DEPART SEA 9/7/2016 VIA DELTA @1:40pm
ARRIVED Charles De Gaulle/Paris 9/8/2016 @10:00 am DEPART CDG for OSLO ARRIVE OSLO 11:45 am on 9/8/2016
Thanks, Delta!
Travel takes 14 days – you will two days are lost due to travel time.
ACCOMMODATIONS: All places I stayed can be found on TripAdvisor.com.
Norway Frugal Travel Itinerary
Took the commuter train from OSLO airport to OSLO train station about a 22-minute trip.
This train went about 90 mph.
Cost: 18 USD. You can take a high-speed train that will get you to Oslo
in about 10 minutes. It goes about 180 mph.
Cost is prohibitive.
9/8—Walked from Oslo train station to Anker Apartments Hostel.
Paid $50 USD for a private room.
Paid $ 5 USD for linen.
9/9—Departed Oslo train station at 7:25 am for Stavanger, Norway via train.
Purchased all train tickets in advance via the NSB.NO website.
Paid 339 Kroner or about $35 USD for the ticket.
Arrived in Stavanger at 3:17 pm.
(I SCORED WITH ALL OF MY TRAIN TICKET PRICES—EXCEPT FOR LILLEHAMMER).
When you buy the tickets, you ask for the MINIPRIS the tickets or the discounted tickets that the Norwegian government dumps into the system. If you pay regular fare, you will get stuck.
Walked from Stavanger train station to bus stop to catch a bus to Hostel. Paid 6 USD for a ten-minute ride. Transportation in Norway is expensive. Stayed at the Stavanger Hostel St. Svithun.
Paid 60 USD for a private room.
This hostel was an original hospital room.
9/10—In the morning walked to the Stavanger harbor.
It took about 25 minutes to walk.
The weather was cold and rainy, so I had to scrub my climb to Pulpit Rock.
Instead, I walked around the harbor and did general sight seeing.
Pouring rain, so I dropped in at the Norwegian Petroleum Museum.
Paid about $13 USD for a ticket.
A comprehensive history of Norway’s involvement in petroleum which began in the 1960s with the discovery of oil offshore.
9/11—In the morning walked to Stavanger Harbor.
Bought a ticket on the Roden Fjord Cruise.
Their kiosk is right on the waterfront—can’t miss it.
Just walk up and pay and wait for next boat.
Paid about $40 USD for a three-hour cruise.
Departed in a cold rain and cruised well into the Lysefjord, and continued until reaching the Pulpit Rock, where the fjord wall rises vertically almost 2,000 feet about the fjord surface.
Spectacular perspective.
The boat got within inches of the fjord walls.
The cruise was well-narrated and included music.
9/11: Departed Stavanger by train bound for Bergen, Norway.
Paid 789 Kroner, or about 80 USD for the ticket.
The train had to head back to Drammen (near Oslo) before a change of trains to Bergen.
Arrived in Bergen at 6:51 am on 9/12.
This was a tough journey. I felt the pain of this part of the trip, I was exhausted.
Up all day and through the night and the next morning.
I staggered off the train, looking for food—no sleep, I was exhausted.
BERGEN 9/12
Made my way to a McDonalds. Ate breakfast and made my way to the local bus stop.
Paid $ 5 USD for a 30-minute bus ride.
Went to the Montana Family & Youth Hostel, halfway up Mount Ulricken, Bergen’s highest peak at just about 2,000 feet.
Stayed two nights here and paid about $60 USD/night for a private room. Breakfast included was phenomenal. Fish, veggies, fruits, Norwegian coffee..yum!
After checking in at the hostel at about noon, went back into town to look around.
Head back to the hostel to rest. I was out of gas.
BERGEN 9/13
Margaret, a volunteer, took two kids and me from China into town in the morning by bus.
She gave us a brief walking tour of the city.
We walked up Mount Floyen and the Funicular.
Cost is Free. Offers a dynamite view of downtown Bergen.
Margaret brought hot tea and cookies, and we rested on the overlook before heading down.
Now, I walked and visited the Fish Market and the tourist info center.
But, I hopped on a tour bus that gave me a general overview of the city. Then, I hung around the city park near the train station before catching a bus back to the hostel.
At about 4:00 pm I put on my game face and climbed Mt. Ulricken behind the hostel.
Hike took an hour, soaked with sweat. Needed a shower.
Got back to the hostel exhausted, again.
In the evening, the hostel hosted a bonfire in the back.
We roasted marshmallows and talked—the views of the city were nuts at night!
Met a lot of interesting people of all ages. Solo female travelers, couples, and travelers like me, travelers 50+.
BERGEN 9/14
Had breakfast and left the hostel in the morning by bus to downtown Bergen.
I decided to drop in at a museum—they are across from train station.
So, I bought a ticket for about $ 13 USD at the KODE Art Museums of Bergen.
I saw works from MUNCH and other Norwegian artists. Amazing art and displays.
At noon I took a bus to the Bergen Airport.
Hopped on an SAS flight for Bodo, Norway.
Departed Bodo at 3:40 pm.
Cost: $130 USD.
The flight stopped in Trondheim and then caught another flight to Bodo.
Bodo is above the Arctic Circle. Landed in Bodo at 6:00 pm.
The weather was cold and rainy.
The local bus $ 5USD.
Went from the airport to the Bodo Youth Hostel, which is a part of the Bodo Train Station.
Excellent hostel! Free Breakfast: Salmon, fruit, cheese, toast, jams, coffee.
Met three roommates: 3 guys—One Swiss, one US and one from the UK.
Shared a couple of meals together and hung around then went our separate ways.
Paid about $ 60 USD per night for two nights in the hostel in a dormitory.
Spotlessly clean. Big clean bathroom.
BODO 9/15
The weather cleared and was chilly!
Next, I had breakfast with the guys and then took a bus to a local suburb, where I started hiking up into the hills.
Passed lakes, rivers, streams and had impressive views of downtown Bodo.
Returned to town at about 1:00 pm.
Next, I eat lunch at Peppe’s Pizza in Bodo. Paid about $26 USD for a small cheese pizza.
Yeah. Love Norway.
BODO 9/16
Boarded train at Bodo Train Station at 12:27 pm.
Enroute to Trondheim and then Oslo.
Cost: 1439 Kroner or about $150.00 USD.
Passed through mountains, thick forests and across plains of tundra. The sun was low on the horizon. The leaves were in full color but no red – Red autumn leaves are only found in the America’s.
I’m drinking coffee mesmerized with the view. The train arrives in Trondheim at 11:20 pm.
I change trains and board a sleeper car.
Depart Trondheim at about midnight. There are two berths in my car.
I get the car myself! Fast asleep exhausted.
The train arrives in Oslo at 6:50 am. On 9/17. Feel refreshed, finally. A new bounce in my step.
OSLO 9/17–9/21
I make my way to a shop in the train station and pay about 5 USD for a coffee and croissant.
Leave the train station and head for the harbor and wander.
No room reservations.
I head to the hostel…no rooms! A marathon is in town, and everything is full.
Oh no. I finally find a room at the Anker Hostel.
Cost $ 60 USD a night. The first night is a dormitory. Only myself and a girl, about 40.
She’s strange and says she’s there due to “unfortunate” circumstances.
I change rooms and get a private room, for the remaining three nights.
I pay $ 60 USD a night for the room
OSLO 9/18
The tourist information office at the train station provides lots of information make sure to visit it.
Visit: Oslo City Hall (Oslo Radhus)
Oslo Radhus is the old City Hall, built in 1950, where they present the Nobel Peace Prize. It’s free!
The Interior has Norwegian marble on the floors, exquisite woodwork, frescos on the walls, so beautiful.
Very humbling experience.
Walk along the Oslo Harbor Promenade near the harbor.
Expensive apartments and sailboats in the harbor.
The upper crust people, ‘super rich’ live here.
Walk back to train station and walk the famous Karl Johans Gate from the train station to the Royal Palace.
Takes about 20 minutes to get to the Palace from the train station.
Restaurants, cafes, parks, fountains, statues.
Royal Palace surrounded by Frogner Park is about 80 acres. Full of lakes, grass, trees and flowers galore.
Statues are everywhere.
Ate my lunch by a fountain. It’s magical. Surrounded now, by mansions owned by old money.
Head back to Karl Johans Gate and watch a marathon taking place. The city is shoulder to shoulder.
People sitting outside at the cafes drinking and smoking in the warm autumnal sun.
This day I walked about 20 miles.
I head back to the hostel and find VulkanFisk, a seafood place at the Mathallen Oslo.
It seems every calorie I ate that night, I earned.
Famous place.
Ordered the fish and chips (haddock) and a glass of wine.
Very inexpensive for a great meal for only $ 27 USD. Excellent food.
The day is over. I’m back at the hostel.
OSLO 9/19
Leave hostel and head for the harbor.
Take a small boat across harbor the Viking Ship Museum.
Cost: Boat Ride and Museum together: About $ 22 USD.
Walk through high brow neighborhood for about 25 minutes before arriving at the museum.
Then, the most spectacular museum I have ever visited. The displays of the Viking Ships are stunning!
Head back on the boat to Oslo harbor. Hmmm….
It’s about 9:00a.m. I’m going to Lillehammer.
Buy tickets at the kiosk in the train station.
Cost: Roundtrip: 804 Kroner or about 85 USD.
You have to buy your tickets in advance.
Arrive in Lillehammer at 11:46 am.
The Nordic Ski Museum closed.
I head to lunch at a cafe on the town square. I walk around for a couple of hours. It’s getting late. Don’t get back into Oslo until 5:00 p.m.
Next, I walk around for a couple of hours. It’s getting late.
Don’t get back into Oslo until 5:00 p.m.
Buy a quick dinner at a common place and call it a day.
OSLO 9/20
Leave hostel, grab a coffee and croissant and head back to the station.
Purchase another ticket to Lillehammer roundtrip for another 804 Kroners.
I have to see the Nordic Ski Museum!
Pay about $15 USD for admission.
It’s a great museum and documents the Olympic Games from the time, first held in Greece in the 1890s.
Leave museum.
See a lake and hike down along a trail.
Beautiful scenery.
Hike for a couple of hours and then head back to the train station.
Arrive back in Oslo about 5:00 pm.
OSLO 9/21
Take the train to Oslo Airport for $ 18 USD.
Fly to AMS. AMS-SEA. Arrive SEA at 1:40p.m.