Oh those tricky Norwegians and their photoshop !

one of things I have always wanted to do was visit the Northern Lights on of the things on my 'Bucket List' ...  just discovered that ....  anyway ....I recently added another year ...  and as I am now heading back to Australia ... I kinda thought better to travel to Norway from the UK .... so 4 of us headed off ... me because of my lights fascination ... them .... well errr just they are great.... so trip planned as follows fly to Bergen - Oslo - Tromso  ....  did I see the lights .....  mmmm read on !

Bergen is amazing ... the cutest place ever .... wish we had have spent more time here stayed at the cutest hotel which I cannot believe is not mentioned in the big travel books .....  anyway only 16 rooms all cute quirky and gothic like ...  UNESCO world heritage site...check it out here  it is literally right on the waterfront. Did not have a chance to do too much other than catch the funicular (2 minute walk) up to the top of Mt Floyen, where there is also a restaurant, great walk down which is about 45 minutes ...

Up early for the train to Oslo train ride is extroadinary, we could have flown straight to Oslo but heard and read alot about this ride so opted for the 7 hours instead....  well worth it ...  as I did not organise this trip .... (mmmm remember what happened with Syria / Jordan / Israel) .... my very organised friend had pruchased the tickets in advance and only paid £22 each for them buying direct from the Norwegian Rail company .... genius tip for anyone travelling there .... as the tour companies / buy on the day you can be charged about £160 .....  anyway .... the train ride was extraordinary, glaciers, snow storms, the clearest of lakes, mountain huts, fjords (beautiful), biggest forests and mountain landscapes ... all while drinking hot chocolate, eating waffles and swapping between games of Uno and Mancala ..  no time in Oslo ... literally straight to airport up to Tromso .....  oh Tromso..... interesting little place .....

The first night consisted of chasing the northern lights, through a variety of means, including huskies (not on sleds but on funny wheel things due to lack of snow), all rather romantic though .. middle of nowhere, bonfire, night camps, dogs ...but no lights !  So after realising we had been sold the tourist dream as opposed to hardcore proper northern lights chasing dream ... plans changed ...
Having managed to track down the dude that guided Joanna Lumley on her expedition, we decided this was the way to go, jump in a van with an expert and just drive .. at the last minute Kjetil was not available, so we were introduced to Gunnar, another Northern lights guru that just literally drives to wherever will be the best place to see the lights !!
So what happened ........  the next three days were a bit of a blur .... but they went something like this ....  meet Gunnar at about 6.30pm jump in the van and drive to where the weather will give the best chance to see the lights ... this can be 30 mins or 3 hours away ...  and can take you close to the Russian border or even into Finland ......  you then get out of the van and stare at the sky for what can be 20 mins or 2 hours and wait ... then if nothing appears to happen you jump in the van and drive to a new spot .....through Alps, fjords, snow, you do that for hours .....and arrive back at the hotel mid morning ..... which gives you time to defrost in a hot shower, regroup and get ready for the next day !

Thank the lord for M&S thermals ..... 

so did you see the lights? you ask ....  not a friggin' flicker ....  hence after discussion with a friend we are in agreement that the Norwegian tourist board just all are damn handy with photoshop .....

Would I go again ....  you bet .... you are never guaranteed, I went into Finland, saw moose and reindeer (and sorry veggies I ate them too !! ) got to hang out with friends before I leave, Gunnar was great company and we all had much fun winding up the crazy spanish folk that were in the van with us, that if they waved at the lights aliens would arrive and their babies would be taken .....  sooooo childish soooooo funny .....

Last night was spent in Oslo ...  quick drink at the ice bar ...  brilliant and then on to dinner at a resturaunt recommened by the hotel Statholedrgaarden, now we were a bunch of essentially travellers who had snow boots, trainers, thermals and waterproof trackies and jackets ... so we were not expecting to arrive at what I think must be the nicest place in Oslo (they were very accomodating) 6 course menu (they do a seperate daily menu) that includes local seasonal Norwegian produce the langoustines and norwegian deer were literrally to die for, if you are in Oslo make sure you go (pack some nice gear though!) it is also in an amazing building built circa 1620 for yummy menu click here ..... the following day a visit to the extroadinary Edvard Munch Museum ...  when he died everything was essentially left to the city of Oslo ....  the museum has something like 1000 paintings, 5000 drawings ..... and maybe 10,000 or so prints .....  probably one of the best museums I have been to .....

that concluded Norway, beautiful people, beautiful scenery, amazing food, bloody expensive, bloody cold, no friggin' lights ...  but I would do it all again tomorrow

Take Care

CBT - x