Norway Discovery - MacGyver ? Dear reader(s), I would like to share with you one of my 4X4 experiences and explain why our friends feel that going on holiday with us is always an adventure and the destination a question mark.
The story starts off leaving Holland spending three weeks in Norway final destination the north cape after 2000 mi.
The couple leaving with us drove a 4,2 LandCruiser TD from '89, we owned a special 4X4 prepared 2,4 Hi-Lux TDI with 33", 7,5" lifted, hydraulic winches etc. Through stories we told about our first trip to Norway they decided to spend their own holiday with us this year; their first time abroad.
We intended to join the Sweden Offroad Tour as much as possible the first 1,5 week, taking us higher up north participating in most of the 17 separate offroad locations which this tour offers in 25 days.
We were doing all right but sadly it was my car getting stuck and damaged in a seemingly easy level piece of land with knee-deep grass where every car had passed several times.
The Hi-lux stopped on a hidden cut off tree trunk bending the balance bar behind the front axle, it took a lot of sweat to repair this.
Anyway without further major damages we said goodbye to the S.O.T , to carry on to the North Cape.
Driving north we had to pass Finland (200 mi.) to stay on route to N.C. it was getting late and we decided to push on to get some rest arriving in Norway, part of this decision was not to exchange currency which wasn't a smart choice after the next event.
Driving for about 1 hour into Finland the next problem occurred for no reason the LandCruiser started leaking diesel fuel rapidly, so after stopping at a deserted gas station we were cursed away (still leaking fuel) and told to return tomorrow, so much for Finland's hospitality. Still leaking we tried to solve this emptying the car meanwhile by gathering the spill in some empty jerry cans which seemed to work when the leaking got less.
Not having found the real problem (fuel hoses were concealed) we put everything back and started off again, Still the leakage was to big so we drove in some forest and put the rear end from the LandCruiser up on some rock intending to dismount the complete fuel tank for inspection.
Not having any space left for the remaining 40 ltr. of petrol we drove for 20 mi. to some deserted construction site and sort of 'borrowed' a bricklayer bucket, anyway by now it was app. 2.00h in the morning and still we had the light of day for the sun was not setting this high above the polar circle.
By putting exhaust fume into the tank we discovered a perfect round hole in the back of the tank up till now we still suspect someone shot us, a weird thought but we don't have any other explanation.
After being stung by a million mosquito's (which seemed to be attracted to the petrol) we resumed on our way without sleeping and reached the N.C. dead tired after 53 hrs we found a rental cabin where we first got some sleep.
If you think this is it, the worse part of the journey has yet to come you will find it in part two, see you.....
Lucas Sytsma
Netherlands
