Norway Road Trip 2024

The story of this road trip goes back to 2020 when my girlfriend and I were planning to go to Puerto Rico and Panama for a three-week adventure, but spoiler alert: the pandemic kind of put a stop to that and we got a gift certificate for the travel agency which was about to expire and since we now live in Gothenburg, Sweden, we decided to take a road trip to Norway and use the gift card for accommodation. So in May we took off towards our first stop, Kristiansand.

Kristiansand Domkirke

Flowers in Kristiansand Domkirke square

We stayed in Kristiansand for one night, so we didn’t get a deep dive, but it seemed like a quaint seaside town. I even got a feeling that it might be a nice place to live, based on nothing in particular. A very pleasant vibe overall. But, Kristiansand was mostly a rest stop to take a brake from the driving. So next stop: Byrkjedal

Aerial photo of Byrkjedal

The drive to Byrkjedal was very pleasant, I was really surprised positively by the epic sceneries. I was unpleasantly surprised by the lack of scenic spots where you could easily park and enjoy the views and take pictures. In New Zealand, they had a TON of fantastic rest spots with epic views and parking space. And there were great signs so it was easy to spot them. Not the case in Norway, it was easy to miss the few scenic spots that were there.

One of the scenic rest spots we were able to find.

Nice reflections on a hidden beach

Aerial shot of the Byrkjedal region

Our first physical activity was a small hike to Månafossen. Månafossen is a nice waterfall a very short hike away from the parking area. You can hike even further to Mån which is also nice, but at least the waterfall is definitely worth it. The hike itself is not super challenging, but you do need to use some chain railings to pull yourself up and keep you from falling. These railings are along most of the trail.

Månafossen waterfall

Månafossen waterfall

Månafossen waterfall

Hike to Mån

The following day after the mini hike to Månafossen and Mån, it was time for the main event: Preikestolen. We arrived to the area slightly later in the afternoon, and we were unsure if it was “worth it” going that late in the day, but it was actually a good decision. There were a lot of people walking down when we were going up, so at the end there were very few people there. So I recommend going in May to be ahead of the crowds.

Hike to Preikestolen

The hike itself is intermediate in difficulty I’d say. There are some high steps you need to take, but you don’t need to rely on chains etc. for support like at Månafossen. The length is 8km, it took us 2hrs going up and maybe 1.5hrs going down. And we are not pro hikers or anything, I was actually slightly ill in retrospect. But the views from the pulpit rock are quite something.

View from Preikestolen

View from Preikestolen

View from Preikestolen

Local fauna at Preikestolen

For the Preikestolen portion of the trip we were staying in Jørpeland and the following morning there was very nice and moody mist in the area, and I simply had to go out and shoot a bit, including with the drone. Some shots here.

Aerial shot of the Jørpeland area

Moody morning in Jørpeland

Aerial shot of Jørpeland

Rapids in the Jørpeland region

Moody morning in Liarvatnet

Local flora in Liarvatnet

Local flora in Liarvatnet

2022 #Wrapped

So it’s the last day of 2022 as I’m writing this and it’s an appropriate time for some reflection. Intuitively it feels again like just another year but actually a lot of things have happened almost kind of low-key, surprisingly. The first quarter of the year is kind of a blur, as at the end of February I moved back to Finland from Denmark, where I lived for 2,5 years. The reverse culture shock was definitely a thing, even though I was expecting one, but overall it’s been a reasonably smooth adjustment back to the Finnish way of life.

Another big change was that my fiancée moved to the States for six months and I was happy to spend my summer vacation to go over for a visit. Some of the highlights were a visit to D.C. and the Shenandoah National Park.

Reflection of the Washington Monument during sunrise taken from the Lincoln Memorial

The Smithsonian Natural History Museum has a lovely Butterfly Exhibit, tickets sold separately.

As we were staying in Charlottesville, VA, Shenandoah National Park is a short drive away and we were greeted by a gorgeous sunset during our drive up the mountain roads and lovely viewpoints.

Reflections on a scenic viewpoint in Shenandoah National Park.

Layers upon layers at Shenandoah National Park.

From a creative point of view and fulfilling Gear Acquisition Syndrome, I finally bit the bullet and bought my first drone, the Dji Mini Pro 3. There is definitely still some hesitation flying it and the learning curve is real, but not insurmountable. I’m pretty pleased with some of the first shots I’ve managed to capture with my drone. I have already captured some video footage with the drone as well, but I haven’t dared to edit it, let alone share it. Let that be one of my New Year’s resolutions. If that’s something you’re interested in, please don’t hesitate to let me know. :)

Den Uendelige Bro (Infinity Bridge) in Aarhus, DK, my former hometown.

Drone shot at Raippaluoto Bridge, the longest bridge in Finland (the bridge itself not in view).

In September I also travelled to Venice, ticking that off from the bucket list. Obviously it’s a beautiful city full of history and it’s definitely unique. However, I was not left with a strong urge to visit again. I’m really glad I went, and it’s definitely worth a visit, but the crowds definitely take away from the experience. My favourite moments were the mornings I got up early to catch the sunrise.

View from Ponte dell'Accademia in Venice during sunrise

Gondolas of Venice during sunset

Sunset view from the Campanile di San Marco.

The latter part of the year was full of absolutely fantastic conditions for photography right here in my hometown of Vaasa, Finland. There were stunning Northern Lights during fall, as Lady Aurora blessed the skies with gorgeous colors.

Northern Lights (aurora borealis) in Raippaluoto, Finland.

Northern Lights (aurora borealis) in Raippaluoto, Finland.

As if that wasn’t enough, I looked outside one Friday morning and there were glorious conditions outside as there was heavy mist on top of the frozen sea and the sun was beaming through that haze creating beautiful atmosphere and mood. I simply had no choice but to spend my lunch break running outside taking as many photos as I could. More of this in 2023 please. :)

A lone windmill in the mist in Vaasa, Finland

Sunbeams by the Vaskiluoto Bridge in Vaasa, Finland

The Eagle statue is a monument to Finnish aviation

Haze and sunlight make for an atmospheric combination

And with this last image I want to wish you a prosperous and happy 2023. If you managed to read all the way here, I humbly thank you and I hope you enjoyed the photos. Happy New Year!

Sunrise at Pilvilampi in Vaasa, Finland.

Maymont Gardens in Richmond, VA

When visiting Charlottesville, VA for a few weeks during summer of 2022, I decided to do a short road trip to Richmond, VA. Since Richmond is the capital of Virginia, I thought I should definitely give it a visit, especially since it was only an hour or so drive away. I didn’t have that much time to spend, though, so I had to choose carefully where to go, taking the poor weather into account as well. I ended up on going to The Maymont Estate.

Maymont is a 100-acre historic estate and park with various sights to explore, like the Gardens, an arboretum, wildlife habitats and the mansion itself. I focused on the Gardens as I’m partial to Japanese gardens in particular. There is a suggested $5 entry fee which you can pay by credit card at automated machines located by the entrances.

Below is a small collection of photos taken on July 31st, 2022.

Columns in the Italian Garden at Maymont Estate

Flora in the Italian Gardens at Maymont

From the Italian Gardens you can continue walking downwards towards the Japanese Garden, with some nice photo spots along the way.

Impressive architecture surrounded by staircases on both sides

Winding staircase leading down to the Japanese Gardens from the Italian Gardens

View from the waterfall towards the garden

As the location is quite beautiful and easily accessible, there are obviously a lot of other people taking portraits and other photos for mementos. And sometimes they make nice focal points in your landscape shots, as exemplified by the photos above and below, I don’t know these women in the shots but thanks to both of them. :)

View towards the waterfall from the garden

Walking around the lake in the Japanese Garden

Luscious greens along the walkways of the Maymont Gardens