Fjords and ferries!

The fjords of Norway are world famous. They come in many shapes and sizes and are incredibly beautiful. Part of the joy of motoring up the west coast is that every now and then the road stops at the waters edge and you have to wait a little while for the ferry to take you across to the other side. It gives you a very different view of the country. It isn't cheap, but it is a lovely way to break the journey and gives you time for a pit stop and a cup of coffee. Quite romantic in fact! The other option - to drive around the top of the fjord, isn't really an option at all considering the distances involved and the condition of the roads!

However, that's all well and good if you are a tourist with time to spare. From Kristiansand in the south to Trondheim in the middle of the country, a journey of 1,100 km, there are 7 ferry crossings.

Business has other ideas. In fact, the newest plan to improve the road network on the west coast is not to enlarge and improve already existing roads or to build a high speed rail link - no it is to get rid of the ferries and build bridges and tunnels across or under the fjords so you can drive all the way to Trondheim from Kristiansand in 13 hours as opposed to the present 20 plus hours!

It would only cost a thousand milliard kroner (double that maybe - you need a large contingency fund here for building projects, especially state ones!). It would take 20 or so years to build, and the hope is it would encourage more companies to set up on the est coast as traffic links would be easier.

Even if it does happen, I wonder how it will help business. Sure construction will be looked after for quite a while, also building new homes and factories, but once the building is done which companies will move up there. Recent figures from the Chamber of Commerce show that the only businesses booming in Norway at present are those linked to oil and power production, everything else is either stagnating or going under. Norway has few easily obtainable natureal resources (apart from fish, water, oil and iron ore), so industrial production of any kind has to import many raw materials to make their products. Since costs across the boarad are so high here, they have gradually priced themselves out of the market, unless they have a niche product.

However, there is one more thing - this is an election year. Wonder which parties and politicians will jump on this band wagon  to ingratiate themselves with the voters!