The Norwegian class boarded a minibus on Tuesday morning and began the journey southwest. After a brief stop in Drammen—for restroom breaks and to stock up on coffee, buns, and the like—the trip continued to Heddal to visit the stave church there. It is one of the largest of its kind in the world.

Upon reaching Dalen, we stopped to buy groceries before continuing on to Valle, where we spent the night.

The plan for Wednesday was to reach the summit of Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock), and we all succeeded. Fortunately, the weather was on our side, offering both sunshine and great views. It is very high and steep, and some of the students kept a safe distance from the precipice overlooking the Lysefjord.

During our visit to the Stavanger area, we stayed for two nights in a house in a charming rural setting.

On Thursday, our first stop was «Sverd i fjell» (Swords in Rock). This monument commemorates the Battle of Hafrsfjord—traditionally dated to the year 872—when, according to the sagas, Harald Fairhair united Norway into a single kingdom.

The rest of the day was spent in the center of Stavanger. We visited the Norwegian Petroleum Museum and Viking House, followed by some sightseeing and free time in the city.

After cleaning up and checking out on Friday, we continued our journey south, heading toward Lindesnes Lighthouse. This marks the southernmost point on the Norwegian mainland. From here, it is 2,518 kilometers to the northernmost point, the North Cape (Nordkapp).

For our final night, we stayed at Nidelv Camping in Arendal, where the students slept in cabins that accommodated four people each. At last, the queues for the bathrooms and toilets became shorter. Dinner consisted of spaghetti and meatballs. Saturday was spent driving home to Elverum; the autumn weather was glorious. After a stop for dinner at McDonald’s, the students arrived back at the folk high school at 4:30 PM.