NDG 2017 took place in Oppdal, Sør-Trøndelag, which is right south of Trondheim. It is a small town surrounded by mountains and is famous for the easily accessible trails that go across the highlands. This year NDG takes place on a small farm that was originally a seter (shieling), with a number of buildings that has been converted to cabins, with an enclosed outdoor area for our disposal.

Sunday 18th June

After a long drive from a very crowded house in Hakadal, we all arrived safely to the cabins a bit before 18:00. We got our sleeping spaces sorted out, emptied the vans, and settled into the cabins. The dinner was a very simple do-it-yourself pizzas, then we did nothing much more than socializing and explore the cabins and immediate surroundings.

Monday 19th June

As is usual after the first night in the NDG-cabin, we had a very calm day while planning dinner, sorting out final plans, and just relaxing and getting to catch up with each others. Some explored the cabin's surroundings while others explored the local grocery store, then we relaxed upstairs in the main cabin while watching Dragonheart 4.

Tuesday 20th June

On the first excursion day we got up early for a long drive to the visual treats that are in Møre og Romsdal. The weather was unusually Norwegian, with quite unpredictable behaviour. First we drove over Dovre towards Dombås, then followed Raumabanen towards Åndalsnes. Our first stop was at Slettafossen, which would be the tourist trap if there ever was one. We made a brief stop at Trollveggen, but unfortunately the clouds hid most of it, but the shifting weather made Trollstigen appear even more impressive with the clouds dancing over the climbing road. After a short lunch we headed to Vestnes and took the car ferry to Molde. Once there we drove up to Varden to experience the Moldepanorama, though the clouds hid most of it and offered us a dynamic and shifting view instead. On our way to Kristiansund we drove along the Atlantic Road and took a brief stop at Eldhuset on the way. There the ice cold rain felt like spears in our faces, so we quickly continued onwards.We rounded off the day at a restaurant in Kristiansund, and the trip home was allowing us to let the events of the day to sink in.

Wednesday 21st June

On our 4th day a larger part of the NDG group wanted to attempt at climbing up on the mountain peak Stølhøa, which is 1284 meters above sea level, and a 700 meters climb from the cabin. Many of the participants found quickly out that it required a lot more effort than it first seemed like, but determination made us all reach the peak in the end, battling ice cold, strong winds for a good 3rd of the way. In the end we all felt very great satisfaction that we managed to beat the challenge, and it was even more satisfactory to gather in the sauna or around the fireplace to get some warmth back into our bones after we came back to the cabin.

Thursday 22nd June

We set our heading towards Trondheim for our second excursion, which is not a long drive from the cabin. We parked the bus at Tyholttårnet and ate lunch in the revolving restaurant inside the tower, and stayed there for long enough for one and a half revolution. Then we took the short but scenic walk into Trondheim. The first stop was at the impressive Nidarosdommen, which is Norway's only cathedral. We got a private guided tour inside the cathedral, then stayed to listen on the orgel being played. Afterwards we had some time to walk through the nearby shopping centre before heading to NTNU vitenskapsmuseet to look at the controversial exhibition of real plasticiced human bodies. To let the strong impressions settle from the exhibitions, we took a few rounds of bowling before rounding the day off at a Mexican restuarant.

Friday 23rd June

We did mostly only chill out in the cabin on our last full day there, watching films, drawing, or just talking. Aside for almost burning up our cabin, it was mostly uneventful.

Saturday 24th June

Sadly time passed way too fast and the day of the departure from the cabin arrived. As usual, we woke up early to get the cabin cleaned up thoroughly before leaving what had been our dragon village for a week behind. We departed at around 11:00 and did not arrive in the lair of the Elmandrians before 18:30 in the evening. The bus was emptied, food was ordered, then we took a walk into the forest to relax before we had to take our farewells.