ACCOMMODATION REPORT :

COST : SEK95

VALUE FOR MONEY : 5 / 5

CLEANLINESS : 3 / 5

FRIENDLINESS : 3 / 5

NOISE : 2 / 5

ACCOMMODATION REPORT :

COST : SEK175

VALUE FOR MONEY : 2 / 5

CLEANLINESS : 2 / 5

FRIENDLINESS : 4 / 5

NOISE : 3 / 5

Stockholm is quite a flashy impressive city. The first thing that struck me was the weather, boiling everyday – mid thirties. I was told this was unusual however. If you’re looking for a cool city to wonder around, this is it. And there’s good ice cream too! The tourist office at the train station, I must warn you, is unable to take the load. You will have quite a wait.

I enjoyed a couple of days of solid walking in which I discover a few parks and took a few pictures I was pretty happy with. There is an amusement park called the Tivoli, which is apparently very popular, but was closed on the night we went. They even have top line bands which perform there! There was a multi-cultural festival on the day after I arrived, with food from all corners of the world available, stages, dancing and music. Quite a celebration!

I had plans of visiting museums whilst here, but somehow, again, that never happened. One day I visited the island of Birka, where an archeological dig is, and they have uncovered a Viking Village here. Unfortunately there is very little to see, but there’s a little museum with miniatures and they show you where the Vikings used to be. The boat ride there and back is quite relaxing, once you stop listening to the guide, and pretty. And it was so hot I had the chance to take a swim in the river near the island! And everyone thinks of Sweden as a cold country!

In Stockholm I encountered a wonderful little flea market, I must add. Of course, I don’t remember where it was, but you should hunt it out if you’re there. Also there some great finds for the backpacker in Stockholm. Firstly Sol Travel, right in the centre of town has great facilities for the backpacker. washing and drying of clothes is done for 14Kr which is dirt cheap, you can watch a video or listen to a tape or CD. Chill and relax, have a cup of coffee or tea, write, read, look for accommodation on a notice board.. it’s excellent. The second place is Collage. A bit of a bar / restaurant rolled into one. They have an all you can eat for a very cheap price and alcohol is less expensive in general, and they give out these voucher cards which are really good value. It is full of tourists though, but there are the reasons.

ACCOMMODATION REPORT :

COST : NOK100

VALUE FOR MONEY : 4 / 5

CLEANLINESS : 3 / 5

FRIENDLINESS : 4 / 5

NOISE : 3 / 5

I found Oslo a very nice city indeed. The main street is lined with bizarre buskers, the station may be tricky to navigate around, but all in all a nice city. There are parks at the far end from the station that are beautiful, and you could lose a day in, and many things to see and do. The Oslo Jazz Festival was on whilst I was there, and I spent a good afternoon listening to some free jazz.

The National gallery is free, and contains many works. If you want to see the of Munch, Norway’s foremost artist, this is the place to be, but if you’re easily bored with landscapes, probably not. You may be more interested in the National Museum of Contemporary Art, where the weird, bizarre and wonderful all come together to make no sense whatsoever.

The Akershus Fortress is worth a visit. Outside I came by a couple of nights dueling over a fair maiden, all for show of course and not particularly realistic. Before entering the fortress proper there was an environmental display, which I advise any Oslo visitor to check out, you may learn a thing or two. The Fortress/castle is quite an adventure, lots of rooms with old chairs, beds etc etc, and a strange chapel with an uneasy feel in the air is something I remember quite distinctly. A lady tripped over, well, nothing while I was there.

ACCOMMODATION REPORT :

COST : NOK100

VALUE FOR MONEY : 4 / 5

CLEANLINESS : 3 / 5

FRIENDLINESS : 4 / 5

NOISE : 3 / 5

On the west coast of Norway, a lot of people who visit Bergen are doing so as the train ride is quite magnificent from Oslo. You weave your way through tunnels and around fjords and the views are stunning, beautiful and in the middle of summer, green. But Bergen itself is quite an attractive city to visit, and the best views are taken from surrounding hills. The Funicular takes you up the top of some delightful hills (which you could spend a day walking around if you wanted) and you have the opportunity to see what the town looks like. The ride isn’t enjoyable though, the people running it are quite determined to squeeze as many people as possible into the cable car. Take the reasonably long walk back down to the town to get some fresh air and exercise.

I also visited the Theta Museum. Basically just a small room at the back of a restaurant, a small group of Norwegians in the Second World War used this space to send messages to the British. They would tell the British what ships were leaving Bergen, what they were carrying, and any other information about the German activities in the area.

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