Moving toward a life unplanned: Country Summary: Norway

From the train ride to Alesund

Have you ever had one of those vacations where you feel like you found all of the best stuff at the end of the trip? That’s how I’m feeling about Norway right now, like in the past 2 days I’ve found the Norway I was expecting, and I’m about to leave. The trip through the Geirangerfjord yesterday was amazing, if a little damp, and the the train ride back through the central part of the country has been absolutely beautiful. If you doubt me, here are some photos...

From the train ride to Alesund

In almost every trip I take, there is a moment where I feel very strongly that I’m actually in whatever city or country, and it’s unrelated to language or food or people; there’s just some trigger that makes me say “there we go, NOW I’m in _______”. I realize it’s based mostly on my own preconceptions and expectations, but it usually causes a place to snap into focus for me. And for Norway, it happened on the cruise through high misty mountains and on the train through scenic villages next to glacial streams. On the one hand, it makes me want to stay in-country, now that I’ve found what I was looking for, and on the other, it just makes me feel lucky that I got those two days. I missed the fjord cruise on Monday, almost missed it again on Tuesday, and then had to take standing room only on not one, but two, trains to make it back to Oslo. So I think I’d rather count my blessings and move on to Sweden as scheduled.

The panorama deck on the ferry

The town of Geiranger

In some places, I get that feeling of being immersed in a place immediately; in others, I never really get it at all. But for your future reference, if you’re in Norway, take the cruise to Geiranger and the Lillehammer train route. They’re both worth it.

On to my summary for Norway:

Days in-country: 14 How much trouble did I have being understood? None at all, almost everyone spoke English, often with a British accent (i.e., better than I do). And the language shares a lot of words with English or German, so if you sound out a sign, you can usually understand at least part of it.
Local’s favorite cuisines? When going out for dinner, Norwegians seem to have a fondness for sushi (logical, since they traditionally eat a lot of seafood), but also tapas and pizza.
Favorite phrases: “Hi Hi!” (from shopkeepers), and “Oy yo yo!” (from parents with toddlers, which I got the feeling meant “oopsie” or “careful with that”) - I get the feeling the Norwegians like repetitive sounds in their language, so I heard a lot of double and triple repetitions, including the greeting from people behind counters and parents.
Would I go back? No hurry. I certainly wouldn’t be opposed, but I would spend a lot more time outdoors than in the city.
Was I mistaken for a local? Frequently, by Norwegians and tourist alike.