I flew from Stockholm to Tromsø via Oslo. When I landed, I chose to rent my first electric car. It was particularly expensive because the timing overlapped with the midnight marathon, which explained the full flights and limited availability. Renting a car was absolutely the right decision. Public transportation would have required up to eight hours each way with dozens of stops to reach the hiking areas I wanted to visit.

My Airbnb was about 20 to 30 minutes from the airport. The host was a Sámi woman who welcomed me in before leaving town. The space was quiet and comfortable, and I shared it with a man running the marathon who stayed in his room almost the entire time whether he was asleep or awake.

Norway continued the expensive theme of the trip. One dinner in town cost around $120 for an appetizer, main, and glass of wine. After that, I relied more on groceries, which were also expensive but more manageable.

I spent most of my time driving to hiking spots and hiking. The first hike was a shorter route to get acclimated. I stopped at a shop and café and tried a pistachio bun and rhubarb juice. From there, I drove further out toward the coast and was surprised by the landscape. The water was a bright, clear blue, similar to Florida or the Bahamas. I started a steep climb up a mountainside but chose to stop partway up when it became too vertical and exposed. I sat for a while, took in the view, and turned back.

Another day, I drove to a more remote trailhead, which required loading my car onto a ferry. From there, I hiked across rocky terrain for several hours each way to reach a low alpine lake. The terrain was uneven and required constant attention, but the colors of the water and the surrounding landscape were worth it.

I also climbed the Sherpa steps up to the overlook above Tromsø. The cable car was not running, so the only option was to walk both ways. The climb was steep and physically demanding, and my legs were shaking on the descent.

In town, I visited Tromsø Cathedral and spent time taking in the space. I thought about signing up for a sauna session but was not brave enough to jump into the fjord so I passed.

The most memorable part of the trip was experiencing the midnight sun. It felt and looked like midday, even late at night. It was odd to watch the sun move across the top of the mountains from east to west and not overhead.