Sailing through Sunday

18th October 2015

Despite having a bumper day yesterday we still had places to go and things to see. It was another early start so when the alarm went off we jumped out of bed (less of a jump to be honest and more of a roll), got ready, packed our bags and then headed back to the City Hall.

I’ve always wanted to see the Norwegian fjords but as we were pushed for time we did the next best thing – a two hour cruise around the city and the surrounding islands. I was expecting a fairly standard ferry but the boat was a proper ship. We’re talking sails and everything. My lack of a winter coat did present a small issue but I stole Rory’s scarf, borrowed a few blankets and knocked back the odd hot chocolate to make things bearable! 

If you’re looking for a speedboat experience then this isn’t the trip for you – it’s slow and steady but a really nice way to see the surrounding islands. Most of these houses are summer homes that have stayed in wealthy families for generations and it’s not hard to see why they hang on to them! The water was calm and flat and there was an occasional audio commentary which highlighted the points of interest and to be honest, after days of non-stop walking it was nice to sit down!

With not much time left we headed to the Akershus Fortress. Built in 1290, as a defence for the city it’s pretty hard to miss and like everything in Oslo, it’s much bigger when you get inside! It has been used as a prison and now is primarily a tourist site with several museums, none of which we actually went in to! Instead we walked around the grounds, looked out across the fjord and the city and were genuinely impressed by the whole place. It is obviously totally unique but it reminded me of the fortress in Salzburg – there is something really magical about these old European buildings so it’s definitely worth a visit and did I mention it’s free?!

Time was ticking on so we headed to the last stop of the day, Fiskeriet Youngstorget, a fishmonger that also acts as a restaurant. We’d heard great reviews (on Tripadvisor) but when we finally found the place it was closed! Devastated doesn’t even cover it so with heavy hearts we headed back to Mamma Pizza. One pizza, a salad, some foccacia and a drink later we were satisfied and only £30 poorer, which in Norway, the most ridiculously expensive place ever, isn’t too bad. 

We then walked towards the bus station, stopping to spend £5 on a bar of chocolate and enjoying out last few moments in Oslo. We arrived an hour early for the bus and it was already full! I love having the window seat and I like to watch the scenery but I won’t lie, ten minutes in I fell asleep. Not a deep sleep but that weird head bobbing around, aware that you’re almost asleep type of sleep!

The airport was small and the trip through security was quick. With what little time we had left we spent the rest of our Krone on overpriced drinks and patiently waited for our flight. I know Ryanair has a bad reputation but I have no complaints. The flight was quick, we got on and off without any issues and we didn’t die so that’s a resounding success in my eyes! Now all that was left to do was pick up the car and drive back to Lincoln, which we did, while listening to a wide variety of West End songs because apparently Rory is a closet musical fan! Five years later and I’ve only just realised this!

Despite being a flying visit, our time in Norway was excellent. In fact, I’d go as far as saying it’s been one of my favourite holidays. There was so much to see and so much to do. Despite knowing very little about Norway, I found it to be a really interesting place and while it was expensive, you could still enjoy yourself on a budget. While I’m sure two weeks would have been nice, I’m happy with my two days (well, 39 hours) and it gives me an excuse to come back so watch this space!