42 Hours in Norway

One of the most fun parts of traveling is hunting for the cheap deals that you just can’t pass up. It’s a bit like a treasure hunt mixed with a tad of Russian roulette. I rarely pass them up, just like I never say no to a slice of cherry pie when I’m comatose on Thanksgiving. It’s just not an option I consider. So, when a direct flight from Oakland to Oslo was a mere $300, I booked it. Norway hasn’t been high on my ever-growing list of exotic locales, but my desire to round out my Scandinavian countries portfolio was alluring. From the moment my plane landed in Oslo, the clock ticked down from 42 hours.

Oslo
As always, I hit the ground running after a quick, hot shower and friendly greeting to the Airbnb host. With a map and metro card in hand, I set out for Frognerparken, the largest park in Oslo that also features an extensive sculpture garden, The Vigeland Park. The drizzle and ensuing frizzed hair didn’t deter me from hoofing it all over the park’s hills, stairs, and bridges. The city views from the highest point were beautiful, and I continued my wandering through the quaint streets, passing colorful houses, high-rise buildings, and plenty of cozy cafes.

I stumbled upon Litteraturhuset (the literature house), and was pleasantly greeted with a lovely bookstore and inviting cafe, perfect for an afternoon espresso. I spent the next two hours wandering around the Royal Palace and gardens, Bogstadveien — one of Oslo’s most popular shopping areas — and Akershus Festning, the 700-year-old seaside castle fortress. Later that evening, I found myself at Louise Restaurant & Bar by the sea with a gigantic seafood platter in front of me — easily enough for three people — but I needed to sample Norway’s finest: mussels, shrimp, crab legs, oysters, scallops, and lobster tail. The $10 beer helped wash it all down. Dusk was settling in at 10:30 p.m., and under a purple haze sky I meandered through the sparkling city center.

Frognerparken. Oslo, Norway.

Frognerparken. Oslo, Norway.

Frognerparken. Oslo, Norway.

Frognerparken. Oslo, Norway.

Vigeland Sculpture Park. Oslo, Norway.

Oslo, Norway.

Oslo, Norway.

Fjords
I boarded a train at 8:00 a.m. the next morning, bound for the fjords thanks to the Norway in a Nutshell 24-hour tour. As the cities rolled by, I dozed off an hour in and awoke to a blanket of pristine, white frozen beauty — snow! The train stopped off high in the mountains at Myrdal and I boarded the Flam Railway, which took us down to a waiting boat at Flam. I spent almost three hours floating through the Sognefjord to Gudvangen, surrounded by thousands of waterfalls dripping from mountains that were parted by the crystal blue waters. Ethereal, dream-like landscape surrounded our tiny vessel as it made its way through the finger-like waterways. The boat dropped us in Gudvangen where we continued our journey via bus and train to Bergen, the second-largest Norwegian city.

Flam Railway.

Kjosfossen, one of the most-visited waterfalls in Norway.

Flam.

The Aurlandsfjord

The Aurlandsfjord.

The Nærøyfjord.

Bergen
I had two hours to explore before the night train left for Oslo, so I ran around the city like a crazy woman snapping photos of colorful buildings, old churches, and cobblestone streets.

Outside of Stockholm, Bergen felt like the most Scandinavian city I’d visited. The colorful buildings lining the harbor was a picturesque reminder of why I love to travel. New places, new moments, new me. Nothing has encouraged me — challenged me — to know myself better than traveling.

The six-hour night train dropped me back in Oslo just in time to shower and grab my luggage from the Airbnb before I headed to the airport — just 42 hours after I’d first arrived.

Bergen, Norway.

Bergen, Norway.

Bergen, Norway.

Bergen, Norway.