Hello Everyone,
I am not really even sure where to begin after so much time. But, If I put off getting back on the blog-bus, I may never re-board. So, here goes.
The last few months of 2022 were pretty much a blur. I went to southern Spain in November and had a wonderful time. When I got back I messed up the editing of all my photos. Essentially, I exported all of them in the wrong format. Still haven’t gone back to fix this but hopefully the raw files (digital equivalent of a negative) are all still okay. I’ll circle back to Spain later.
After an exhausting 2022, I started 2023 like a horse out of the gate. I spent New Years in Paris with my good friend Deirdre who came to visit from the US. A couple of weeks after that I headed to the Lofoten Islands and then a return trip to Norway a few weeks later to experience Oslo. The Oslo trip really wasn’t planned in advance. I had miles on Norwegian Airlines (left over from when they still flew across the Atlantic) that were going to expire. Yes, those loyalty programs really do work.
The Lofoten Islands are magical. Unfortunately, the photographer leading the group was extremely unprofessional and pretty much a jerk, so the trip was not as great as it could have been. We also had pretty sucky weather; lots of rain with strong winds and unfortunately, very little snow. There weren’t a lot of opportunities to be outside with our cameras. On the upside, I got enough of a taste of this incredible outpost that I am already trying to figure out how to get back.
Oslo is just an amazing city. World Class. If you remember, I was there briefly before the Greenland trip with my friend Emily, so when I had a free ticket, no arm twisting was required. I loved the center of the city with Oslofjord, the harbor and the opera house. Everything in this stunning capital begs to be photographed. I think I could have spent three more days just wandering the streets and taking pictures.
The city also has this amazing park called Frognerparken. It has wonderful walking paths, sculptures, fountains and even a waterfall. Since I was there in winter, I was treated to snow and a bit of ice. In the summer I have no doubt the gardens are incredible. It’s about 30 minutes from the center on the city’s excellent public transportation and definitely worth a visit.
Norway is always wonderful and stunningly beautiful. Most people visit in summer but I actually think summer is the least interesting season here. I loved winter in both Lofoten and Oslo and several years ago I visited with my mother in spring. The light outside of the summer months puts everything in a glow that is difficult to experience at lower lattitudes. It’s like a perpetual golden hour. Move this country to the top of your bucket list now.
TRIP TIPS
The Lofoten Islands are located just inside the arctic circle in Norway. You can either fly from Bodo or take the ferry. I flew, but I think next time I would take the ferry, for no other reason than I like boats. If you are at all apprehensive about flying, this might not be the best mode for you. Small plane + high winds = bumpy ride. That said, these pilots are probably the best in the world at flying in bad weather.
When traveling in the more challenging parts of our planet, I recommend scheduling buffer days. This way, if weather or some other force majeure delays your chosen mode of transport, you have a day to figure it out.
The roads in Lofoten are very well groomed and all rental vehicles are outfitted with studded tires in the winter. That said, it is still the Arctic in winter. If you are not comfortable driving in snow, best to book a tour.
Oslo is expensive. Let’s just acknowledge that and move on. Still, it is worth staying downtown so you can walk around easily and enjoy the city. I booked a single room at the City Box. City Box hotels are one step above a youth hostel. The rooms themselves are clean and extremely basic. The common areas not so clean. I booked a single room which had barely enough room to swing a cat. Book a double if you plan to stay here more than one night. You will thank me later.
Getting to the city center from the airport is super easy. Use the Flytoget train from inside the airport terminal to the main station. Fast, clean, and plenty of space for luggage. Click here for more details: https://flytoget.no/en/