Roughing it in Stansted and a Viking Day in Norway

Probably around eight months ago, Kristine, a friend from Norway told us we had to visit her in the summer. Being so far away and never turning down a reason to travel, we told her we would. Never did I actually think that we would follow through with this. There have been many other trips we said we were going to make but never did. This one felt no different.

Then one day Kristine started to badger me about coming. “So when are you coming? Have you booked your tickets? Look at this link of the beautiful fjords. And this one. And this one. I live in an incredible place, come visit me.”

Well, this must have worked, because within the following week the class was setting our exam schedule and I decided, well, if we can, let’s give ourselves a week in Norway. So as I tried to coordinate schedules with the Spanish, Hillary and Caitlyn were frantically booking tickets to London and Haugesund, Norway on Ryanair. Our promise was coming to fruition.

Immediately after, excited, Kristine invited all of her Norwegian friends on the backpacking trip through the mountains and fjords she was planning for us. The excitement was building, mounting. She even made a Facebook Event Page for our trip and kept posting videos and pictures of the things we would do and see.

Well, all the excitement and planning paid off. You will be able to see in my pictures the fruits of our labor. But first, the trip.

Our trip started Wednesday, June 8^th with a flight to London Stansted Airport where we had a short layover. Excuse me, I guess I mean short when I compare it to Hillary’s future layover in Iceland of two and a half days. No, our layover was about 18 hours, and we spent every minute of it in the airport. Ever see the movie Terminal? Well I haven’t, but I imagine the movie sums up what living in an airport is like. We ate prepackaged food we bought at the convenience store, laid uncomfortably on the airport benches, and slept more uncomfortably on the floor in front of some closed check in desks. Luckily I had a sleeping bag and sleeping pad packed for the trip so we weren’t lying directly on the floor. Unluckily, at 3:30 am, after about three hours of half restful sleep, staff went around waking people up to clear the way for check ins. Who checks in at 3:30? Nobody. All in all, the stay probably still rated better than the hostel I stayed at in Paris. Seriously, say no to Jules Ferry International Youth Hostel. Worst place ever.

After a rousing night at the airport, admittedly less exciting than a night at the museum, we boarded the plane to Norway where I finally got some decent shut eye. Another “on time flight” later and we were landing at Haugesund’s airport where “Home of the Kings of the Vikings” was proudly displayed on the building along with some tribal drawings of a Viking and what I think were some birds.

After a little liquor shopping at the duty free (Norway is notoriously expensive for alcohol), Kristine was waiting for us outside of the airport. It feels so good to know somebody when you show up in a foreign country, and having them pick you up at the airport is even better. Having food waiting for you when you get to their house can’t be beat. It’s almost like home. Almost. (Hint: Mom and Dad, it might not be so terrible to have dinner waiting for me upon my homecoming after 13 months.)

After a hearty lunch of mom-made potato salad, sandwiches and refreshing Norwegian water, we headed off to pick up some hiking shoes, got our things together, and then went to a Viking festival. That’s right! We happened to be visiting Haugesund during their annual Viking Festival, complete with Viking fighting, Viking food, Viking crafts, Viking buildings, Viking ships, and everything else Viking that you could want. Even the Viking horns to drink from! All of this was on sacred Viking ground where they previously found artifacts from past Viking colonies! Disappointing fact: Vikings did not wear horns on their helmets.

Well, after some delicious burgers and a little CSI, we hit the sack for some actually very satisfying sleep.

Hiking and backpacking to come.