When in Norway…
So after my thesis defense on the 5th of October, 2015. The very next day I headed to Oslo, Norway via Gothenburg, Sweden to meet up with someone I had never met before. We met on instagram and then started chatting on whatsapp, we had a friend in common though. It’s really interesting because he was to pass by Serbia (not to see me, just to visit somewhere new) while in Europe for work, but couldn’t make out the time, so after much deliberation and grilling I agreed to go there instead. I legit asked him if he was a serial killer (hehe).
I flew to Gothenburg, Sweden first, from Belgrade with Wizz air. It cost about 200 euros I think. On getting there I took a bus (Flygbussarna) from the airport to the centre (central station) for 105kr (about N2,600 / 11 euros). The bus had free wifi so that was convenient. Though I was using my Three UK line (It has this thing where it charges you like you’re in the UK, so if you have a data plan, it’ll work without any extra/roaming charges).
Got to the station and got a meal from subway, footlong, drink and a cookie, I beleieve it was about 7 euros. I bought a bus ticket on Swebus for 279kr (about 30 euros) to Oslo. The bus had free wifi and sockets for phones and laptops and stuff.
My bus trip to Oslo was funny because at the Oslo border they did a drug check. As in they brought a dog on to the bus to sniff around and guess what?? They decided to use me as test subject, to see if the dog was really sensitive to the smell of drugs, so they planted drugs on me and made the dog sniff around, to see if it’ll find it. (the dog did a poor job if you ask me).
From Oslo I had to take another train to Drammen, honestly cannot remember how much that cost but I know it wasn’t more than 10 euros and it was for just 30 minutes (lso had free wifi and sockets). The hotel was right next to the station, like a 3minute walk.
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Train from Oslo to Drammen[/caption]
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Hotel in Drammen[/caption]
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View from the hotel in Drammen[/caption]
We ate at this turkish restuarant “Cappadocia Restaurant”, the meal I had cost 139nok (14 euros).
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Turkish Restaurant (Cappadocia)[/caption]
Was cool meeting this my phone friend, I think we got along well, almost like we’d known each other for time but i’m pretty sure it’s what I call “The Bonita Effect” (asper chicabonita my nickname). The next day some Norweigan men from his work meeting came and took us around, and drove us to Oslo, being our very own tour guides, feeding us. (I was happy I met that, lol free food and movement).
We went to some country side place to pick up his friend (the Norweigan guy who came to get us),
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Countryside[/caption]
then we drove to the ski jump point, did some touristy things, which you’ll see in my pictures and videos,
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then we went to eat at this rustic-ish reataurant called “Frognerseteren”, had a nice simple but Norweigan lunch.
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Elk sandwich and some dessert[/caption]
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Frognerseteren retaurant[/caption]
We drove to Oslo and walked around taking in the sights and sounds, visted the Kings Castle and went to this dope ass chinese restaurant called “Dinner Restaurant”, it’s a very fancy place if you ask me (be sure to try the Black Cod, delicious!!). After that we walked around a little bit and were driven back to Drammen.
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Food at “Dinner Restaurant”[/caption]
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Day 3, my last day in Norway. I didn’t do much cos it was rather cold, so I just lazied around watching tv shows, my friend was at work. When he got back we walked around Drammen a little in search of food and went to this Chinese restaurant (again) called “Mirawa Restaurant”, where we had a buffet that cost 195nok each (about 21 euros).
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The next day I left earlier than my friend, back to Gothenburg, Sweden where I had one night to spend before flying back to Belgrade, Serbia.
Some things I took note of:
The first person in the North Pole ever was Fridtjof.
The momnument of Karl Johan who the main street in Oslo is named after read “People’s love, my reward”.
The most known and exclusive cafe and restaurant in Oslo is at the Continental Hotel.
“The Thief” is the most expensive hotel in Oslo (google says about 100k per night, cheapest room I reckon).
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Most exclusive cafe/restaurant in Oslo[/caption]
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Karl Johan “People’s Love, My Reward”[/caption]
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Most exclusive cafe/restaurant in Oslo[/caption]
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View of the Continental Hotel[/caption]
Norway is pretty expensive, the people seemed to keep to themselves, no staring and all that. They had this Ice Bar in Oslo which we walked past but didn’t go in (y’all should check it out if you go). They seem to be very civilized and law abiding people who do not joke with their greenlands and have serious fines for simple things just like parking, so be careful. It’s apparently a drug ridden country, thus the drug check (you won’t be able to tell from looking though). Oh and you can;t skimp on bus and train tickets, they will come on and check and fine you, or you buy on the train I guess.
Watch out for my Gotherburg post, coming up next
Take Charge,
Sonia.
