We celebrated Christmas 2024 in Oslo (Norwegian capital) and the new year 2025 in the Arctic Circle. We hesitated with Finland. We are very happy to have opted for this second option. The fjords amazed us. We didn't have the feeling of being taken for tourists and the exchanges with the locals were enriching. Follow us to a fabulous country ! We came back amazed with a head full of memories !
Shared posts
- Oslo : A capital on a human scale
Publicexhib in Vigeland : Sexy in the snow in tights
Hotwife : I suck the bartender in a bar toilet
Tourist exhibits : What to visit (to come)
- Arctic : the beauty of a harsh and hostile nature
Sexy on the snowy road : Ice climbing
In lingerie in the snow : Blue lace and night fleece
Naked in the frozen fjord : Come warm me up !
Sexy at the hotel in a basque : Heels in the snow
Igloo : The Frozen Throne
Igloo : Sexy Viking in Bodythong (to come)
At the end of each year, We try to travel. We don't always agree on the destination. MrSirban insisted on Venice. I was full of prejudices. I loved. Here, he would prefer to go to Finland. The destination seems less authentic to me with the impression of a tourist trap and I would like to see the fjords. I ended up winning my case even though he was convinced that we would never see the Northern Lights there.
- Everyday life :
We organized the trip ourselves. Accommodation and renting a car are no problem. The offer is varied and for all budgets, From simple to luxurious. Only problem, The cost of living is very high : 20 to 25 % more expensive than in France. To give you an idea, half a beer costs 10 to 12 € and a dish in a snack bar costs 15 to 20 € per head.
There are particularities specific to Norway and even to the Scandinavian countries (without certainty) :
- Meal times are early. Lunch is from 11 am to 1 pm and dinner from 4 pm to 7 pm.
We were away for two weeks and the lunches were pizza based, Hamburger, hot dog, kebab… Junk food is king ! Norwegians prefer short lunch breaks. Restaurants are open for dinner mainly. In the Arctic Circle, The villages have no restaurant or snack bar. We found ourselves snacking around 3:30 p.m. several times because we couldn't find a place to have lunch earlier.
- Alcohol is not freely available and is subject to strict schedules..
It can be purchased in Vinmonopolet. We had a bottle of Aquavit (Local brandy) out of curiosity. It looks like a supermarket selling only gnole ! At the Oslo Christmas Market, An area monitored by security guards allows you to drink alcoholic mulled wine (Called Glögg). Otherwise, There is hot spiced tea and it is very good. Another example, MrSirban wanted to have a beer at 11:56 am in a restaurant. The waitress refused to sell her before 12:00 p.m. It made us laugh !
- Norwegians prioritize quality of life above all else.
The Norwegians are very nice and friendly. It is one of the happiest countries in the world. Personal life is privileged over professional life. It's very frowned upon to work overtime and kill yourself at the task. Time, It's time. They won't hesitate to refuse to serve you at 3:57 p.m. because they close in three minutes. This may put them behind. Many things close at 4 p.m.. After 5 p.m., for stores, There is almost nothing left.
- public transport in Oslo is very convenient.
Oslo is a capital city on a human scale with about 800 000 inhabitants. You can reach many tourist sites on foot or by transport : tram, bus, Trains (T-Bane). The carrier is called Ruter. The average ticket price is 42 Crowns (about 3,5 €). The frequency of passage is important. With MrSirban, We bought the tickets on the app.
- The bank card is king, No need for change.
Absolutely everything is payable by credit card, including public toilets ! The use of money is useless. We haven't touched a note or a coin in two weeks of travel. There will be no point in withdrawing money from the ATM.
- Which car to drive on snow ?
All rental cars are equipped with snow tyres. This is more than enough. We rented a Toyota Corolla 4 Wheel drive with automatic gearbox. The roads are groomed frequently day and night. We rode 160 at 170km per day without worries and even in the middle of a snowstorm and at night (Polar night from 1:15 pm to 10:15 am at the end of December).
- Thermal equipment against the polar cold :
North of the Arctic Circle, in the Arctic, It can be as low as -40° in winter. We took the trouble to choose the right thermal clothing for extreme conditions. We studied the three-layer system and it works :
- Underlay or base (Base Layer) : Skin knit and leggings
- Midlayer (Layer) : Fleece jacket and/or sweater
- Insulating and water-repellent layer made of Gore-Tex and Polartec : Down jacket and snow pants
Merino wool is an excellent insulator and is preferred to synthetic materials. Two brands stand out from the crowd : Icebreaker and Odlo. Damart and Decathlon are not enough. For trousers and gloves, we opted for the Norrøna brand. Scott and TheNorthFace offer reliable hardware as well. At its coldest, early January, we had -19° felt -23°. A week before, it felt -29° -32°. We can't predict the weather. Who can do the most, can the least.
- Midnight Sun or Polar Night
In the Arctic, from 66° North, It is possible to witness two original phenomena :
- The polar night : from mid-November to mid-January
- The sun never rises above the horizon. It is a twilight day from about 10:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Before and After, It's dark night. There is nothing anxiety-provoking about this . It disrupts the rhythm a little ! We were sleepy around 4 p.m..
- The Midnight Sun : from the end of May to the end of July
- The sun never sets and it is always daylight. There is no moon or night ! I'd like to see him one day, it must be confusing. A colleague did it last year and had a lot of trouble falling asleep.
Whether in Tromso (69°), in Alta (70°) or the North Cape (71°), You will be able to witness the phenomenon.
- Viewing the Northern Lights ?
We chose December 2024 and January 2025. The sun has experienced a peak of activity. From 2025, Its activity will gradually decrease. The next peak will be in about eleven years, i.e. 2036-2037.
To observe the Northern Lights, The main conditions are :
- The night without a full moon
- clear skies
- Be beyond the Arctic Circle (66°)
- Cities to focus on : Tromso (the most touristic), Alta, Hammerfest, North Cape, Kikernes
We had the chance to observe the aurora at 3:30 p.m. while snowmobiling. We saw some at 9 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
There are apps indicating KP. The higher the index, the more chance there is to observe quality auroras. It is a scale of 0 to 9 measuring geomagnetic storms and solar winds. A 0, you will not see any auroras and at 9, It will be a festival ! Our first aurora had a KP 0,67 and the last evening, we had a KP 7. The auroras embraced the whole sky. Two applications were useful to us : My Aurora Forecast and Aurora Labs. This must be coupled with a local weather application : YR is the reference. It's convenient. This allows you to see where the open areas are and the strength of the solar winds.
Many of you have told us that you dream of making this trip. Except for the equipment and the cost of living to be taken into account, There are no difficulties. The Norwegians are very nice and the scenery is breathtakingly beautiful. I hope I have made you want to discover Norway. Feel free to ask me any questions in the comments, I will answer with pleasure.
