introduction

The Kingdom of Norway is located on the western side of the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders with Sweden, Finland and Russia on its eastern flank and has a coastline to the North Sea on its western flank, extending up to the Arctic Ocean in the north. It's world renowned for it's beautiful scenery of deep and complex fjord lands, light summers and long, dark winters.

The largest and capital city of Norway is Oslo. Oslo is located in the south eastern part of the country in a beautiful setting with museums of national importance and a bouncing nightlife.

The population of Norway is around 4.5 million and the official language is Norwegian. The largest percentage of the population is of the Christian faith following the Protestant State Church.

history

It is believed that Norway has been inhabited since at least 10,000 years B.C. and the core populations came from present day Germany.

The Viking age reigned from the 8th to the 11th Centuries and saw the expansion and immigration of Nordic communities to Iceland, Britain, Greenland and Ireland among other places.

In 1349 the bubonic plague also known as the "Black death" spread and killed nearly 50% of the population which quickly led to the economic decline of Norway, this and Royal Politics bought Norway under the union and control of Queen Margrethe I of Denmark, and there it remained under Danish ruling until 1814.

After Denmark and Norway were attacked by the British in the early 19th Century they entered into alliance with Nepoleon, the war only bought failure and famine to the Norwegian and Danish people and Norway was taken under Swedish ruling. However, this spurred the Norwegians to declare independence and caused the outbreak of the Norwegian-Swedish war. Swedish military were not powerful enough to control the Norwegians and independence was eventually gained.

During both World Wars Norway claimed neutrality, however, in WWII Norway was attacked by the Germans on the 9th of April 1940, who succeeded occupancy after the Norwegians were forced to surrender on the 10th of June 1940.

surfing

Norway is a great example of what it means to describe the bleeding edge of surfing. Extreme temperatures, the midnight sun and often enormous waves combine to make an unforgettable surf adventure. This part of the world is unique in that it is almost too close to the cascading swell systems from the North Atlantic to ensure regular surf from them. Quite often you will actually be waiting for the surf to die down and during the winter it rarely does. To the north there are only a few hours of sunlight in the winter and the water is at the very limit of what a 7mm wetsuit can do for you.

Some of the offshore islands of Norway are only just being explored now for their surfing potential. Their position means that they feel any swell even during summer and often convert that into excellent although never warm waves. To the north you are well into the Artic circle and in Summer, a 16-hour surf session is a theoretical possibility. Make sure you strap a hot coffee and soup machine to your back for regular core temperature increases prior to trying this.

travel

Most citizens or western industrialised countries do not need a visa to gain entry to Norway for tourism or short business trip purposes.

Oslo Airport Gardermoen is the countries biggest international airport and is located 60 miles north of Oslo. It has, at the time of writing, 71 scheduled flights to destinations abroad and to 24 destinations domestically.

It is possible to enter Norway by road or rail from its bordering countries of Sweden, Finland and Russia, or by boat from Belgium, Germany, Denmark, England, Shetland, Faeroe and Iceland.

Norway is a big country and getting around, particularly up north, is expensive and time-consuming. The best way to see the Norwegian wilderness and countryside is by having access to your own vehicle. This way you can stop wherever you want, admire the view and venture onto smaller roads.

where to stay

There are plenty of hotels across the budget range in Norway but you should always book ahead. You can find reasonable cheap lodgings in camping huts, mountain cabins, youth hostels, etc. Most of these will require you to make your own food, bring your own bed sheets, and wash before leaving and for the camping options it's wise to stick to the summer months!!

For longer stays (one week or more) consider renting an apartment, a house or a high quality cabin. Several agencies offer reservations on houses or cabins owned by farmers or other locals. This type of accommodation is frequently more interesting than a standard hotel.

what to pack

Be prepared for all kinds of weather in Norway. You might be lucky, and have warm sunny weather and 25 °C, or it might be cold, wet and windy. Pack according to the season, but basically, the warmer, the better, though temperatures can vary greatly during the day, so bring also some slightly thinner clothes. Bring windproof and waterproof clothes, warm jerseys and sturdy walking shoes for all seasons, as well as warm underwear.

As usual, bring all medical things u need with you. You won't regret a plenty of cold weather gear! Your camera and all the equipment you'd need for it, plus good waterproof bags that will also prevent your gear from getting frozen.

Sunglasses and protective sun lotion, as well as a good repellent. All the gear if you plan to camp: a good sleeping bag and tent that are good for very low temp; special gas container u can use for heating food and water; a sturdy backpack or a cargo pack with a good daypack.

In case you want to bring any electrical appliances with you, here is the system Norway uses: 220 volts and 50 Hz. It is a round pin attachment plug, so see for yourself if you need an adapter.  

Pretty much everything can be bought and not only in big cities - but keep in mind, that it won't be cheap in Norway

dangers and warnings

Norway has a particularly low crime rate; most crimes consisting of petty theft and vandalism, the police don't carry guns here. Just use your common travel sense, don't leave valuables on display or unattended.

The main dangers in Norway is not really from other people but from the environment, Norway is a beautiful country and has out of this world scenery but the lure of this can be deadly for the unwitting tourist. Weather can change quickly in the mountains and a pleasant stroll can quickly turn into a fight for survival for the unprepared, people get lost and cold, warm sunshine can turn into blizzard conditions in minutes, seriously.

Standard warnings are never approach the front of a glacier, or indeed walk on top of one. Take precautions when near to or on rough seas, swells can pick up dramatically and sweep away the unwary and take care around large waterfalls, these are common culprits of coming to a sticky ending!

restaurants, shopping and nightlife

The currency in Norway is the Norwegian Crown or krone and Norway is an expensive country, be prepared for costly travel, service, alcohol and tobacco expenses.

When it comes to buying souvenirs in Norway there are several things to look out for; Hand painted Norwegian trolls are popular little keepsakes that vary in price and size and great pressies for the olds back home. Norway also produces some great cheeses and cheese related products so if you're a bit of a foody with an acquired palate they're well worth a dabble.

Norway is also renowned for it's high quality sweaters and woollen clothing; I guess they've had plenty of need for it - especially in the northern regions! Dale is amongst the top end manufacturers to look out for.

You will also find high fashion clothing outlets in the major cities.

As for nightlife, there is plenty of it in Norway, especially in the cities, but don't expect it to get going until after midnight! This is due to the high price of booze in this Scandinavian region leading to many of the youngsters holding "Vorspiel" and "Nachspiel" meaning pre and post parties. This is because it's cheaper to buy your liquor in and have a party before you go out to a club and reduce the cost of getting pissed! Ask around for the nearest Vorspiel to save yourself a few Krones!

what to do when it's flat

Norway is well suited for all kinds of outdoor activities to do if the surf leaves you high and dry. A great day trip from Oslo is the "Norway in a Nutshell" package, which is just that. It's a trip into the mountains with a boat trip through the fjords. You can break the trip at several interesting huts for walking or just admiring the view, and even hire a mountain bike for part of the journey. One of the highlights of the 'Norway in a Nutshell' package is Flamsbana, a 20km railway that's one of the steepest in the world. Along the way you'll see beautiful mountains, rivers, valleys, waterfalls, and other beautiful sights on your way to the town of Flåm.

Noway is also excellent for skiing and snowboarding at the alpine areas of Trysil, Hemsdale and Telemark that are on par with the Alps. Other major ski resorts are Voss, Geilo and Oppdal.

useful phrase guide

The official language of Norway is Norwegian, here are a few words to get you started:-

Good Morning                    God Morgen

Good Evening                    God Kveld

Good Night                        God Natt.

Hello                                Hei

How are you?                    Hvordan gar det?

What is your name?           Hva heter du?

My name is....                   Jeg Heter......

Please                              Vaer sa snill

Thankyou                         Tusen takk

Yes                                  Ja    

No                                   Nei 

Goodbye                          Ha det bra 

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