Hitchhiking in Norway: overnight in Bodø

30^th of September and 1^st of October, 2022.

Hitchhiking in Norway.

            I cannot find the entrance to the ferries, where I believe, most likely, I would get to see a timetable, so I ask for some information at the train station. There isn’t someone actually selling tickets or an info desk open, but I ask for a young man who is in control of the arrival and departure of trains. He is very polite and helpful and go through a lot of research and phone calls to make sure I can get the right time table.

            The next ferry to the islands is tomorrow morning, at 6 a.m. The young man also shows me where should I board but I cannot find any suitable place for camping nearby, so I decide to stay at the train station until their closing time and after that, I will try to ask in a hotel to use their lobby for the night. They supposed to close the train station at 12 a.m., but luckily for me, the guard only come to wake me up after 1 o’clock, so I managed to rest a little bit.

            I am even luckier for asking at the hotel where I asked. There I meet Tove, this wonderful young girl working as receptionist, and she let me stay in their lounge. She is wonderful, stylish and strikes me as a great human being, who I would love to be friends with. And after I tell her my story, she even gives me two sandwiches which are due date tomorrow and a pack of chips. How sweet! I am so happy not only for getting leftover food but also because I will be in the islands, and that helps me a lot so I don’t need to look for a place where to ask for some food. Wonderful!

            I leave near 6 o’clock but the ferry is super late. I have decided to skip the last island, Røst, for lack of time. Now, to tell you the tricky side of the ferry trip, I will explain to you the Lofoten Islands geography: the first island is Røst, then Væroy and finally the peninsula of Lofoten, with the ferry port in Moskenes. From Bodø, the ferry goes to Røst, then Væroy and finally to Moskenes. Of course, it takes more time having to do all these stops, but what to do? At least the ferries are FREE. Exactly! Since July of this year, 2022, the Government made all the ferries between the islands FREE, on an attempt to attract more tourists and locals up here. Isn’t that lovely?

            The only problem is the timetable. I don’t know if it was always like this or it has something to do with the ferries being for free now, but the timetable kind of sucks! On Saturdays there is no ferry from Væroy to Moskenes, and on Sunday, the only ferry during this route, departs after 1 p.m., meaning it will arrive almost at 3 p.m. in Moskenes. That is really not good for my plans and short schedule. Oh! It makes me so sad that I have so little time in Lofoten. It is such extraordinary place, mystical even! How I wish I had more time…