NO25.12 Flostrand – Mars in Norway

Flostrand surprised us three times over, and each surprise was better than the last.

First: a free overnight spot. For anyone travelling by campervan, that’s always a small victory. Second: an extraordinary number of moose as neighbours. They were standing around practically everywhere, completely unbothered by our presence. You could watch them at your leisure without disturbing them at all – a dream for any nature lover.

But the real highlight was the landscape itself. Third, and most impressively of all: Flostrand looks as though you’ve landed on Mars. Reddish earth, sparse ground, bizarre rock formations – everything alien and otherworldly. You stand there genuinely wondering whether you’re still in Norway. It feels like another world, another planet entirely.

This combination of wildlife and Martian scenery made it one of the most unexpected stops of the entire trip. Flostrand didn’t appear on any list, in any travel guide – and that’s precisely what made it so special. The best places aren’t found on Google; they’re found when you turn down the wrong road.