Skip to main content

Navigating Norway

During the summer, my partner and I took a holiday to visit his friend in the south of Norway. Our trip started off with a bumpy start as our flight couldnt land in oslo due to bad weather. We were redirected and missed our connected flight between Oslo and Kristiansand but spent the night in an Oslo airport (well a few hours zzzz).

While we were in Norway, we stayed in Sogne. We enjoyed seeing the lookout point and having soft ice (icecream covered in chocolate powder)! I had never seen so many tiny islands from a coastline before.

We drove to a cabin that was located in Brokke. The drive was about 3 hours and we loved seeing the beautiful fjords (including the widest in Norway - Byglandsfjord) and the waterfalls from the windows. We tried Norwegian style hot dogs which is a tradition that the family hold. The cabin was absolutely amazing and very traditional. I enjoyed how warming it felt with the wooden clad walls and stone floors. Its had a wood-burner and even a sauna!

We set off for an overnight hike which was incredible. We hiked for about 4-5 hours of very steep terrain. We set up camp next to a waterfall high up in the hills and I couldn't have felt more relieved to 1) have stopped walking 2) take my wet socks off and warm up by the fire and 3) EAT. We had salmon and vegetables cooked on the campfire and honestly I think its the best salmon I have ever had. I enjoyed the 3 of us sitting out in the wilderness knowing that there was no one for miles. I loved the feeling of adventure and fending for ourselves and also the peaceful feeling of looking out of our tents at such amazing scenery.







Cant say I had a comfortable sleep hugging a boulder. That night I thought I was going to be eaten by wolves as I felt an animals snout sniff my head... turned out to be a sheep. I had never been so glad of coffee the next morning.

During the hike back we found a huge amount of Chanterelle mushrooms which are a delicacy in Norway. We grabbed a whole bag full (worth about £60!) to give to our friends mum. The rain was really starting to pour but luckily we were homeward bound, mind cleared by the fresh air and definitely ready for a warm shower!


On our return to the cabin, we lit the wood-burner and drank 'Multe liquor' which is a liquor the family make out of Multeberries. It was so warming and delicious. That night we enjoyed eating and drinking while playing pick up sticks.

On the drive home, we stopped off at many amazing places to take some pictures (as seen below). I loved the harshness of the rocks with the softness of flowing water. The dried up glacial river was beautiful. It was amazing to see the smoothness of the rocks after thousands of years of erosion.






That night we were taken out crab fishing. I was absolutely terrified on the boat going out to sea as it was travelling so fast I thought I might die. The night sky was so clear and it felt like we were flying. I enjoyed seeing such a traditional way of fishing and felt a million miles from home.

I can safely say I have never felt so far from civilisation and so close to nature. I mean we saw bear claw scratch marks and everything! Norway you were epic!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Autumn reflection

Happy Monday folks! Where has this last week gone? In fact, how has autumn nearly come and gone! Scarfs, candles, pumpkins, warm drinks and leaves, this time of year is so lovely. This season is always one for getting back into the swings of uni/school work and coming to terms with the fact that summer is now a distant memory, the nights draw closer and the weather gets more and more dreary with each coming day…. Yay? But after a few years of study, I feel like I have got into the balance of life/work but every year September brings around the challenge all over again. With what feels like mountains to do, sometimes the things I enjoy seem to slip. So, having just been set 5 projects all due by December, I thought now would be a good time to outline what I find are the best ways to manage those stressy times but still get what needs to be done… well… done! 1)       Lists – an old but true suggestion. Write everything down. The stress of forgetting something is gone and u

Finding the light within the storm

January was a month of lockdown, isolation and teaching from home. A month of sunrises, walks and reading. Dancing, painting, snow falls and quiet. There was beauty where you looked for it. Moments of calm amongst this storm. The snow bought a welcome relief. Some variety to living so cooped up. It felt lovely to feel such coolness in the air and to see the world looking so bright. I built a snowman and felt my worries slipping away. I enjoyed hot chocolates and cosy blankets. February started off much like January but harder. Days working from home felt filled with stress and worry. Long days slumped over a laptop, grinding teeth and headaches, deadlines and lesson plans. However, it has also been filled with love. Valentines day, walks, yummy food and still more memories from this month to make. I wanted to share a few things that are lighting up my life so far in 2021. We all need to find the light in the storm. I downloaded an app called one second everyday and I really recommend y

Meditations and Mantras

Meditation is a practise that is growing in popularity. It looks to increase calmness and enhance overall health and well-being.  Meditation focuses on the positive connection between the mind and body. It does not look to change you into a different person. It looks to help you to explore yourself more deeply. There are many different types and reasons that people practise meditation but they all have 4 aspects in common; They usually take place in a quiet space. They use a posture that keeps the spine straight whether that be sitting, standing or laying down. They use focus on a mantra, object or the feeling of your breath. They focus on a sense of self compassion when watching thoughts come and go. Meditation has been found to have a positive impact on health from health conditions such as IBS and high blood pressure to mental health conditions. 5 reasons to meditate : "1: Understand your pain 2: Lower your stress 3: Connect better 4: Improve focus 5: Reduce brain chatter"