Since my first night at Oslo in Norway to the longest day in Norway Summer 2018 spent at Stavanger to the last night at Ron things have gone from great to WOW.

Norway is recognised as one of the happiest places on earth and also one of the countries with a very high living standard that is reflected by the general populance.

Norway is second only to Saudi Arabia in exporting oil but domestically it's one of the most expensive countries in which to purchase energy of any type. Thats called government intervention not free market interaction.

The cost of living is reflected in the prices also of food,accommodation and basically any product whether manufactured locally or imported.

This has lead to a reluctance for tourists to "free lance"instead the greatest numbers come on "packaged tours"usually the cruise liners.

That in it's is a pity as the beaten tourist tracks while offering great scenery do not put the tourist into "localised life".

The use of a motorcycle to tour Norway puts us at an advantage.

We can chose where to travel.

We stop where we please.

We meet the locals.

We get to see what the normal tourist will miss.

We experience a road network that allows smooth travel usually with one lane only each way.

The major roads such as E39 & E6 cross the country offering both coastal and mountain scenery both of which feature fjords and lakes of endless beauty. These roads allow by riding a motorcycle the opportunity to use a sense of tourism that is often overlooked that of sense. These rides have awaken the smell glands to freely mown pasture, the delights of freshly sawn pines as well as the sweetness of dried birch burning.

Stopping off for a fresh coffee at a local bakery while a sensory delight in it's self has been met with those locals eager to consolidate their school taught English to rapid communications from other tourists also eager to converse again in their native language.

Despite the neverending farms of cattle,sheep and goats the colourful green pasture fields littered with bales of silage covered in white plastic the contrasting dark green hills and the blue mountains never appear less then a delight to behold.

The wooden farm houses drawfted by the massive barns that house stock once the pasture is covered by that ever present even in summer snow whether they have a traditional sod covered roof or not never fail to provide an added culturally rewarding vision of the landscape.

The very roads that our motorcycle wheels covered in thousands of kilometers provided a physical awareness that ranged from freeway crusing to delightful semi smooth country roads where to manage 80km per hour was impossible as farmers on large green tractors towing all types of farm equipment shared a single llane with semi trailers often from countries far away such as Poland made their way in often a seeming never ending line that yes only a motorcycle could with a quick gear change down be passing these lines in a safe but alas often not legal speeds.

Roads often became a thought provoking challenge as endless roadworks appeared and often seemed to cease to exist. However a country where in one day we passed through no less then 60 tunnels one of which was listed as 24.5kms in length on the approach but inside signage was for 25km length whatever it was a very long and at times very cold journey the mind relieved at each 5km length by coloured lighting and no this was not Norway's longest tunnel I never go to it.

So it was a great sadness when I arrived at Ron a village of 300 in the municipality of Vestre Slidre wher two Fjords the Slidrefjord and the Strondafjord meet and the E16 passes that point offering in essence a summary of the cultural beauty that few witness and one place where while saying good bye to Norway 2018 it was a time to plan when next in Norway.