At the end of the year I always love to look back on the past 365 days. What have I learned? What have I experienced? Which moments do I treasure? And which ones do I want to forget as soon as possible? And what are we definitely going to keep doing next year? When I think back to 2017, I mostly think of my beloved Norway. Out of 52 weeks, I spent more than 7 weeks in Scandinavia this past year. So it’s no surprise that my end-of-year list is made up of my 17 most beautiful moments in Norway! I’ll walk you through them once more and tell you why these moments were so special to me.
All photos can be clicked for a higher resolution!
1. Meeting my sled dog team in Signaldalen, Norway
The day it all began. The biggest adventure of 2017, which at the time I didn’t know would change my life forever. Fjällräven Polar 2017 was one of the most special highlights of my past year. The people and the dogs I took into my heart that week will always keep a little place there.
2. The first stretch of sledding, high up in the mountains, in the middle of nowhere
Once we came out above the tree line with our sleds, it felt like we’d landed on another planet. This memory has stayed incredibly vivid all this time. I still remember exactly how I felt at that moment. So strong and so vulnerable at the same time! Tears of happiness welled up in my eyes. Mother Nature really is a beauty!
3. The first night in the wilderness during Fjällräven Polar
That moment when we arrived at our sleeping spot for the night after our first day on the sled and had to set up camp. That evening I learned a lot about my limits, how I can push myself past them and how valuable teamwork is when you have to sleep in the frozen wilderness. We had to cook dinner for four people on one burner, because the other three didn’t work properly. Luckily we had each other!
4. Sleeping outside at -25°C under the northern lights
On the last night of Fjällräven Polar we didn’t sleep in tents, but out in the open air. Once we’d curled up in our warm sleeping bags, we got a northern lights show you wouldn’t believe. I don’t think I’ve ever fallen asleep with such a big grin on my face. This was by far the most special moment of the whole week, and I’ll treasure it forever. What a beautiful reward for all that hardship!
5. The ultimate test
A not entirely unimportant highlight of my week in the snow was the day I learned to make a fire all by myself with nothing more than a fire stick and whatever flammable material I could find around me. It’s funny how a simple skill like making fire can give you such a feeling of self-reliance. A really valuable lesson and a huge boost to my self-confidence!
6. Over the finish line with nothing but winners
I think this is the most emotional moment on the list. The day we crossed the finish line with our dog teams. That we hugged each other, full of disbelief about the adventure we’d just had. That we were overwhelmed by pride, gratitude and a little sadness that it was over. And that, secretly, we were also kind of longing for a hot shower and a warm bed.
7. Sunset in Narvik, Norway
After I got spectacularly injured during the Fjällräven Classic and was trudging through Sweden feeling utterly miserable, Bart-Jan decided to put me in a rental car and drive to Norway. That turned out to be the best decision ever. We popped over the border to the famous Narvik, and it turned out to be just as beautiful as people had always told us. During golden hour we climbed onto a rooftop terrace to look out over the whole city, and my broken heart mended itself just like that. It wasn’t so bad after all.
8. Sunset in Narvik, Norway part II
Narvik really did its best to impress us, because when we were on our way back to Sweden in the rental car, we drove past this little pebble beach. The sun had just disappeared behind the mountains and colored the whole sky ánd the water orange. I was flooded with happiness as I stood there staring into the distance. Sometimes all you need is a visit to Norway. 
9. Super mega road trip to Smøla
Following on from what I wrote above: when you just don’t know anymore, Norway is the answer! Last summer I lost my job and really fell into a ‘what now?’ hole for a while. Until I had the crazy idea to get in the car with my little chihuahua Finn and ‘just’ go to Norway for a few weeks. There I could sort out my thoughts, and we’d see what happened from there. I took this photo after we’d covered about 1400 kilometers in 3 days in my little red tin can of a car. Just one more ferry and we’d be at our destination. What an undertaking! But what a feeling of freedom!
10. Arriving at Smøla Havstuer, final destination zen!
After the ferry and a few more minutes behind the wheel, all my worries and burdens fell off my shoulders in one go. I was greeted by this insanely beautiful view of my final destination. Final destination ZEN. I don’t think I need to waste any more words on this one.
11. My first ‘workday’ in Norway
The plan, of course, was to get my life back on track. So on my first ‘workday’ in Norway, with my view of the sea, I decided to start my own business. And I haven’t regretted it for a second. 
12. Watching the sunset with Finn
Even though I set out on this adventure on my own, I wasn’t alone for a single moment. Wherever I went, Finn went. So when I ran up a hill with my camera to admire the sunset, Finn ran after me like a loyal four-legged friend. Back home in the Netherlands, where I live, he can’t go off-leash very often, because there’s way too much traffic in the city. But he always looked so proud when he got to go for a walk with me without a leash. And be honest, isn’t this a real Kodak moment?
13. The very first real hike with Finn
We walked ENDLESSLY, but this was the first time we climbed a little mountain together. A real hike. And mister Finn loved it. As if he’d never done anything else, he jumped from rock to rock ahead of me up the mountain. I cheered him on as if I were the coach of the Dutch national soccer team. Luckily there was nobody around.. The view was breathtaking. In the distance you can see the mountains of Tustna. You can admire them from almost anywhere on the island, and that view never stops amazing me.
14. A moment of reflection
During one of my many adventures on the island, I came across this viewpoint. A little shed on top of a hill, with a wall of plexiglass looking out over the sea. Finn and I sat there for hours with sandwiches and a book. Right until the sun had almost set. An evening that has stayed with me as the moment I truly found peace and went to bed that night with a genuinely clear head.
15. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Halfway through one of our many walks, something really special happened. While the sky on the left was dark and gloomy and the rain was coming down in buckets, on the other side you could see a gorgeous rainbow (two, even, if you look closely) with blue skies. The contrast couldn’t have been bigger. When I stretched my hand out to the left, I felt rain. When I stretched my hand out to the right, sunlight fell on it. I found this a really special moment, because it made me realize that you decide for yourself how you see life. Is your glass half full or half empty?
16. Staying up all night for the northern lights
That night I sat outside the whole night to watch the northern lights. The most insane northern lights show I’ve ever seen. And it lasted longer than I ever could have dreamed. It even came back several times, and it was so bright that I could even photograph it with my phone. The fact that my SD card got corrupted and I lost a big part of the photos because of it, well, we’ll just have to live with that.
17. A home that will never be home again
The trip home was a really tough journey. Because I wasn’t going home at all, I was already home! Utrecht will never feel like home to me again, now that I know Norway. And this (literally) gigantic surprise on the way back to the Netherlands reminded me once again that this is where I belong. Even though I don’t have any travel plans for 2018 yet, I’m convinced that one way or another we’ll be together again. See you soon, my beloved Norway. See you soon.
I wish all my loyal readers and sweet followers a sparkling, healthy and truly adventurous 2018! Will you come and get lost in Norway with me again in the new year? Because it really is a lot more fun with all of you. 🙂
Personal travel advice
Would you like help putting together your dream trip to and through Norway? Or would you rather leave the planning of your trip entirely to someone else? Feel free to get in touch with me, and soon you’ll be Lost in Norvana too!
