Useful Apps While Traveling in Norway

This post I want to focus on the apps that I had with me during this trip.

I wanted a map source in my laptop and tab so that I could find older/gravel roads that I couldn't see with my Garmin GPS unit. So I found at kartverket.no that they provided free downloads of Topo maps of Norway. The maps that I downloaded were the highest resolution N50 Kartdata UTM33 for the entire country which were MrSid format. To open these maps in my laptop I used ExpressView which is an addon to Internet Explorer allowing you to view them in your browser. Also I had these maps in my Galaxy tab3, in that I used GeoViewer. By using this app in the tab3, I was able to activate the internal GPS to see where I was on the map. At the time I didn't use the tab3 as a GPS when driving so I can't say for sure if you can track in GeoViewer. I'll have to experiment with it.

In my cell phone I used a few apps there as well as I always have the phone with me. Before travelling to Norway, check with your local data provider to see if they offer a package in the Nordic as data usage in Norway is expensive. With that said, I used another map app which is Norgekart. Again it's another Topo map source which is regularly updated. This is an excellent app.
There is another app that is copy to this one but is more focused to each individual municipality which is called Kommunekart. I didn't use it a whole lot but it was installed.

Also I used from time to time Google Maps, it gave a much better picture of the landscape and roads than what my Garmin GPS could do. I have an older Garmin Nuvi 500 which the maps resolutions were not up to the quality of the images in my cell phone with Google Maps. Of course using the built-in location we could see where we were at any time on a scaled map that gave us a better picture of where were.

Another app that was invaluable is NorCamp, this gem of an app which also is map based provides you with a listing of camp sites over the entire country. Using my location it gave us an image of the country side with all the local camp sites closest to us. Clicking on the campsites it provides you with addition information including prices and check-in times.

Opplev Norge is an activities app that keeps you informed of local activities over the entire country. This was excellent for us planning the tourist stuff that we wanted to see and attend.

While traveling through Sweden, Rest Areas Sweden is a great app for locating the avail rest areas along the motorways. Most rest areas in Sweden have toilets and running water and ample spots to park over night.

Even with all the apps for maps in Norway we still "winged it" a few days. This was due to us changing our minds and wanted to see something else that was not that far from us and also routes that were closed to vehicle travel, weather there was road construction or gates across the roads. That is one thing that will catch you off guard, the gates over roads that appear to be open to public use. Not all the maps and their information is 100%, so be prepared to turn around or take another route.

Day 18

Sorry for the delay with writing about the last day of the trip but I have to say following the wife around in an over crowded department store is not necessarily something to write home about with joy. There was rain all night long at the camp but when we woke early in the morning so that she could be at the store doors just as they opened, the weather cleared so we decided to walk the 1½ km and left the rooftop tent up for the day so that it could dry out. After was seemed an eternity of walking around in circles looking at the same no name brand stuff over and over again I finally convinced her that it was time to go. 

The final 230km trip home was uneventful, the sun was shining traffic was moderate and we were back home just after 6 in the evening. We did some unpacking and I opened the rooftop tent an kept it up for a few days to thoroughly air and dry out. 

Doing the figured after this trip of a life time, we drove a staggering 7176 km over 18 days, fuel consumed was 740.51L. Fuel consumption in Swedish was 1.03L/mil and in English it was 27.4mpg. Motor oil used for the entire trip was 3/4 of a litre. These figures surpassed all expectations that I had considering that the landy was fully loaded the entire trip with what we estimated to be around 400kg. Also when you look back at the roads that we drove, the mountain passed, the fjords, the countless serpentine roads these figures are impressive coming from a 36 year old truck. 

The plan now is to go through a few things and do a final report of our thoughts and suggestions for future trips for ourselves and others.

Day 17

Sitting here in the rooftop tent listening to the rain I'm going through the pictures we took today at Arctic Trucks in Drammen, Norway. Got a tour of their facilities and had many of my questions answered with their vehicles. But the biggest treat of the day was when Alex handed over the keys to the very vehicle that the former Top Gear hosts used 1) to drive to the north pole, 2) to drive up an active volcano in Iceland. Yes the two men's I'm referring to are Jeremy Clarkson and James May. Then James May took the same Hilux to Iceland to drive up the active volcano called Eyjahfjallajökull. Really was a treat to drive that Hilux, it is an impressive vehicle. Still has the mounting brackets for the video cameras inside and the famous trailer hitch toilet seat.

We left Drammen late so to get to the next campsite we decided to push as fast as the old landy would allow us till we gotten ULLARED Camping. I've done my best for 18 years of avoiding this shopping centre. Camping is tight and not even here 5 minutes we had a drunk over with us talking up a storm. After tomorrow it'll be another 18 years before I come anywhere close to this place.

 

Day 16

Can you believe it, 16 days on the road and counting.

Today the drive from Frøde to Drammen was altered from the original plan to make sure that we were in Drammen in good time for my appointment tomorrow. Lots of local rain but nothing that dampened the trip today. Even when we got to the campsite tonight the weather app showed  18 degrees and sunny but looking out of the windscreen it was another story as the wiper blade moved back and forth.

Tomorrow before we set off I have to check and top up the rear diff, it's been leaking since driving the roads in Finland and around Nordkapp. I have to say though, the leak is through the actions of those who mislead with what they selling. I specifically asked for RTV silicone but was given normal silicone which is not suitable for transmission oils. Oh well, I'll keep an eye on the rear diff and fix it properly when back in Nybro.

Day 15

Today we headed into Geiranger centre and did a bit of site seeing and checked the shops out. It wasn't till afternoon when we left and began the long drive closer to the coastline again. But before doing so we did one of the remaining sections of the old highway to Geiranger which was an excellent drive. We spent most of the afternoon stopping and taking pictures then when we realised the time we headed for the nearest asphalt.

The route that I planned took many secondary roads which of course took time. On one particular road there was a road stop, a heard of cows. Was funny as the cows had no intention of moving off any time soon.

The weather for the day was basically driving between rain clouds but as we got nearer to the coast it became simply full on rain. We are now at a campsite in Førde and as I lay in the rooftop tent it is raining cats and dogs.

Because of an appointment that we have for Finday we are going to take a straight b-line to Drammen, even though it will be over 8 be hours driving tomorrow.

Day 14

I was looking forward to today, a trail that there was no risk of a road barrier. We drove a toll road called Aursjøvegen which did not disappoint. The climb was so steep in sections where I was in 2nd gear. At the top we were at 950 moh but at that height and with today's weather we didn't get to see much. The fog rolled in quickly and stayed.
Some of the switch back turns were too much for my wife, she had her hand firmly gripping the door handle thinking that a quick exist was possible if something went wrong. 😯
A road that is on the to-do again list, but with clearer weather.

From there we took to the coastline again taking many smaller roads, the trip is so much more relaxing not having to deal with traffic all the time. On a smaller road leading eventually to Geiranger we meet a police car, said to Ulla there must have been an accident?? A few minutes later we came across a new Range Rover sitting on it's side down a deep ditch. The torn up grass on the side of the road and into the ditch told the whole story, excessive speed for road conditions. On the same road I pulled over for a motorcycle to let pass and I got a thumbs up. 😊

Now we are in Geiranger at the same camp that we have used previously.

Day 13

This morning it was a mad dash with the traffic into Trondheim which went rather well for us till Mr. Garmin sent us up a road that your not suppose to use for vehicle traffic. Parking is an other issue all on its own in a historical city centre where every second vehicle was electrical or had stop/go technology. Then you have me with an oil burner trying to find a place to park.

After touring the famous church in Trondheim we headed west towards the Atlantic Highway. As much as I would have liked to see the waves breaching the water breaks, the calm sunny weather was excellent, which offered us a few picture opportunities.

While along the Atlantic coast we read in our phones the weather forecast and it wasn't what were expecting, 30-50 mm rain over night.  Therefore we decided to go for broke and get as far inland as possible.

By 9:30 pm we found a small camp site off the beaten path which has only 2 guests for the night. While here I wasn't really looking forward to having to deal with a wet tent so I took a cabin instead.

Tomorrow should be a wet one, let's see how far we travel after the mountain pass that I have planned for the morning.