After our usual morning brunch, we went out did some huge grocery shopping. Today we will be heading up to Tante Berit's cabin for 3-4 days where we will also have a birthday party. So we have lots of things that we need to pick up. First off to the bakery for a supply of bread and pastries. Then onto the grocery store for a wide variety of supplies. We get all sorts of stuff, from meats to fish to cold cuts to coffee and lots and lots of snacks. We do not forget the chocolates. We also get plenty of fresh fruits. Then comes the amazing part of the story - while we are checking out some calls out Jacqui's name.
We turn around and we cannot believe our eyes - it is Fred Qvale, a friend and fellow passenger from our Trans-Africa trip in 2000-01. Fred is Norwegian, but spends a lot of his time traveling around like we do. We have a nice chat catching up on things - we even learn that he has just gotten engaged. Great news. But soon we have to head back to the apartment as we are meeting some people and leaving for the cabin. But we agree to try and get in touch next time we are in Oslo.
Once back at the apartment, we re-pack all the groceries for transport to the cabin. Also, at around this time Jorgen and Lise come over for some tea and cakes and a chat. It is a pleasant afternoon. We hang out for a while as Tante Berit wants to leave a bit later so that we avoid the rush hour traffic. Shortly after 5 PM we load up the car - it takes multiple trips up and down to get all the stuff and groceries down to the cars. And then we are on our way.
Including a stop for petrol, it takes us only a bit over an hour to get up to the cabin - called Bjørklia (the birch hillside - and the name suits the place) at Roa in Hadeland. From the main road, the track up to the cabin is dirt and steep. So we are not sure how our low slung car will handle the ruts and ditches and rocks. In the end, we are able to find a route up that avoids scrapping the undercarriage. Then it takes us quite some time to unload, unpack and sort out all the supplies and bags.
But we have soon settled into the pace of life up here at the cabin - slow and relaxed. We sit back and relax before slowly and leisurely getting dinner ready. After our simple dinner, we just hang out in the cozy cabin's main room. We have a fire, of course, along with a few drinks. We chat and read some and just enjoy the peace and quiet before heading up stairs to bed. We are looking forward to our few days of quiet up here in the hills.