It was time for a summer trip, and we decided to go on a road trip to Northern Norway! We had visited Northern Norway by car once three years ago, so the area was somewhat familiar for us, but we knew there was plenty to see without revisiting the same places.
On our previous trip, we drove to Norway via the right-hand arm of Finland and then headed via Nordkapp to the Lofoten Islands. This time, we planned a route through Swedish Lapland to the Lofoten Islands and Senja, also exploring Swedish Lapland, which was completely new to us. The trip and route were not planned in detail; the specific destinations and the duration of the journey were very open, which is typical for us 😁.
We prepared differently compared to the previous trip by making a bed in the car. This meant we could sleep in the car’s trunk in addition to using a tent and potential accommodations. We were familiar with Norway’s wild camping practices and facilities and knew how great the opportunities were. So, we intended to mostly manage with the tent and the car. Wild camping is possible almost everywhere, and there are plenty of clean public toilets.
Our car is a 3-series BMW wagon, which we always find incredibly small for road trips 😀. It seems impossible to fit everything in, and the car quickly overflows with stuff. This time, it was extremely important to carefully plan what to bring and how to pack the car, as we had a bed in the car, and using and living out of the car needed to be as smooth as possible. Packing is like a game of Tetris, and every item needs to be considered whether it is necessary.
What Equipment to Bring
When dressing for Northern Norway, you should be prepared for anything from summer to winter conditions, even in the middle of summer. One moment it might be hot, and later the same day, you might need to wear a winter coat and hat as the weather can turn cold, especially if you plan to hike in the mountains. It’s important to pack a mix of summer clothes but also prioritize long clothing and rain- and windproof gear. Good weather-resistant shoes are also crucial, especially if you plan to climb mountains.
In addition to clothes, we brought:
- Tent and sleeping pad
- Pillows and blankets – We chose blankets instead of sleeping bags this time since we made a bed in the car where we expected to sleep most of the time
- Towels
- Trangia stove
- A few kitchen utensils like a spatula, knife, and a relatively large wooden cutting board (which also works well as a snack table between the front seats in the car)
- Dishwashing supplies
- Cooler powered by the car’s cigarette lighter
- Kettle powered by the car’s cigarette lighter
- Camping shower
- Extension cord and caravan adapter (if we go to a campsite and buy electricity)
- Camping chairs
- Inverter powered by the car’s cigarette lighter – For charging laptops and other batteries
- Camera equipment and other necessary electronics
- Backpacks
- Tools in case the car breaks down
When packing the car, we stored the tools in a couple of small compartments under the trunk floor. This is where spare tires used to be but have been forgotten in modern cars. It’s a good place for items that need to be taken but are rarely used or needed in an emergency.
Making a Bed in the Car
We made the bed in the car ready before leaving home. We built the bed by keeping the back seats permanently folded down and spreading a camping pad at the bottom for cushioning, which was essential for possible camping. On top of this, we placed a thick mattress topper from our bed, made the bed with bedding, and covered it with blankets as a day cover to protect it. The bed became extremely soft and comfortable!
The footwells of the back seats were entirely usable and easily accessible, so we filled them with items. There was also space for small bags in the “extensions” of the trunk. Finally, the larger items were placed on top of the bed: the cooler, a clothing bag, a water canister, and one reusable bag. These were the only items that needed to be moved to the front seats when we slept in the car. We secured the heaviest items (the cooler and the water canister) with straps to the metal fittings of the back seats to prevent them from flying towards us in case of a sudden stop.
This way, we felt we had packed successfully and were ready to hit the road.
