CONTRAFLOW with a fully rested Bobby McWheeler
Bobby takes his SmallCar® on holiday to sunny Scandinavia!

The more observant of you may have noticed that my ‘insane ramblings’ were missing from issues 12+13. Well, even an unpaid cycling magazine contributor like myself has to take a break. This year I’ve decided to go a bit further in my quest for city-based mobility and relentless promotion of the increasingly trendy SmallCar®*. Bergen in Western Norway to be precise.

Anthony the editor told me not to hurry back which I though was very nice of him!

But why Norway and not the South of France I hear you ask? Well as a responsible fuel user I have decided to stop flying and think about how and where I go on holiday. The fact is that Newcastle is only a four hour car journey in a SmallCar® and by staying off the A1 I can enjoy the scenery and increase my chances of survival if something bad happens - caused by aggressive four wheel drive users that treat push-bikes with more respect. Sorry... my stress levels have just shot up again.

So by taking a Fjord Line ferry I’m doing my bit to delay Global Warming by a few weeks. Did you know that the average jet plane dumps the weight of two SmallCars® in CO2 on a return trip across the North Sea? Shocking really.

Once in Bergen I met up with members of the Royal Norwegian Small Car Club - dedicated to showing the benefits of driving around in a four wheeled vehicle that uses a mere 600cc engine. They were keen to show me their wonderful city of Bergen and also the many routes considered too severe for my heavily laden (with beer and whisky!) car. Some of the city streets here are so steep they have steps on them!

*Since Contraflow started, sales of this remarkable vehicle have rocketed. This has nothing to do with petrol costing £2 a litre and well-off people buying one as a handy third car!