Only a few last names at the churchyard
No fun walking on the high way. Beautiful landscape. Rudi filming from the parking lot.
Rudi and Paulette have a couple of weeks off from their work. They will join me the last few days of my trek and will drive me back home from Cape North. Purpose of cineast Rudi, for those who did not follow this blog, is making a film about the 7.500 km. walk of a strange geriatric “case” called Harrie, from Southern Spain to Cape North. The name of the movie will probably be “on Verra” (we’ll see, or – in some places – with the help of God). We decided to film now the last days of my trip. The weather here in the far North is beautifull. Now we want to take the opportunity before the weather might change. Because Rudi’s equipment weighs a few tens of kilos and is very bulky, he can only follow me by camper. Driving at a speed of 4 km/hour on a fairly busy, two-way road is no option. Moreover, I had a lot of trouble with my Tietze syndrome (painfull ribs), which was caused by the heavy backpack, and that’s why we travelled some parts with the camper. So today we ended up in Honnigsvag and – “with the help of God” – tomorrow we’ll arrive at Cape North.
The scenery is amazing, in the sun, with the sea inlet / fjord at our right side and in the distance the mountains glowing blueish, the green of the rivers and occasionally an isolated house or village. It looks like the Greek coast. Beautiful. It’s hard to imagine snow here 9 months a year. Strange, here, like everywhere else in Norway, I do not see any boat on the water. Whether they are afraid of water? We have mermaids, which you do not have to be afraid of, but they have trolls everywhere, also in the water.
Whole stretches I walked, left alone at some parking, while Rudi waited a mile further, with the movie equipment, at the next parking lot. This way I can stretch my legs and Rudi makes his recordings. We pass different tunnels. There is no footpath inside. Sometimes there is a space of half a meter between the side line of the road and the tunnel wall, uneven, with piles of sand. Very dangerous to walk, especially with a restless, hard pulling dog and without a headlight or reflecting clothing. So I am happy that there is a camper. Occasional reindeer, Paulette saw a jelly fish (did she mean me?).
We stop at a nice spot for pictures of an isolated mini-village. Nearly everyone was called Bull, Hansen or Markussen in the cemetery. If Rudi and I were to apply the “ius prima noce”, but of course we do not!, within a few generations there would be only Ebbinge’s and Huijbens at the churchyard. “Real men’s talk. Photos.
We settle at Nordkapp Camping near Honnigsvag. While R and P cook their meal in their camper, I am going to the kitchen building to cook there. Immediately a nice chat with a young couple from Noord Holland who are making a Cape North trip by car through Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway. Another Dutchman came in, but he did not say much. An Italian couple was only occupied with themselves. Is not that called “folie à deux”?
And now it’s 8 o’clock pm. Time for a necessary beer or the popular cider beer here 4%. Mmmmm. Let’s see if Rudi or Paulette are in their camper. They are. We “socialize” a while and prepare for tomorrow: then will be the end of my walk: Cape North. (This Is The End: The Doors. And then: I’m Goin’ Home, Rolling Stones)
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