It rained nearly every day of my trip. There were long stretches of beautiful blue skies, bright sunshine, and clear views. But, there was also rain. Our guides said that the daily forecast for Norway always mentions rain, and I read in a guidebook that Bergen averages 260 days of rain a year. So, packing rain gear was highly recommended. Our instructions for the first day were to meet at the Voss train station with rain gear in our daypacks, an instruction repeated every day afterwards.
I purchased a new rain jacket for the trip. I had not owned one before and thought it would be a worthwhile purchase. I tested it a few times, wearing it to work on a drizzly day, wearing it to the gym 5 blocks away on a rainy evening. It seemed to work well and I was happy. Water beaded up and rolled off.
The first really rainy day of the trip was the second day of hiking. We were walking a fairly level path along a narrow fjord, an old postal road. About half hour into the 3 hour hike I realized my coat was not quite as waterproof as I expected. I could fee water seeping through my upper back under my backpack, I could feel water seeping through on my arms. Luckily, it wasn't too cold and I didn't mind the dampness.
I had other occasions to wear the jacket that week. It served as a windbreaker on a clear day, an outer shell over a fleece on the glacier, an evening jacket on a walk to dinner. My jacket failed me on the waterproof front, but every day I packed in my day pack for the day's hike. It was my constant companion.
Now at home, I put the jacket on the other day and immediately felt myself back In Norway. Memories of the trip floodedback and instead of walking down a city block I was standing beside a fjord. Wearing it now feels like a magical transport to a foreign land. The magic may fade with time, but for now I'll enjoy the feeling.
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