20 September - 26 September

20-22 September
Changing climes

Starting where we have ended is probably the easiest way for us to track back over the past few days. In summary, 7 hour flight, day in Singapore, 12 hour flight and 6 hour drive.

So here we sit in the Formula 1 Motel in Bremen (not the photo - that comes later!). Not our finest hour in motel selections by any means but, as we always say (by way of justification?) you only sleep in a motel/hotel, so it doesn't matter much what the quality is like, as long as it's clean. Well the Formula 1 is clean, but ... it has 'shower and toilet down the hall', swinging a cat would mean the demise of said feline and check-ins are done at a self-service kiosk. Tomorrow will tell just how this cheapie (30 euros!) meets our simple criteria. Given the lack of sleep we have had since leaving home and what we have done, we suspect tomorrow's report will be positive on the sleepability scale!!?

Entering the EU today was a bit of a revelation in the post 9/11 era, especially in comparison to 'breaching' the borders of the good old US of A. We are not 100% sure but we didn't see any passport scanning or data entry as we 'strolled' through immigration on arrival in Amsterdam. If it's this easy to get in, it's little wonder there are major illegal immigrant problems! Let's not forget that once in the front door of the EU, all Europe is accessible without immigration controls.

Picking up our Peugeot-leased vehicle and driving out of Amsterdam and into Germany today was relatively uneventful. Having survived the horrors of being driven around Vietnam in mini-vans last December-January, we feel much more confident with the 'other way of running' than we usually do. We have no plans for playing tourist for the next few days of this trip. We are simply driving to Norway. Nothing is ever that simple but, so far, our plans are holding.

Singapore has a familiar feel to us now, as it probably does to most Australians. It's a vibrant and exciting city but HELL it can be hot! Our visit in transit was pleasurable as it usually is (and AS HOT!)

Language is such a powerful link between nationalities and cultures. Perhaps that's where some of the comfort we feel in Singapore comes from. It could also have something to do with the increased exposure Australia has had to different cultures over the past few decades. Just catch a bus in suburban Brisbane to really appreciate how culturally mixed our country has become. Large shopping centres in suburban Singapore are just like Sunnybank- EXACTLY like Sunnybank. Singapore is easy to travel to and around because of the lack of a language problem and the increased exposure the people of Singapore have had to Australia and Australians through tourism and the large number of students who come to Australia to study.

From the perspective of language, some parts of Europe are not as accommodating of our poor language skills as some might like to have you believe. Sure everybody has a go at the French and their 'refusal' to speak anything other than French (why should they by the way?) but the fallacy that western Europeans 'all' speak English is simply rubbish! You have to wonder which parts of western Europe the purveyors of this fantasy have travelled in? We have never had trouble finding non-English speaking Germans – (and why should they speak English by the way?) Five Star hotels are full of multi-lingual Germans, Dutch and other western Europeans but roam off into the 'burbs or try your luck at the local supermarket and see how far your 'Aussie-English” gets you.

23 September

On the Road Again

We said last entry that we would report on the 'sleepability' of the Formula 1. It was excellent. Neither of us moved for 8-9 hours. Throw in a 3.5 euro breakfast ($6) and you have a true Europe-on-the-cheap experience. This is particularly satisfying for two dumb Australians who foolishly sat down at the Garden Bar at Raffles in Singapore and drank a couple of beers each. 75AUD!!!!! later (yes you read the number right) two very surprised Australians slunk out of said bar.

Australians are such crap drivers! Just slip down an on-ramp on any US or European motorway and see how it really should be done. For example- the relatively new Brisbane to Gold Coast highway is probably equal to, or even above the standard of most European roads. Four lanes, good surface, well contoured: so what the hell are people doing driving in the outside lane doing 70km per hour? AND why do most drivers think they can pass on the left? In the past 2 days we have driven more than 1000 km on European motorways and seen BMWs hitting 160+, traffic like you wouldn't believe - but it all works. There are rules! And they are followed.

From Germany we drove to Denmark today. Sadly it was misty this morning, but once we crossed into Denmark the sun came out, the temperature hit 19C and all was good again. We often think that Europe is crowded and highly urbanised. And it probably is in many places. The northern plains of Germany and Denmark are not so crowded. Open country with 'to the horizon' vistas are common. Even at 120km+ an hour, one can appreciate the rolling hills of Denmark.

Motel accommodation costs in Scandinavia are well beyond our budget. So tonight is our first night in 'camping cabins'. Imagine what you stayed in on school camps. Bunk beds. Wooden buildings with very basic fittings. Now think whether you would pay $70 to stay there for one night. Aside from the possible nostalgic value, it would be a bit rich. Never mind. Just to top it off here in Aalborg, we are surrounded by kids – yes, believe it or not! They ARE on a school camp! Free wireless Internet softened the blow a little as we have been able to check our email and book the ferry for our 'voyage' to Norway tomorrow. The other softener tonight has been some very classy beer. Carlsberg Elephant beer is 7.2% compared with normal beer at 4.8% it packs a pachyderm size wallop. Good night!

24 September

Norwegian Wood – isn't it good? Oh, yeah!

As the sun headed towards the horizon (it is Norway – land of the midnight sun) we had climbed to the top of a small rocky wooded hill just above the small inlet where our 'summer cabin” is located. In a flash we realised that we were indeed in a “Norwegian Wood”, Beatles 196?. While the room rate for what is basically a garden shed with bunk beds is sinful, not to mention the $5 token for a 3 minute shower, (and the hot water cuts out precisely at 3 minutes!) the view from the front deck alone is worth the money.

Our ferry trip from Hirtshals (Denmark) to Kristiansand (Norway) was near billiard table smooth. As usual we got lost leaving the ferry terminal. Our trusty Sat-Nav system, affectionately known as NavGirl was of little help! “She” sometimes gets confused and we have lost faith in her, particularly in foreign countries. Well this time she was almost right. We had missed the turn-off to our intended camping cabin site. In our defense we had found our way back on track before she realised we were lost. If this makes no sense, then you have never used a SatNav system in a foreign country – SO - you just don't know!

So far Norway is just astounding. We have travelled all of 20kms into the country and we have been stunned with the natural beauty. Mind you the weather has helped. Clear as a bell and 18-20C.

We had our first experience with the fabled 'outrageous' costs travellers face in Norway. A visit to the local supermarket near our ''summer hut' was a bit of a horror, especially for us beer drinkers. What we bought for 50c in Germany a few days back would have set us back around $7. However, we were alerted and with innocent looks at the customs officers at the ferry terminal, we were able to land enough wine and beer to do us for a week or so.
More excitement awaits us tomorrow, because while waiting in line for the ferry today, we discovered that our flash little Peugeot-leased vehicle has a sun roof. How cool will that be in the warm autumn sun of Norway!

25 September

French drivers

Becoming acquainted with left-hand drive cars is one of the most stressful parts of driving holidays in Europe. This trip things have not been too bad. Except for a few minor mistakes our driving has been hassle free. Whatever sins we have committed have probably been attributed to some crazy French people. The reason being that our lease vehicle has French plates. This means that we can sin with relative anonymity while the locals continue to curse and blame the French for our driving and almost every other woe facing the Continent.

Norway has continued to awe us. Around every bend is another picture perfect scene that looks as though some 'exterior' designer laid it out. Even the sheep are artistically placed to best complement the landscape. We have made slow progress today through beautiful small western Norwegian towns like Mandal, which boasts Norway's best beach. The Norwegian Casablanca according the the guide books?? Well nice it was, but the northern Europeans really have no idea about beaches, do they! But they sure have a near monopoly on picturesque townscapes!

Tonight we are settled into a very up-market cabin in a beach-side camping area at Brusand, just south of Stavanger. We have our own shower, toilet and kitchen so a cooked meal is in order for the first time in Europe. Because we have been staying in, firstly a VERY basic motel and then in campgrounds, cooking has not been an option. Tonight it is so we are celebrating. As is the norm for our trips, we have the place much to ourselves. We even had to phone to get the receptionist to come out to register us! With such beautiful weather, one wonders why people think Europe in Autumn and Winter is not worth the trouble.

Not very many people know this but Brusand is famous for 'Hitler's teeth'. Not what you might expect to find in a very small town, but we did notice them before we found out what they were. Lining the road near this small coastal town are rows of angular concrete blocks. Yes they do resemble teeth. What might they be?? Well, they were part of the coastal defences that the Germans put up during the second world war to stop the allies landing in Norway. They now line the coast road looking very much like teeth.