I have popped into a Norwegian supermarket since the border, and some prices are still OK, notably fruit and veg and cheese, but bread, chocolate, etc is pricey and beer £3 a can, but fortunately I wasn't allowed to buy it anyway cos it was after 6pm!

The landscape has already become more hilly, and roads shown on the map as yellow (main route) turn out to be no centre line jobs, and cycle lanes forget it.
To be fair, due to the rifted nature of the land, and fingery shape of the lakes, there really is only one road to choose from.

FYI I have temporarily abandoned the north sea route again (which is at least signposted here as route 1) because next to the coast is also big motorway.
Oh and its raining!


First Hydro power station
Another Norwegian guy telling me how shy they are and with a classic triumph car in the garage. Just back from camping on an island in the river, as you do because this is where you live.
As we talk a classic Chevy Camaro goes past

All downhill to Oslo. Great view across the bay.
The city has an interesting history and is one of the fastest growing world capitals. The protected forest surrounding the city makes that a challenge. Lots of nice wooden houses in the suburbs.

For tourism I visit the Nobel Peace Museum (over priced) and the superbly outlandish naked statues in Vigeland park (free).
In the hostel a collection of north Americans, one very jet lagged having a last bit of freedom before starting a postgrad in neuroscience, one totally radical bro style dude celebrating finishing undergrad, and one Canadian girl en route to study glaciers in the far north...

Getting out of Oslo is less fun, no alternative for the first 20km other than the official route 1 cycle path following the motorway, but at the first opportunity I detour into the countryside and it quickly becomes more pleasant, and an indication of what will follow, steep up steep down!

Pausing by a large fish sculpture after a ferry crossing, i meet a Norwegian man who is walking to Bethlehem - 3 weeks each year.
13 years done, supposed to arrive in Syria in two years time.... Problematic!