Break the ban and go out with the Easter Saver

opinions

At the Øvre Dørålseter Turisthytte, the supervisor received a nice view. There were full and empty garbage bags in the provincial closets.

It was Gudbrandsdølen Dagningen who first mentioned the case.

– disappointingly

“There is no doubt that there has been a lot of traffic,” Paul Rindal tells Dagbladet.

For almost 50 years he has been supervising the self-service booth at Øvre Dørålseter Turisthytte in Rondane. Although the cabin is basically private, it has an association with DNT and can therefore be used by anyone who has their own key through membership.

How many have defied the authorities in recent weeks, Rindal does not know for sure. But as he himself explains:

– There will be no full trash bags after some people.

The food he drove before the cab and the travel restrictions also disappeared.

– There are probably many who have eaten saturated food and filled their backpacks with food before continuing, Rindal says.

In the guestbook, only four Swedes have entered, divided into two visits. Guests who don’t sign up don’t pay for themselves, he explains.

– People will not register these days, since it is not allowed to use the cabins.

He himself had hoped that people still taking a walk would respect the tourism association’s ban on using self-catering cabins. Instead, he must now wash and clean those who defy the rules.

– It’s disappointing. There is always someone who thinks “this does not affect me” and that “it is not so dangerous if I do it right”.

Very sad

Despite the fact that the local newspaper reports little snow and icy conditions, not everyone has been prevented from traveling to the mountains. When the Tourism Association decides to reopen the self-catering cabins, Rindal must move quickly with more supplies.

The last remnant of Easter, however, will be empty on the shelves.

Although the operation will never generate large profits, Rindal has experienced in recent years a greater willingness to pay with tourists who use the cabin. The most foreign are foreign tourists, Rindal explains.

This time, unfortunately, the costs fall on Rindal’s wallet.

– The reports we have received so far indicate that people have been good at complying with government regulations and requests, Mette Habberstad, DNT’s communications manager, tells Dagbladet.

She has not heard of other similar cases.

– But of course, breaking the rules is very sad.

The booth ban will be lifted on April 20. However, Health Minister Bent Høie (H) stressed last week that there will still be a national recommendation to avoid leisure travel.

The Tourism Association will not change its policy to discourage the use of cabins until the recommendation to avoid leisure travel is removed.

Meanwhile, Habberstad explains that the Tourism Association is working on routines to better take into account protection against cabin infections.