Hammerfest

I disembark in Hammerfest, billed as the most northern city in the world. It's further north than Alaska, Siberia and all those inhospital places in Canada. People can live here thanks to the warm gulf stream current. But I could never live here. It is not as grim as Vardø, but it's not a place I want to spend a lot of time in.

When the ship approached the harbor the only thing visible at first through storm clouds and squals were the mountains and a giant oil and gas plant. Yellow flames flickered from smokestakes. Once the Nordkapp entered the harbor, I spied the town clinging to edge of a bay, the gray mountains rising in the background. It was hard to leave the comfortable ship and my cozy cabin. I made my way down to the ship's hold where my bike rested against a giant clothes hamper. The hatch slowly slides open, the attendant motions for me to push the vehicle to the loading elevator.

A blast of freezing wind is my shore greeting. The wind cuts through the air like a frozen knife. A few minutes on shore and I realize I must start south, and soon. I might have to spend the night in this place if I can't get a bus to Alta this evening. My plan is to get back to Finland, via Munio. I need to get back to a place where it's warmer. Most expeditions meet with disaster after reaching their goal. I cannot let this happen. I'm weary, but I must be careful.

I wander into the tourist information office and get directions the local campground. The bus schedule indicates that I can't get a bus out tonight. I'm stuck. I park the bike by the library, not bothering to lock it (who is going to steal such a thing and where would they go?) and walk into the town mall. I find a what amounts to a fast food restaurant and order a chickenburger with a drink. The small treat reconfirms what everyone in Finland told me: Norway is very expensive, perhaps the most expensive country in the world. My little chicken burger costs about $20. This is another reason to flee. I dwaddle over my fries, glad to be out of the wind, and plot my next move.