just pottering and people watching. 

Another huge cruise ship was in today - Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth. That left at 4.00pm, so we sat having a coffee at a seafront cafe and watched it’s stately departure.

The Queen Elizabeth 

Little and large. The Queen Elizabeth turning in the fjord before departing, while two people get on with their fishing from a dingy

Just as we got back to the van the rain started. Hopefully it will not last all night. 

An early start tomorrow as we are Bergen bound. Normally this would be a straightforward road journey, starting with two road tunnels between Flåm and Gudvangen. However a bus caught fire in one of the tunnels some weeks ago and it remains closed (though lorries and empty coaches are allowed through). That has left us with two alternatives - a long drive inland, then back to Bergen, or a ferry from Flåm to Gudvangen and then resume the normal road route. The long drive inland would take two days (or one long uncomfortable one), while the ferry option will require about four hours driving.

Our decision has been to take the ferry. The plus factor is the ferry route follows a classic fjord cruise route - Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord - so weather permitting it should be a spectacular journey. The minus factor is cost. However you only live once, so we hope to be on the 09.00am ferry tomorrow.