Fjords, tunnels, waterfalls, and one big rock

Hello from Hellesylt! Aunt Trish and I are on the edge of Geirangerfjorden, a beautiful place with rock walls reaching down to blue-green bay, complete with snow and waterfalls on each hill/mountain. Each day we have driven by new awe-inspiring landscapes, filled with higher and more rugged rocks and mountains the further north that we go. We have found it impossible to choose a favorite place - all of it is amazing and has exceeded our expectations.
The first day we left Sandefjord and kept mostly to backroads winding through high villages and wilderness lakes. At every turn, we were freshly amazed by the wild and abundant beauty of this place We took our first ferry across the opening of Lysefjorden, where our destination was the hostel at Preikestolen (in English, the Pulpit Rock). The hostel looks out on a gorgeous lake, and across to the other side of the fjord (though you can't see the water of the fjord from there). We sat by the lakeside, and later I walked partially around the lake and back, with the expectation that as soon as I came back from the hike the next day, I would jump in (which I did, to Trish and some new friend's amusement).
Yesterday (Sunday) Trish explored the town of Jorpland and took a well-deserved nap, while I hiked to the Pulpit Rock. The hike itself was sooooo much better than my exprience at Mount Doom - yes, rocks, and yes, steep, but interspersed with segments that were flat or at least gradual ascent. The trail comes out above a valley filled with lakes and one long, winding waterfall, before you come around a turn and can see the fjord - which was stunning because I was so high above it and yet it seemed so close. Then you come around another turn and see this giant cliff face in front of you, with 50 other people sitting around on top - some venturing out to the edge. I figured it if I didn't go to the edge right away, I never would - so I did, and it was both scary and beautiful and not that scary at all somehow. I ended up lying down on the edge (definately not standing) right next to two brothers that we had eaten breakfast with. They were an Indian family from Birmingham, UK, and the dad and mom were up there too. I ended up spending the rest of the hike with them, and had a lot of fun talking with the boys (my age) and being adventurous with the mom (who had a lot of spunk and was less afraid of heights than her sons or husband). It was great, and they invited Trish and I to share lunch with them later. I have truly been so incredibly blessed with people on this trip. Meena (the mom) invited me to come stay with them in Birmingham if I ever returned to England, probably within 5 minutes of me joining them on the top of the rock. I exchanged addresses with them and hope to keep in touch (the boys are on Facebook, so it shouldn't be too hard.) =)
We drove later that night, through higher fjords and lakes, seeing snow for the first time where we least expected it, and seeing more amazing waterfalls than we could ever hope to count. And tunnels - some over 7 kilometers long. Tunnels, sheep, waterfalls, and cows seem to be almost more plentiful than people over here, as the biggest town we've been through (Voss) was much smaller than any I stayed in in the UK. After staying in Tyssedal and a good night's rest, we got on the road again, across both Harganderfjord and Songefjord to reach Geirangerfjord where we'll be tonight and tomorrow. It was a lot of driving, but we got to see so much and it was all gorgeous. We were even given the gift of a magnificent rainbow touching down on both sides of a lake this afternoon. The weather has been raining off and on, with sunny breakthroughs, but cool ever since we moved on from Preikestolen. (It was cool but nice while I was hiking - great to be dry for once!! I really thought I would get rained on again, and surprisingly, had accepted it as a fact of life - but was really happy to accept the sunshine instead.)

Things to love about Norway:
-The amazing landscapes - crystal blue water that you could waterski on all the way across the fjord, free-falling and rock-hugging waterfalls everywhere the eye can see, views that make you want to stop and just stare, and yet around the next bend there's something just as grand
-Snow capped mountains that seem to pop up out of nowhere
-Water, water, everywhere ("I am haunted by waters" - Norman Mclean, A River Runs Through It)
-Really good jam and bread every morning at breakfast

Things to like about Norway:
-Tunnels that are left in their chiseled out stage: it seems as if the seven dwarves will pop out at any moment singing "Heigh Ho" and carrying their shiny gems
-Beatiful drives and ferry rides
-Stave churches that are completely unique to this area
-Getting used to not hearing English but still, everyone we've talked to can speak it
-Fruit stands selling cherries and raspberries, which tasted wonderful

Things that scare me out of my wits about Norway:
-Main roads that are two way but really only wide enough for one and a quarter cars, with really tight curves and little visibility aroung them
-Tunnels that are not lit
-Semis carrening around these small roads without slowing down for approaching cars - that is definately your job
-How much everything costs (don't ask me how much I paid for my mug from Preikestolen, I'm not thinking about it because I just want to enjoy it)

Lessons learned so far in Norway:
-I love, love, love, yellow lines on roads! They are the best invention ever: having a marked lane has just become one blessing I am forever thankful for.
-I want to be as loving and kind to strangers as people have been to me - I've been given so many gifts this trip, and I want so much to be a blessing in the same way to those that I meet.

I think that if I am being fair, Preikestolen is my favorite of the places I've been so far - with perhaps the exception of Fairy Hollow. I will keep you posted on whether or not that changes. I love you guys!!