Travel by numbers 6: - Oslo-Parma

Driven distance: one thousand seven hundred and forty two
Travel time: forty eight hours
Ferry time: fifteen hours
Driving time: twenty hours
Idiot drivers: five

This trip was probably the most exciting so far. Apart from the fact that there were no problems with traffic (which, considering the distance, I find quite amazing), the end of the journey was spectacular. After having driven through Norway, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and part of Switzerland, I suddenly hit the Alps. And suddenly is really the right word: two hours of a quite boring drive through the flatlands of Switzerland, out of nowhere the Alps appeared. It was dark when I got there, so all I saw was the snow-covered peaks of the mountains. I drove up and up and up and once I got to the top, I found a small hotel where I spent the night. I wanted to drive down by daylight, so I could at least see some of the impressive landscapes.

Once into Italy, things were not so nice though: traffic around Milan was manageable but mad, and fog/smog made the Italian motorway and everything around it look grim and depressing. Having said that, the coffee cheered me up completely. When I got to Parma it was bright sunshine and some sort of warm.