Report from camping trip to Trøndelag July 2025

I am now well established in my role as grandfather in the Vietnamese family who moved in across my hallway here in Grorud in August 2022. Our members are Thao (mother), Locki (father), Christina (daughter), Chomsky (dog) and the undersigned. Preparations for the trip started when we borrowed a trailer from Konstanze (wife of my classmate Johan from the Economic College of Trondheim) one week before departure. When we picked up the trailer, we were served a delicious dinner by Konstanze.

We started the trip on July 4 and drove to Os in Østerdalen (the Eastern Valley). As usual Chomsky started complaining after a couple of hours. Then we stopped to let him swim at suitable places along the road. When he is wet and cooled off, he stays calm in the back of the car. Thao then took over the wheel and I could relax in the passenger seat. We stopped at Røste Camping around 20 kms before Røros, a popular tourist attraction on UNESCO’s world heritage list. We enjoyed the place, but not the weather: It rained most of the time. The sightseeing at Røros was enjoyable, as expected. A pleasant surprise was that we met Lisbeth Vassaas, the mother of Katharina who often takes Chomsky out for walks here in Oslo. Her family in Trondheim has had three dogs of the same breed as Chomsky, Bouvier des Flandres.

We then continued to Trondheim and pitched our tent at Storsanden Camping about 20 kms north of the town. On the same day we visited my family grave at Lade in Trondheim, at the suggestion of Thao. We put down a flower and a big candle at the grave. Thao is a fantastic human being who as a Buddhist is highly motivated to honor the dead.

The next day we went sightseeing in Trondheim. We first visited Katharina’s family in Øya. Lisbeth had come home and her husband received Chomsky with open arms. Chomsky had stayed there several times before and felt immediately at home.

We left Øya at foot and first saw Trondheim’s greatest attraction, the Nidaros Cathedral, which is really impressive. Then the Weapons Museum in the Arch Bishops Yard. Then we walked to the Old Town Bridge and from there along the Nidelva River to the gallery Kjøpmannsgata Young Art (KUK). It is striking that it is possible to visit free of charge such a great gallery.

Then it was time to relax at Solsiden (the Sunny Side), a pleasant place with restaurants facing the Nidelva. Then a long walk passed the railway station and up the Prinsen Street, across the Elgeseter Bridge and back to Øya. A strenuous trip, but rewarding. Katharina’s father Nils had walked Chomsky and played with Chomsky on their lawn, throwing balls for Chomsky who is ball crazy.

The next day we drove north along the Trondheim Fjord and stopped at Verdal where we visited with my classmate from primary school, Tor Jentoft and his wife Mari. A pleasant lunch at their place before continuing to the Osen Fjord Camping. We put up our tent there, and continued to the home of my sister Turid and her husband Øystein at Sandviksberget. A cozy new meeting, with a beautiful dinner of fried pollock or coal, fished the same day. Afterwards we walked the marked path to the Ramsøysundet beacon.

The following day we took a speed boat to Sætervika. From there we walked to a place where we had a close look at the Buholmråsa Beacon and then had a stop at Sætervika’s only grocery store. Then we had an outdoor dinner at the Brygga restaurant with the boss Rune Sæther. He and Øystein fascinated us all with card tricks. After the trip back to Sandviksberget we left Turid and Øystein and continued to Vingsand. There we parked at Øystein’s family house, which just had been sold out of the family. From the house we walked down to the Håmann Bay where we could visit the world’s most beautiful lean-to shelter.

After a night at the Osen Camping we returned home to Oslo the same day.

We shifted on driving and Thao did a fantastic job as a driver. (She had just gotten her driver’s license.), and she was primus motor in setting up the tent. She also confirmed that she is a wonder of a human being. Little Christina, who soon will be ten, entertained us all. Locki functioned as our court photographer. As you can see, he knows his job. He was all the time bothered by allergies and I think he was happy when he came home.

Chomsky was the whole time in great shape. His owner, however, cannot say the same: Slowed by old age, dizzy, clumsy and unsteady.

I enjoyed the role as tour leader and my impression was that the others were pleased with what they experienced.

As many school essays end: When they got home, they felt that they had had a great trip.