While traveling, I learned that mountains were sacred in ancient South American mythology. «In Incan mythology, powerful mountain spirits were called ‘apu’s. The Incas also used the term apu to refer to the sacred mountains themselves; each mountain had its own spirit which was named after its mountain domain. Apus were typically male spirits, although some female examples do exist. In the Quechua language—spoken by the Incas and now the
second most common language in modern Peru—the plural of apu is apukuna. Incan mythology was based upon three realms: Hanan Pacha (the upper realm), Kay Pacha (the human realm), and Uku Pacha (the inner world, or underworld). Mountains—rising up from the human world toward Hanan Pacha—offered the Incas a connection with their most powerful gods in the heavens,» as tripsavvy writes in the article The Apu Mountain Spirits
of Peru.
In South- America, I also learned that the spirits of a mountain could call to you. I like to think that each mountain has its spirit. So, was it the spirit of Gaustadtoppen that had called to me for so many years? I finally listened to the call and walked the last 4.2 km to the mountain top. Almost! When you finally reach the summit, there are still a few hundred meters to the very highest peak but we could not go there because of time limitations. Many choose to stay in Telemark before or after going up, but we took it as a day road trip and started at 09.30 am from Oslo. Ruth and I are the wild ones. We do not use GPS, and like the good old-fashioned ways. We do not even use a map. We whirl around, and from time to time we also get lost. We are two chatty ladies who do not always follow the signs, but we always reach the finish line. It also happened to us on Sunday, 15 August, but we quickly traced our way back and managed to arrive at the Stavsro carpark by 1 pm. Stavsro is where the route begins. At Stavsro, we met a couple who had just returned from the top.
“How long did it take you to get to the peak?” I asked them.
“We do not speak Norwegian, english please? Oh it takes 2.5 hours up, but it is just straight
up.”
2.5 hours later, at 3.30 pm, we had reached the peak and could enjoy the fantastic 360-degree view. I guess the weather Gods were in a brilliant mood that day. If you ever go to Norway and want to hike in the mountains, checking the weather forecast is a must. It is also essential to have the right clothes and equipment. The trip to Gaustadtoppen would not have been the same if the weather been against us. On a day with sh**** weather, we would not have experienced the spectacular view, and the down trip would have been a slippery affair. Going down on wet rocks is not for people like Ruth and myself. If you ever come to Norway, I highly recommend this mountain climb. The drive from Oslo to Rjukan takes 2.5 hours, and you pass by the fantastic Tinnsjå. Tinnsjå (English: Lake Tinn), also called Tinnsjø and Tinnsjøen, is one of the largest lakes in Norway and one of the deepest in Europe. The view is like a dream.
PS: I hope you enjoy my 7.5 minutes movie. It gives a small taste of Norway. The film bears the mark of dirty car windows and my shaking hands, it might even be considered far away from perfect. But I assure you, our trip was PERFECT!!
The vibration of the week is now updated!!
People, Life, Politics And Bullshit 
You really made the place and journey come alive.
I’m so glad that we’re connected. A pleasure reading
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Thanks so much for joining me on this trip and I am also grateful that we are connected 🙏☺️
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Your description is so beautiful. I think it’s an excellent place. Well written 😊👌
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Thank you so much for joining me on this trip and your feedback 🙏🙏🌺
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🌹🌸😊👍❣️💓💖💕🍫My pleasure. Stay happy.
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