I found a food store and decided to go Norwegian. Meatballs? Lopskaus? Fish? No!, a Grandiosa pizza, Norway's most popular dish. I also picked up a cold beer, only to be reminded at the checkout that it could not be sold after 8pm! Gutted!
My return journey was along the same route where, in an area devoid of street lighting due to the construction work, I had a bizarre interaction with a car full of Eastern Europeans in a battered old Vauxhall Cavalier. I say bizarre because it was so unexpected, but what it really was was an attempted street robbery. Suffice to say, they picked on the wrong person and went away empty handed. The strange thing was, although angry about the incident, I wasn't angry that they had picked on me, I was angry that they were behaving in such a manner in my beloved Norway.
I woke early this morning so that I had time to grab a bite to eat, tidy the centre, pack for the flight home and walk to the railway station with plenty of time to spare. I should again mention the pilgrim centre at Hamar. It has accomodation for six people in one dormitory type room. In the main room of the centre is a large dining area and a computer available for the use of the traveller. There is a large, well equipped kitchen with a small offering of foodstuff for sale, shower room and toilet. All for the reasonable sum of 300nok. Here are a few photos;
I packed my rucksack for the last time, left the centre, and headed for the station. To say I felt a little dejected and a bit of a failure would be something of an understatement, but as I took stock of myself I knew I was making the right decision. My achilles at the back of my left ankle is swollen and painful, I'm assuming because of my altered gait due to the hip issue. Likewise, I have blisters in some very unusual places at the bottom of my left foot. If I had had more time I could have taken a few days out to rest and recuperate, but as I had commenced the walk so late in the year time really wasn't on my side. Additionally, a couple of days laid up might not have been enough, it could be up to a week according to a concerned Dr who has been following my journey. None of this made me feel any better, even though I knew I was making the sensible decision.
Today was going to involve planes, trains and automobiles, though not in that order. Train first. I had a little heart flutter when I arrived at the railway station to find that EVERY train that day had been cancelled, it quickly transpired that buses had been arranged in place of the cancelled trains and, thankfully to to repairs being underway on the railway track. I had enough time between the legs of the journey to allow for the extra time needed to travel to Oslo by coach instead of train, so wasn't too perturbed. It also allowed me to really take in how far I had walked. ONE HUNDRED MILES!!! As I gazed out of the window, I caught glimpses of the path I had followed along lake Mjøsa and through the woods.
On arrival at the railway station in Oslo I made my way to the bus station and, having a couple of hours to kill before the express bus to Rygge for the flight home, I left my rucksack in a luggage locker and headed through the city to the waterfront. It was a beautiful, blazing hot Summers day, and I could not forego the opportunity to take in a few of my favourite sights.
Akerbrygge
City hall
And a few shots from around the city centre;
I mentioned before about my previous experience of the regularly spaced Romany beggars that line the length of Karl Johans Gate. Their numbers consist of middle aged upwards men and women sat at the side of the road, many displaying a variety of disabilities. Now, their ranks are swelled by young girls, working in groups and dressed in a bright array of traditional clothing, selling copies of a magazine I can only compare with the "Big Issue" homeless magazine in the UK. When I say selling, it is more of a hard sale. When the seller is ignored by the prospective benefactor, they proceed to tag along looking more and more upset, verging on tears, in a more and more desperate attempt to extort money from their target. On realisation there will be no funds forthcoming they give up, turn to their colleagues, have a laugh and target their next victim. The girls were working in teams of up to six and were obviously related to the older beggars if their interactions were anything to go by. As a natural people watcher, I found them quite fascinating to observe. Here they are taking their mid-day break, courtesy of Burger King;
Back to the bus station and I hopped onto the Rygge express bus where I boarded my flight and eventually reached home in the early evening. Was I happy to be home? Not really. I just wish I had started the trek earlier and allowed myself enough time to complete it in its entirety. I felt I was returning home leaving a job unfinished. Did I enjoy my trek? Not really. It was damned hard work, but I do feel a sense of accomplishment in the distance I covered. I learned a lot, about my ability to make the most of a bad situation and to push myself further than I thought I could. My expected daily mileage was, in reflection, ambitious. The guys at Cotswold had suggested that 10 to 14 miles a day was a good distance to cover. I had opted for 20 and paid the price. As I said before though, my schedule had really been set by the time of year I had chosen to begin the walk. I'm sure I will return to complete the pilgrims path, it is certainly my intention to do so. Next time I will be better prepared though. I will have a more realistic expectation of what the path entails and be physically and mentally better equipped.
On the subject of equipment, all the gear I had from Cotswold Outdoor in Betws-y-Coed held up, and behaved, brilliantly and I cannot thank them enough for their assistance. The Solomon boots took pretty much every type of terrain and condition you could throw at them and, after a good clean, look brand new. The rucksack was cavernous and held everything I needed. It was easy to adjust on the move and was comfortable to wear. I particularly liked the side pockets that had an additional opening that allows you to access the pockets from the front whilst the pack is on your back. The stove was what it was. Relatively light and compact, easy to use and ideal for one person cooking. Thankfully, the tic remover and mirror combination never saw the light of day!! I would again like to thank them for their support and advice.
On a final note, if you have enjoyed following me over the last week, and my ramblings (see what I did there?) have kept you amused, please don't forget that my main hope was to raise money for Cancer Research UK. You can still donate at justgiving.com by searching for "Walking the Walk" or following this link https://www.justgiving.com/Walking-The-Walk2/ or, if resident in the UK, text OLAV 99 followed by the ammount you wish to give, i.e £5, to 70070.
