Collecting Moments

Our day in Horten was to be leisurely — a gentle stroll down to the Oslofjord for a refreshing swim and a short walk through the nearby forest. I longed to satisfy my passion for berry picking. During our first week in Norway, we didn't have enough time to go foraging because we were always busy hiking, hitchhiking, or talking to our hosts. Which was great, but I still needed my precious moments in the woods since wild blueberries and strawberries just don't grow in Portugal where we live. So we set off carrying only a simple tote bag with a bottle of water, a towel and a bathing suit (skinny dipping was out of the question because the beach was too close to town). Our trusty old backpack stayed behind– we were expecting to have an easy walk and a slow, relaxed day. As we reached the fjord, a light drizzle began to fall, dampening our enthusiasm for a swim. Instead, we walked along the shore, our eyes drawn to the green hills of Løvøya island. It seemed like a perfect spot

When we first started planning our hitchhiking and couchsurfing trip through southern Norway, we encountered a chorus of advice from our potential hosts. "You like hiking?" they'd say. "Head west and north!" One even remarked, "Only go south if you like boats." But time constraints and my sprained ankle led us in a different direction. We decided to take the coastal route for two weeks. Luck was on our side and we found hosts who lived just off the E18 highway, which would make hitchhiking easier (or so we thought). Landscapes lacking towering peaks revealed a different magic. Forests, lakes and fjords held an unspoiled beauty that did not need grand summits. Water, abundant and mesmerizing, painted the canvas in shades of blue embraced by green. Wherever we stayed in Norway, nature beckoned from every doorstep. In the tiny village of Høvåg, perched on the edge of a fjord, deer and sheep grazed on lush slopes. We walked to the tip of the peninsul