The East of Jotunheimen

Gjendesheim - Glitterheim
Audiobook of the day: The Life of Roald Amundsen
I miss: More audiobooks. I thought I had downloaded a ton, but I didn’t.

So, this trip started early in the morning in Oslo, where I hopped on a bus equipped with a cinnamon bun and a coffee - a bus bursting with hikers.

Ahead lay a 5.5-hour drive north to Gjendesheim. Just getting close to the national park is already worth the drive. It's gorgeous, and knowing that you'll spend the next couple of days discovering it is even better.

On my way up the first hill, I felt like I was all over the map: hair in my face, hat too loose, jacket too far away to reach in the windy conditions. I needed to get back into the rhythm. It took me about 2 km to find my groove, but from there it was smooth sailing. For some stretches, I was even wearing a t-shirt. I only took one little 5-minute sandwich stop the entire time because I wanted to get to Glitterheim by 7:30.

This little pit stop was probably also the moment when I lost my only 1.5-liter water bottle. I apologize sincerely and hope that whoever found it enjoyed the fresh apple juice I had hauled up the first couple of hills. In any other place, a mistake like this could have serious consequences - but not in Norway. I was carrying my tiny water bottle on my chest, and it was more than enough. There are beautiful streams every 500 meters, so you'll never get into trouble here when it comes to water.

Anyway, on my way up I crossed a dainty-looking white bridge that had seen better days. But it held up, and I climbed higher and higher. The last 100 meters before the peaks were a little tricky because my legs started to feel tired, but as per usual, the moment you start seeing what’s behind a hill gives you a moment of wonder and a boost. I could see the DNT hut far in the distance and started running - not fast, since the rocks were too scattered and big for that, but I still tried to speed up.

The hut was perfect. I opened the door, and the receptionist looked at me and asked if I wanted a beer. I said yes. “When’s dinner?” I asked. “In 20 minutes,” he replied. I rushed into the shower, and exactly 20 minutes later, I had a plate of potatoes, salmon, and cucumber salad in front of me. Perfection. I made some new friends that night while we watched reindeer jump around in the river right below the house.