Travel

Nordkapp - Voldermort’s revenge…

Woke up early, everything prepped, wanting to get on with things, looked outside and it was raining. No probs, I have the kit for that!

I had pencilled in a couple of options for the day, one was to get to Voldermort, urmm Voldingborg, the other over the bridge and ready for a dash to Germany tomorrow. As the mirk and rain kept stopping and starting and generally making clothing decisions difficult as it was still 19C while it was piddling down, even the Gore Tex was having issues being able to breathe in that much heat. As the day rolled on it got to lunchtime and I was just outside Voldingborg and thought hmm, legs are good, let’s see what they have and set the Garmin to point me for Germany. Game on!

And then I got in Voldingborg. Nice little town but it’s big thing is it’s causeway bridge stretching to a small island and on connecting the larger island to the south which had the ferry to Germany in it. Snag, the Garmin took me to a building site. Snag, Google took me to more of the building site. Snag, Komoot insisted both were right. So ok there’s this huge building work going on with the train line and station, which also goes over the causeway, there is a cycle path along the main road going over but that’s a 8km diversion out of town to get into… So off I go.

I finally reach the main road and get less than 1km onto it before the cycle path is closed off and huge no cycling signs on the road. They had a diversion which took me back to town! I was starting to get rather irritated. I know, I’ll try the tourist information office, around and around town until I find the location in the map… It was a foundation with a sign for be office coming soon. FFS this town is irritating. I know, I need to check with the place which knows everything, local bike shop!

Droping in to Byens Cykler, nice lil shop, plenty of Marlins and X-Cals, Alex would feel at home. It was a one man shop and I assume Byen didn’t speak a word of English. Much gesturing and sound making we understood each other, no bikes over bridge, bikes have to go on bus. Thanks Byen, you’re a life saver!

And so I visit the bus station. Lots of signs up about train replacement buses, and big no bike signs on them! All of them going over the causeway. But there are the local buses, hire about one of those? Asking one of the drivers she pointed me towards one of that stands, and checking the timetable my bus will arrive at 1726… That’s over 3hrs now I’ve spent piddling around in this damn town! And it’s going to take another hour on its as ever stopping every few meters bus stop system to every street corner and field. This kind of disjointed daftness is something I would expect at home, not in such a bit friendly country like Denmark!

The bus station had a 7eleven, yes very American. Heard of them, never been in one so what the heck why not. Big ol’ blueberry muffin later helped prop up the decreasing blood sugars and my spirits fit what was to be a good day.

Anyhow, eventually make it over the causeway and heading south again. I didn’t reach Germany although with the last ferry at 2300 I probably could as it’s only 44km away now, but I’ve had enough issues with today I could do with starting fresh and seeing if I can get to Hamburg tomorrow!