I go to bed almost every night thinking, “This has been the best day yet.” Now I am sitting here at the end of another day, thinking, “This has been the best day yet.”  How can each day get better than the one before? I can’t even imagine tomorrow being better. Today was perfect weather, adventure, humour, food, and scenery. 

We left our hotel this morning to grey clouds, but the forecast was hot and sunny weather. The first of two ferries we would take on our trip to Geiranger was just a short drive away. We had to stop for a few photos of a beautiful crystal clear lake that sat so still it was hard to distinguish the actual image from the reflection. I don’t think I have ever seen such still water. The mountains rose above the lake and then settled down onto the lake with no division of the two.

Our next stop showed us the opposite of still with a fast-running stream. Again, the water was crystal clear, sliding over the giant boulders and making white water rapids. A tiny black bird sat on a branch overlooking it, singing his song. 

We came to a beautiful bridge and a large turnout a few tunnels later. With no one around, Jason took the opportunity to get his drone out and fly it around the beautiful fjord that stretched out in front of us. The skies were still grey, but they didn’t hinder the view of the water far below or the height of the towering mountains above. Small farms and outbuildings dotted the hillsides, many with grass rooftops and painted bright red. Another fast-moving waterfall cascaded under the bridge, and it was so loud we couldn’t hear each other talk. 

We soon arrived at our second ferry and almost decided against going when we saw the price. Our initial plan was to do a return trip, which was two hours, and it was nearly $300 with the car.  Jason did some mapping out of the area and decided we should take the ferry to Geiranger one way and drive to our next hotel, saving a lot of money. We were so glad we did. The ferry ride was magical. Each time we turned, we’d see another fabulous waterfall. Moving back and forth across the ferry, snapping pictures, we could hardly capture every change as we moved forward.  

We took in The Seven Sisters, a famous waterfall rising 410 meters above the sea and one of the most photographed falls in Norway. There are seven central falls and many smaller ones. Some say that the hair of the sisters cascades down. 

Large flat areas of various dark-shaded rocks rose from the sea, and I kept seeing different pictures and designs on the rock like a tapestry. A skeleton, a bear, a mask, and a dog were visible to me. I took photos as we sailed by, but I couldn’t see anything but rock in them. It’s just my imagination working overtime, I guess.  It reminded me of laying on a blanket as a kid and making pictures from the clouds. 

The hour went by too quickly, and we arrived in Geiranger, drove off the ferry and started the long climb to the top of the mountain for what we had come for—the Geiranger Skywalk. As we rose, we could make out the town of Geiranger farther and farther below us, with our ferry still in dock, looking like a tiny white speck. The views all along the way were magnificent, and there were lots of places to stop and get out to take pictures. The road snaked back and forth at crazy angles, and often, there wasn’t room for two cars to pass, so one had to pull over close to the edge. It wasn’t a drive for the faint of heart. Jason did well, but at the end of the day, he said he was stiff from the tension in his shoulders and hands. 

The higher we drove, the more snow we encountered, but the temperature stayed at a constant 26 degrees. No wonder the waterfalls were so impressive, as they were melting quickly. We pulled over for our afternoon Facetime visit with the family. I made a snowball to show the girls what I had for them today. They thought it was awesome and commented that I keep finding things I can’t bring home for them. I guess I’ll have to go shopping. 

We reached the gate that allowed us entry to the summit, and after a short drive, we came to the lookout that expanded its deck far out over the mountain, over 1500 feet high—this is what we had come for.

I immediately got out on the edge of the lookout with no problem. I told myself not to look down as it was many thousands of feet to the bottom, and the floor was a grate. Jason had no interest in walking out there and stayed back. Walking to the edge, I made a colossal mistake and looked down, which did me in! It was so terrifying that I couldn’t move. I stood there in fear and started laughing but felt like crying. Jason wasn’t coming to help me, and I knew I had to get back, so I moved, didn’t look down again, and ran to where he was. He got it all on film. What a good son. He told me he had no pictures of me on the edge, so I went back out, but only on the corner where it wasn’t so high. I will never forget the experience (and the fear), but I am happy I did it.

Jason didn’t do the overlook, but he did venture out onto the rocks where I wouldn’t go. He said it looked worse than it was, but I was happy to stay on solid ground. I had my experience for the day. I got some nice shots of him out there as well. He took the car to a parking lot below and took pictures of me walking down the steep stairs along the cliff’s edge to meet him. 

A short while later, we arrived at our motel for the night. The central hotel was a beautiful, quaint white building, and the interior boasted numerous antiques. I’m sure it looked much like it did 200 years ago. The same family runs it now, teaching each generation about hotel management. Everyone was so kind, chatty and helpful, and after a walk around the garden and lake, we had a restful night. Tomorrow is a 3-hour drive to our next destination, so that should be an easy day.