Norway Travel Story - Backpacking Norway and a Budget
Ben Mathews took a trip to Norway.
Norway as a country was always a mystery to me. The only things I knew that came from here were fish, oil, footballers (Ole Gunnar Soslkjaer and John Arne Risse) and the Norwegian formula hand creams that you see on TV. When a friend and I were planning our August trip to Norway, we didn’t even know what temperatures we should be expecting. Should we be packing one coat or ten? A quick look on the net told us that Oslo and the southern coast of Norway averaged 16°C over the summer, compared to London’s 14°C. Apparently Norway isn’t all frozen tundra.
Thanks to those budget airline Gods, Ryanair, we managed to get a return flight from Heathrow to Oslo for just £30. Upon arriving at Oslo airport, located about 30km north of the city, we were greeted with a clear blue sky and soaring temperatures. One twenty minute train ride later and we were in the heart of the capital. Oslo is a pleasantly low-key European city, full of sprawling pedestrian areas, surrounded by beautiful pastel-coloured wooden buildings. It is also famous as the birthplace of the painter Edvard Munch, famous for The Scream. The museums in Oslo dedicated to him are a must see.
We didn’t have much time in Oslo, as we were taking the Coastal Express, or Hurtigruten, to Arendal, a small town about two hours from Oslo. The Hurtigruten is a fantastic way to travel down the coast, as there is stunning scenery that could have come straight out of a postcard. Around every corner, the shimmering sun reflects rocky hills populated with trees on the glassy surface of the serene fjords. This truly is a great route for fjord spotting. And don’t worry about communicating with the locals when you need to – most Norwegians speak fantastic English, even if they say they are a bit rusty.
We arrived in Arendal in the blazing afternoon sun, met our friends and were shown around the town. At the heart of Arendal is the area known as Pollen, where you will find the fish market, pubs, restaurants and plenty of shops. Our first day in Arendal was a true experience of Norwegian life. We bought crabs from the fisherman at the docks in the morning, wandered around town doing a bit of shopping during the day and then cooked our freshly caught crabs for dinner in the evening.
Our friends had planned a three day camping trip to the island of Merdø, one of the islands surrounding the coast of Arendal. This has a museum, a kiosk, several beaches and beautiful scenery. There is a regular boat service from the town to the island every day during the summer season, but who needs that when one of your friends has their very own speedboat? One trip around the bay, complete with a spot of fishing and we arrived on Merdø. This is definitely a popular destination and most of the campsite was full with families.
One night we visited the many bars that are dotted around Arendal’s docks. They were full of typically blond and clear skinned Scandinavians enjoying the long, warm summer evenings with a cool beer. As the night went on, the bars filled with younger students who, rather unfortunately, were all into trance music. A word of warning though: due to heavy government taxes, the pints served in pubs and bars cost a criminal £5!
Something that struck me about Norway is how the fantastic variation of the natural landscape, erases the boundaries between the seasons. You can go skiing, diving, fishing, climbing, glacier walking, rafting or even reindeer sledding, almost all year round.
There is so much more to see in Norway that we didn’t have time for in just a week. For example, if you visit northern Norway during the summer you can experience the “Midnight Sun”. The sun does not sink below the horizon at the North Cape from the second week in May until the last week in July. It’s truly a bizarre experience going for a walk at 4am in broad daylight! During the dark winter months, northern Norway has yet another remarkable phenomenon - the Northern Lights. Re-ignite child-like wonder with the supreme experience of the Aurora Borealis, as neon flames zip across the endless night. Flop back onto the snow, forget about the world and experience a truly divine, drug free high!
Norway is a ruggedly beautiful country of mountains, fjords and glaciers, with delightfully long summer days, pleasantly low-key cities, unspoiled fishing villages and rich historic sites. Friendly, down-to-earth people, unique scenery, summer nights bright as day and delightful snowy winters make Norway a very special country and well worth a visit. Just make sure you save enough money for the extortionate beer!
