Day 22 

Top tip - Know yourself x always know yourself before you go on a trip. I believe this willhelp in maximising enjoyment of the trip. We have learnt that we need to know what we are trying to achieve x that is when we left Norway I felt flat and disappointed that my adventure was over. It was not over as we have Sweden Copenhagen Bruges and France to do before we get home. But we had no detail for the next part. Once we had discussed a plan, mulled it over and then agreed it, I felt so much calmer and happier.

Journey home - having been amazed and in love with Norway, slightly disappointed with Sweden but hyped by Copenhagen I am now really home sick and miss Poppy so much I dream about her ever night. This has been an amazing trip but we have driven almost 4000 miles and we are not home yet. The van is just great, warm and so well built, really happy with it but it I do now want some normality of home life. To eat healthily and not to drink just because Greg is. I have managed to do my weights every few days to keep on top of my biceps and triceps but I know the gym will hurt next week when we get back. We are planning on going home and arriving four days earlier than planned. The last night being Bruges x

Top tip from the trip - Greg is a logistics legend. He arranged and paid for the toll road tag for Norway roads and ferries which also work in Denmark and Sweden x

We did not have one car drive up our back sides on the motorway for over 4000 until we got to Germany 🇩🇪 several cars BMWs, Audi and Tesla right up and aggressive driving to overtake us x

Copenhagen - we almost drove past Copenhagen which would have been a massive mistake x a really cool, clean city. Defo worth a visit although bloody expensive and most of the museums are shut on a Monday. If you don't like people on bikes, don't go, they are everywhere, bloody everywhere..... 

Day 15

So two weeks ago we left home for our first adventure in DeadPool. Wow what a trip, love the van which works really well with us living in it. I will
Jump straight into Norway 🇳🇴 wow what a beautiful but expensive country. Geirangerfjord is my first highlight, it really is a piece of heaven to look at. The Lofoten islands however are another world, you can truly believe this is where dinosaurs roamed and Vikings hunted. I have wanted to film the whole of Norway for its beautiful countryside however the Lofotons I want to film like a movie. The mountains go on for ever with layers and layers of mountain ranges in the background and everywhere you look. That is of course when it is not raining…. The air is so clean, the sunlight gives extra colour to the atmosphere making me want to film or draw every km of it. After two weeks of living in the van we are treating ourselves to two nights in a fisherman’s cottage. We can clean and restock the van before heading home. Home is still two weeks away and we will travel through and hopefully explore Sweden and Copenhagen before rushing back through Germany and France. Not forgetting Denmark and Belgium x

Day 5 

And day 5 starts with ferry to Norway.
First few minutes of driving out of town took some getting used to. Top speed limit is 80kmh and typically 50-70. Into the countryside and a steady 80-90kmh was achievable. Swapped halfway through 5 hour drive.
Then we started to hit 12-16% winding descents, roadworks where only a dust track remained, tunnels up to 7km, sheer cliffs and suicidal sheep. But the views were to die for. Log cabins of every size, all with turf roofs, some barely distinguishable in the tree canopy around them. Some perched halfway up hills.
The roadside rest areas are immaculate and every one a potential instagram pic.

The cunning plan 
Monday 28/8 - Day 1 and set off for overnight at Woolpack pub, Smeeth.
Tuesday 29/8 - Day 2- 20 minute hop to Folkestone - tunnel crossing and drive to Osnabruck. Waldwinkle Campingplatz.
Wednesday 30/8 - Day 3 - Osnabruk to Hirtshals. Kjul Camping. Long day’s drive.
Thursday 31/8 - Day 4 - Rest Day! Hirtshals Kjul Camping
Friday 1/9 - Day 5 - Ferry across to Kristiansand and drive to Odda by 5:30pm
Saturday 2/9 - Day 6 - Odda Camping & Trolltunga hike - 10 hours? 🥵
Sunday 3/9 - Day 7 - Leave Odda for Bergen
Monday 4/9 - Day 8 and rest day in Bergen
Days 9 (Tuesday 5/9) to 14 - Head off on fjiord road trip via Voss, Sogndal, Loen, Geiranger, Molde
Sunday 10/9 - Day 14 - Depart for Trondheim
Monday 11/9 - Day 15 - Second day in Trondheim.
Tuesday 12/9 - Day 16 Head north to overnight in Mosjoen or Moirana
Wednesday 13/9 - Day 17 - Push on to Bodo and overnight in port area
Thursday 14/9 - Day 18 - Ferry to Lofoten Islands.
Friday 15/9 - Day 19 - Lofoten Islands
Saturday 16/9 - Day 20 Lofoten Islands
Sunday 17/9 - Day 21 Lofoten Islands
Monday 18/9 - Day 22
Lofoten Islands
Tuesday 19/9 - Day 23 Back to mainland and Narvik, heading west into Sweden, west coast route via Stockholm and continue south about 1900 miles in total over 6 days back to Calais.
Day 29 - tunnel to Folkestone

Review of Kjul camping in Hirtshels Denmark

The stay at Kjul Camping was excellent. Big site but all the pitches nicely spaced out and separated by low hedges. Lots of facilities and we had pitch 79, just a few yards from shower, kitchen block. Kitchen had loads of gas rings, a cooker and a microwave. Good shop on site which also offered a reasonable menu of pizzas and burgers. 2 nights with hookup and no other charges was £59. Staff were very welcoming and helpful. Walk into Hirtshals was via a quiet forest road. It took an hour at Camino pace alpha. The town was quiet but we found a great seafood portside diner. Delicious lunch with a beer for £33. Note that DKr is 8.6 to £. NKr is 13 to £.

Thursday 31st August Day 4 

Today Thursday, the 31st of August started well. Cracking night sleep followed by a lovely sunrise. Breakfast was delicious croissants from the on-site shop. The day has been warm sunny and gorgeous

Our second, excellent night at Kjul Camping, Hirtshals at northern tip of Denmark. Yummy pizzas from the shop, nearly as good as spaghetti carbonara last night. We have optimal alcohol on board and anticipate a calm crossing in the morning to our first bit of Norway. We hit Kristiansand about 12:30 and have a 5 hour drive to Odda, a short distance shy of Bergen. Near Odda is the world famous Trolltunga view over a fabulous fjord. We expect to stay at Odda Camping, alongside a fjiord.

6 sleeps before we go and wide awake at 5 am..Wow 6 sleeps and the nerves have kicked in. Wide awake at 5 am which is for anyone who knows me is a miracle I was awake at that time. How come my mind can think up all this things I have not prepared for the trip yet when I walk up the stairs to go and get something, I have forgotten what it was whilst walking up the stairs.

12 days until we go to Norway in DeadPool. 
Oh my Buddha, what have I done?! I have always loved adventures but not sure how or why I came up with the idea of travelling to the article circle in a van. But I am now committed, we have brought the van, paid for the conversion and now I need to deliver. It is roughly 2000 miles to the Lofoten Islands and we have planned for the trip to take a month, which includes getting there... we have to drive through France, Belgium, Germany and Denmark just to start the Norway adventure. My top motivation for this trip are:-

a) Adventure and why not? 

b) To be free and wild camp across Norway.

c) To have the feeling of isolation in such a beautiful country.

d) I always need to keep Greg focused and busy or he creates chaos 😘😛

e) Hopefully the feeling of success and achievement when we come back still married and talking to each other having experienced the wonders of Norway and the artic circle (with a slim chance of seeing the northern lights) 

My main concern is that all the effort and hard work I have put in down the gym over the last three months will go to waste as I won't be working out as much. Although I am hoping to take at least one set of weights for some biceps and tricep sessions. 

Insta (gremilys adventures) will have the pictures and reels, which will all be motivated by James Blunt music 🎶 😇