Thursday 22nd February    Day Seven

We woke up early and packed away our equipment and had breakfast.  The wind was still blowing quite strong, but nothing like it had been for the previous two days.  We left the hut and made our first destination the toilets.  From here we then set off to Heinseter for the first hour or so the wind was quite strong on my left hand side, which made my left hand and foot quite cold.  Later the wind stopped and the sun came out, it turned into a really beautiful day after about 10-12km we got to Heinseter were we had a 10 minute break.

From here we crossed a frozen river using a small bridge and started a 4km ascent that was continuously up hill with no flat section at all.  The climb seamed to sap every ounce of my strength out of my body and when we finally reached the top there was great relief all round.  

From here it was another few hours before we reached Tuva, a small cafe that would most probably be shut before we arrived.  Along the way we heard a number of "phoomff's" which was small avalanches happening out of view.  When we could finally see Tuva in the distance we noticed a number of small people like ants leaving away from the cafe, that could only mean that is had just shut, but we carried on regardless.  

During the last couple of km's all I could think about was if the cafe was open I would buy a bottle of Coke, a bottle of Sprite and a pint of milk.  But that would be a long shot.  As we got closer Ian and Joe went further ahead by a couple of hundred meters.  When they arrived at the cafe they took off their skies dropped their packs and walked about outside the building, it must be closed I thought to myself, then Joe opened the door and walked in, YES! I shouted, I was so relived.

When we got into the cafe I bought myself a bottle of Coke, something I had been dreaming about for the past few hours and sat down to relax.  We found out that they had a room with 4 beds in that we could use for the night as long as we did all our cooking outside.  This was great as it meant that we would not have to sleep outside again.

After we made our food, we found a giant Ludo board, so we had to have one last game.  Our bedroom was very small with just enough room to swing a cat, it consisted of two bunk beds and a small table.  We decided that if the weather was bad tomorrow that we would ski to Ustoset or if the weather was good we would go directly to Geilo. 

Friday 23rd February    Day Eight

We wake up and go to the cafe for breakfast, I have a hot chocolate and a chocolate cake, as well as another Coke.  The weather looks great outside so we decide to ski directly to Geilo.  The skiing along this trail is very easy going as they are on prepared tracks because this is on a tourist route.  There are a lot of up and down sections which we took in our stride, at one point a section of the trail was closed and we had to go around because of a dubious looking cornice overhanging the track.

We passed a lot of locals out for their daily ski and said hello to many of them as they passed.  When we came within range Ian used his phone to call the tourist information to find some cheap accommodation in Geilo, we were told that a place in Hakkesetstolen had room and it was a little cheaper than Geilo, so we headed there.  It was only 3km away from Geilo.

We arrived at the hotel in Hakkesetstolen around lunch time and then went for a shower, it felt great to get the layer of dirt and sweat off that had accumulated over the past week.  After that it was time to relax, I had a baguette and a drink and just sat and did nothing for a while.  Me, Joe and Ben then went for a little walk outside for a while, but there was nothing really to do there.

At dinner we had some lamb chops with all the extras, it was so good to be finally eating proper food as apposed to the de-hydrated stuff we have been having for the past week.  It was so good I had two helpings.

After dinner there wasn't much to do so we walked around for a bit and then went to bed.

Saturday 24th February    Day Nine

We woke up quite early and had breakfast, I started off with some fake rice crispies, followed by bread, cheese and pate.  I had three helpings (well I'm a growing young man).  After breakfast we packed our bags and started skiing towards Geilo, about 4km away.  The track was really nice to ski along mostly downhill, with flat sections to slow down after bombing it on the steep sections.

At Geilo we put all our equipment in the lockers at the train station and then Ben, Joe and myself hire ourselves snowboards.  After getting fitted out and buying the lift pass we head straight to the top of the mountain using the chairlift.  Each one of us makes an idiot of ourselves getting off the lift.  At the top we strap our other foot in (on the lift we had our forward foot strapped in) and then try to head down the mountain, after numerous slips we decide that maybe we shouldn't have come so high on our first go, but instead stayed lower on the nursery slopes.  

By the time we finally made it to the bottom we were more confident in our abilities and got the chairlift back to the top.  By the end of the day we felt that we could go down any run without falling over, but our legs were knackered.  When it was time to take the boards back we decided to sit on them like a toboggan for one last run which was great fun.

After we handed them back we walk around Geilo for a while and then go to the cafe where we agreed to meet Ian.  When we get there Jim and Jo are also there so we talk to them and see how their week has been.  We then go to a restaurant and have some pizza, we try to stretch out our time there as long as possible because as soon as we leave we will only be going to the locker room of the train station to wait for our train which arrives at 2:30am.

When we do finally get to the locker room, there is nothing more to do than get a little sleep, I use my rucksack as a pillow, Joes rucksack for my feet and my fleece on the floor to try and warm me up.  A little later the room starts to become quite busy with people wanting to catch the early morning train to Oslo.  When the train finally comes we board it and I fall asleep almost straight away.

Sunday 25th February    Day Ten

I wake up just before we arrive at Oslo, once there we put all our things in lockers and hang around the train station for a while.  The entrance is full of drug addicts and dealers.  After a while we decide to go for a walk around Oslo, so we head to the harbor.  I am absolutely freezing because all my thermal underwear, gloves and hat are packed in my rucksack back at the station, after about an hour we head back as nothing is open because it is Sunday morning.  

After waiting for another few hours we catch the train to the airport, when we arrive there it is so different to when we left.  It is bustling with people as opposed to the quiet place it was when we spent the night there.  After waiting around here for another few hours and spending the last of my currency we finally board the plane back to Heathrow.  After a flight time of one hour and fifty minutes we arrive back in the UK, then all that is left to do is say my goodbyes to Ian, Ben and Joe and start my three hour drive back up to Wrexham.

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