Day 16: Kiruna to Gargnäs 460 km / 5 hours and half
In the morning, we were awakened by a strange sound outside. Looking out the window, we saw a reindeer caught in the fence. It appeared that the reindeer had been trying to clean its antlers by pushing them into the fence, and in doing so, it had pulled the entire fence out of the soil and entangled its antlers in it. My husband attempted to help, but it was too risky, so I went to wake up the owner. The owner rushed out and they worked together to save the poor deer. Despite the ordeal, the reindeer didn’t seem too frightened or shocked as it continued to scrub its antlers into the fence later on.
After the rescue mission, we hit the road again, this time heading towards Gargnäs with a stop at the Esrange Space Center. They have a small visitor center with an exhibit and information about their work. The visit was interesting, but if it weren’t on the way, I wouldn’t drive there.
The day went on uneventfully, and I wouldn’t choose this spot again. The Loghome Lillestuga cottage was nice, close to a beautiful lake, but the path there was terrible. Perhaps the GPS led us down the wrong road. The road was full of holes, making it difficult to drive faster than 30 km/h, and the area itself was unremarkable. We couldn’t find a single open restaurant, so we simply took a walk around the lake and prepared dinner in the cottage.
Day 17: Gargnäs – Trondheim 600 km/ 8 hours
In the morning, we realized that time was running out and we needed to drive faster to get back home before our vacation ended. After leaving Nordkapp, we didn’t plan ahead and drove at our own pace. However, we had to pick up the pace and drive longer distances. We arrived in Trondheim in the afternoon and checked into the Radisson Blu Royal Garden. We chose this hotel based on its price, location near the city center, and included breakfast. After settling in, we went out for a walk and some sightseeing. We walked alongside the river, admiring the distinctive historic wharf buildings used for storing fish, sugar, and salt. These buildings are constructed using the traditional technique of interlocking logs and stand along both sides of the Nidelven River’s channel.
Our next stop was the Gamle Bybro, also known as the Bridge of Happiness, a stunning red structure that crosses the Nidelva River and connects to the Kristiansen Fortress, another site worth visiting in Trondheim. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the fortress. It overlooks Trondheim and is a popular gathering place for young people who enjoy each other’s company, laughs, and drinks. If we were to visit again, we would definitely return to Kristiansen Fortress and De Gode Nabo. At De Gode Nabo, one big beer (or should I say small, since it was only 0.4L) cost 12 EUR, but the pub had a huge selection of craft beers and a wooden terrace overlooking the Nidelva River. We loved the beer, the terrace, and the view of the traditional wharves and the bridge from below. The food was also good.