Table of Contents
We reach Dalen on the Friday before Pentecost. The health center is already closed and since it is also a holiday in Norway on Whit Monday, we will not find a doctor before Tuesday. We therefore decide to pitch our tent at the campsite and make a plan.
Day 20 – 21: Dalen
04.06.- 05.06.2022
Over the next two days we visit the town festival, explore the nearby stave church and the open-air museum. We walk to the idyllic beach of Lake Bandak and even venture a few steps into the ice-cold water. Of course we also have a look at the famous Dalen Hotel. Behind the campsite a short nature trail starts, which we walk countless times. Since the campground owner has pointed out to us that you can observe beavers there at nightfall, we set off again on Saturday evening shortly after half past ten. And yes, there is a crackling sound on the other side of the river and a little later a beaver comes out of the undergrowth with a birch branch. We watch fascinated as it swims along the shore for the next half hour. And we realize: our forced break also has some benefits. After a long day of hiking, we would certainly not have gotten up again at this time!
Day 22 – 24: Rjukan
06.06. – 08.06.2022
On Monday we continue by bus in the direction of Rjukan. There we want to find a doctor and start the next section. However, at this point we don’t know that it won’t be that easy. At the hospital in Rjukan we are told that there are no doctors on site. You can only be treated there after making an appointment. Or as an emergency, but I wouldn’t call my knee an emergency. We are supposed to call 116117 and make an appointment. Unfortunately, the number does not work from our cell phones. Neither without country code nor with. So we browse the internet again and find out that there is also a medical center. But when I dial the number, I get the information that I call outside the opening hours. Well, according to Google, they should still be open.
We therefore decide to walk the short distance. In fact, we still meet someone on the spot, but are again referred to 116117. We explain that we can’t reach the number, but only after the woman at the registration desk has convinced herself that the number can’t be reached with our German cell phones she starts to thinks for a moment and then asks the present doctor if he can take a look at my knee.
And after he agrees, everything happens very quickly. He examines my knee and diagnoses bursitis on the inside. We had already suspected this, but to have it confirmed by an expert is good. The doctor prescribes anti-inflammatory medication and I buy some Diclofenac ointment at the pharmacy. With a few days of rest I should be able to continue. In addition, I try quark compresses as a home remedy: it might help or if not it won’t hurt either. At least Lando is happy about the use of the quark compress leftovers!
The next days we spend mainly doing nothing. Rjukan is like dead and after the first day we have the feeling to have seen everything. In the narrow valley there are practically no paths around our campsite, but I’m not supposed to walk anyway. In addition, the weather is rainy and uncomfortable. We have rented a small hut, which is quite dark, but at least offers reasonably working WiFi. And with that, at least the coming days can be planned.
With regard to the prescribed rest for my knee, we re-plan again and also skip the next sections. On 14.06. we want to meet a friend in Tyinkrysset and hike with him for a week in Jotunheimen. Even though we don’t see Hardangervidda at all in that case which makes the decision really hard for us, we decide that it’s probably better to give the knee 10 days off.
Day 25 – 28: Gol
09.06. – 12.06.2022
On Thursday, however, we have really had enough of Rjukan and head for Gol. In one day we can’t get to Tyinkrysset, because riding a bus with a dog in Norway is really complicated. There are dozens of different local bus companies and all of them have different transport terms for dogs. And the express bus lines don’t take animals at all. However – there are a few exceptions.
We decide that this will be too complicated for us and skip the express buses. Instead, we go quite a bit by train. This is much more expensive, a huge detour because we go back almost to Oslo, but still quite comfortable. Due to the complicated transport regulations we couldn’t find a better alternative. In Gol we rent a small room on a farm with historical buildings. The owners are very friendly but speak only a few words of English. Surprisingly, we have already met many people in the country who do not speak any English.
In Gol we also buy food for the next section. There is even a pet store here where we find a large selection of dog food. Lando will be happy about that.
