Mini Norway Trip [20th June - 25th June 2024]

Do you remember Elin and Pål who we met in Thailand (Day 130 of the World Trip)? They were from Norway and we were very kindly invited to Elin's birthday party, which is why we find ourselves in this beautiful and welcoming country. 

Day 1 - Bristol to Oslo

We arrived from Bristol via Amsterdam and were immediately impressed by the cleanliness and efficiency of the country as we caught a train from the airport into Oslo city centre. Unexpectedly, the weather was so sunny and warm; we were not expecting sunshine and didn't pack any sunscreen!

Our hotel was a short walk through the centre of town and across a rather impressive square with the lovely parliament building. 

Check in at the hotel was a self-service affair and it was the first time either of us had ever "cut" our own room key cards. Little things like that still excite us! Our room was lovely as you would expect and we encountered Norway's love of thin mattresses for the first time. A dense but soft pad lay on top of the bed which you lay on and they also went for two duvets - one each, so no wrestling for possession in the middle of the night! 

After settling in, it was off to explore the city of Oslo. We were immediately struck by how clean the city was and how efficient it appeared. Oslo was devastated during World War II which means that the number of historical buildings is limited and Norwegians have embraced interesting and radical architecture. The city has a great mix of building styles and they aren't afraid of modern looks.

We wandered along the waterfront area which was a vibrant mix of restaurants, cafes and pop-up eateries. The Norwegians love their open water swimming and so it was no surprise to see lots of people diving off of docks into the water. Our walking tour continued up to the Royal Palace before heading back down into the centre to find something to eat.

We came across a lovely historic building that housed a restaurant that took our fancy. Stortorvets Gjæstgiveri dates from around 1699 and has a long history of being a tavern and a place to eat, rest and drink. Today the restaurant becomes a nightclub at night with a DJ in the courtyard. 

After dinner we headed back to the hotel, freshened ourselves up and headed to the city's most well known gay bar - London Street. It was a quirky bar underneath a city building and so it had those cellar vibes and the ceiling was plastered with graphic prints of London landmarks. Sadly though, it wasn't a busy night and although we chatted to some local guys, we didn't stay too long and headed back to our hotel. 

Day 2 - Exploring Oslo

After a hearty breakfast, we started to explore the city more and in particular we planned to wander along the shoreline. Our first stop was getting lost within the massive stone walls of Akershus Fortress, a peaceful green oasis right on the edge of the bustling city. The views from the battlements, looking out over the water with boats sailing by, were absolutely delightful. 

It's a place where you can really feel the layers of history, from its time as a royal residence to its role as a military stronghold. Our next stop was The Oslo Opera House which is more than just a building; it's a piece of interactive art that you can climb all over. It felt incredible to walk up the brilliant white, angled roof, which slopes right down into the fjord like a glacier. Reaching the top, we were rewarded with the most spectacular panoramic views of the city and the water. Although we were in the centre of the city - and it was busy - we felt an overall sense of calm about the place.

Next on our walking tour was Vigeland Park which is an absolute must-see in Oslo and unlike any park we'd ever visited before. The entire space is an open-air gallery for Gustav Vigeland's fascinating sculptures of the human form. It was amazing to walk among these dramatic figures, exploring everything from tiny babies to the elderly, all captured in expressive poses that felt both strange and deeply familiar. They were very dramatic and framed against the beautiful blue sky, made for some great photos!

We then carried on our walk and this time it was a long one until we reached our main destination for the day - the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History. It's an incredible open-air museum where you can explore more than 160 historic buildings - transported from all over the country and rebuilt. We loved being able to physically walk from one era and region to another, but seeing the unbelievably detailed medieval Gol Stave Church was, without a doubt, the main event.

It was also nice that they had actors or guides that could tell you about the buildings and the lifestyle of the people that used to live in them. Rather than walk the couple of miles back to the city centre and our hotel, we took the ferry across the water which only took us 15 minutes! After all that walking, it was going quite night for us - a nice meal on a street-side restaurant before bed. However, after our meal, we refreshed ourselves and headed back out into town to revisit the city's main gay bar London Street, where this time, we discovered that it had an adjoining nightclub! How we missed that last night, we don't know. We of course got chatting to some locals and one thing led to another and let's just say, a good time was had by all! 

Day 3 - Oslo to Moss

After soaking up the sights of Oslo, it was time for the main event and the real reason for our trip to Norway: a friend's birthday party in Moss, a town about 60km away. This meant putting the country's public transport system to the test. Thankfully, navigating the station was a breeze with everything clearly signed in English, and soon we were on a train, watching the city skyline fade into rolling countryside.

Our friend Elin, known for her impeccable taste, had booked our hotel, so we were expecting a touch of luxury. However, as our taxi from the station wound through a rather gritty part of town—past industrial estates and what looked like abandoned buildings—we began to exchange worried glances. Had we come to the right place? We needn't have worried. Suddenly, a stunningly beautiful hotel appeared like an oasis. We later learned it was the cornerstone of a huge regeneration project, destined to transform the entire district into a thriving new hub for the town.

After checking in and grabbing a delicious (if still eye-wateringly expensive!) lunch, we retreated to our room for a much-needed rest. We had to conserve our energy for the party!

That evening, we discovered Elin's party had a 1970s theme—a memo we'd received a little too late. We made our entrance as the only two people not decked out in bell-bottoms and psychedelic prints, our modern clothes making us stand out almost as much as our English accents! Any feeling of awkwardness vanished when Elin and Pål saw us, their faces lighting up with disbelief and joy that we'd made the journey. They quickly introduced us to their marvellous friends, who welcomed us warmly and kindly switched to English for our benefit.

The evening was wonderful, filled with chat and laughter, but it got even better. We were all ushered up to the hotel's rooftop spa, where a magnificent wrap-around hot tub offered panoramic views of the area. Surrounded by great company, relaxing in the warm water with saunas and plunge pools nearby,

Day 4 - Moss to Larvik

The sun was shining yet again this morning - who said Norway was cold and bleak?! We enjoyed a lovely breakfast and were joined by Elin and Pål while we gossiped about the fun we had last night. Everyone had such a good time. As the conversation turned to departures, we asked about getting to Elin's home town of Lavik which was our next destination. Elin and Pål said that we could come with them - in Elin's birthday present - a speeedboat!!! Talk about classy! Moored outside the hotel, was the most gorgeous speedboat with a beautiful basket of roses on it