There is still so much to discover and to show in this country. So I took the opportunity and booked a weekend trip for us:
When I was on that Choice FAM trip in October 2009 I saw that great Resort & Spa Hotel in Norefjell, not far away from Oslo. Furthermore I liked the trip we made with the colleagues for the summertrip (see previous post). The way back by car was a really nice one. So I thought that would be the area I'd like to show and go to with Marco for that weekend.
So before he came I checked out the rates that I could get - agent rates of course - and they made me a good offer and I booked.
So we started Friday 23/07 after work, on the E16 along the ...
...and further on the Route 7 through the Hallingdal valley right up into the mountains where our hotel Norefjell Resort & Spa is located, idyllically surrounded by hills, trees and next to little lake. In winter season it's a great ski resort, direclty placed next to the slopes, with accomodation facilities for everyone (apartments, hotel rooms, cabins... for families, couples, ... everyone).
Since we arrived quite late we only had time for a late dinner and for enjoying the nice sunset in the mountains (by the way the pictures have been taken at nearly 11 p.m. at night):
After having spent the morning hours in the hotel's swimming pool/whirlpool/sauna and some relaxing in the warm sun on the balcony...
...we had to leave in direction Geilo.
These signs look a bit funny with the freshly green tree-background, but surely of use in the winter season where the road is part of the ski runs and crowded of people on skis of whatever sort. So pay attention!
On our way to Geilo, behind Gol, we were passing Ål. Our tourist groups us to stop here for visiting a typical mountain farm: Skattebøl Fjellgård [link], owned by a very nice chap called Arne. Taking the opportunity of being in the area I wanted to pass and have a look, but he unfortunately wasn't home. So I had to stop and turn around in front of this closed gate by his farm house. What a pity. Would have loved to meet Arne and getting an idea of what our groups get to see.
In Geilo we checked in at Thon Hotel Vestlia...
...which is another hotel located in the middle of a (by the way important and relatively big) skiing area... with the ski runs right in front of the door.
A troll...
... with a "slightly" big nose...
...welcomes kids and teens to the multi-activity playground for young and old.
In spring, summer and autumn this area is very famous for activities like cycling and walking/hiking. Since this is something so typical for this area I actually planned to hire bikes for a day making a little tour by bike (e.g. around the lake Ustevatn or somewhere up the hills). Unfortunately we enjoyed the swimmingpool a bit too long in Norefjell that we only arrived in the afternoon in Geilo... simply too late for a cycling experience :-( I really would have loved it, but well...I would have had to pay more attention to our time schedule.
Anyway, I'll come back here again. Either for cycling... or even better for a skiing weekend. That would be great. I'll definitely wanna plan something like that with a couple of friends in the winter season.
Sunday 25/07: we sleep until relatively late. We have breakfast and left on the RV40 southwards back to Oslo... the same way we took with the colleagues on our summer trip beginning of July.
Marco is always quite impressed by the grass covered roofs here in Norway, and here even with this quantity of cabins :-) This needs be taken on a picture :-)
On the way we stop at Hakkesetstølen, another mountain farm we alternatively used once for a group when Skattebøl was not available. Thought it would be a good idea to see what we had booked for them, because it was something new that noone of us in the office knew before.
We continue our way back home to Oslo, about 3 more hours to go, but along a nice road.
Back home in Oslo. It's raining. I think for the rest of the trip we had quite good weather... though temperature we relatively low.
Hope Marco enjoyed it as well. I wanted to show him a bit of this beautiful country.
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