The Scattergun Approach: Norway is an ice cold bitch.

Saturday, 21 July

Dear Norway,

I'm breaking up with you. And it isn't easy to say this, but it's because of you. You have just been so blistering cold these last two days, I'm beginning to feel like the fire is long extinguished.

Seriously, it's the middle of summer, and you can't even squeeze out some double digit temperatures? You lure me into a false sense of security with tolerably cool mornings, only to throw a fierce wind in my face around morning tea time, and just once I'd like to eat a meal without it turning into a watery soup from your sporadic downpours.

I've tried again and again to rekindle our flame, but so far you simply have not cooperated citing weak excuses like "the entire town is built from wood, and lighting a fire risks the lives and livelihoods of all the people" and "this is a national park". I mean, if you wanted it to be over, you simply could have said so.

You are an ice cold bitch, Norway.

No longer yours, and with a numb heart and frost bitten fingers,

- Lucy

No-one should have to wear this in summer! Even if it is the Arctic Circle.

Ps. In other news, we went to the Svartisen glacier this morning, which was really fun, and not intolerably cold at all. We got there via ferry and were told that we had 3hrs to get out to the glacier and back, or we'd have to walk 4km back to the bus through forest, so needless to say, we set a fairly brisk pace.

Jumping off a rock onto more rocks. I promise I did actually take photos of the glacier, but they are taking *so* long to load, you're stuck with looking at me. I'll update with photos once the internet up here joins the modern world.

I was conquering the mountain. It's much more impressive if you crop out all the people who just overtook me.

It was about 3km to the glacier, but it was all across really uneven, rocky ground, so it was a decent hike and my ankles aren't really loving me for it.

The glacier is the second largest ice-covered area in Norway and ranges from 50m to 600m deep. There is also a research station which is locate beneath the glacier in some rock caves.

The lake we needed to cross to get to the glacier. The water is impossibly still in part due to a sign prohibiting throwing rocks in the water.

These rock piles are everywhere in Norway. Wikipedia tells me they're "Cairns" and are usually used to mark trails etc, however now I think they're mostly marking where tourists have been.