2:00am, in the morning, that’s the time my Nordic Adventure started. Not so bright but, but oh so early. You would hope Norway is worth it for anyone to be up at this hour, and it definitely was!

I walked past many wobbling home from a big Saturday night out and boarded the train then bus to get to the airport for my 5:50 departure. I didn’t really have too many expectations or much knowledge of Norway so I really was up for anything. Luckily, I had my friend as my very own local guide who was waiting for me when I arrived.

We went back to her place for some breakfast and coffee! Still early, I had time to settle. The apartment was very modern and not your traditional Norwegian house, but looked as if it was straight out of an Ikea catalogue. It was positioned a short walk from the ocean.

The breakfast platter consisted of bread, homemade marmalade, cheese (Jarlsberg and Brown Cheese- a Norwegian specialty which is most easily described as caramel cheese), haring chutney (Mediterranean fish), boiled eggs, luncheon meats and Vegemite (for the Aussie). It was a deliciously different way to do breakfast to graze through slowly.

After fueling up we hit the town. This was a huge contrast to the hustle of London as most places are closed on a Sunday. Norwegians usually use their Sunday’s to rest or hike and be with family. This was actually a great time to have a look around at the shops and beautiful buildings including the church.

We did find one cafe open and had the place all to ourselves. Kokko Kaffebar was a super modern and ultra hip spot with great coffee. I also ordered a slice of carrot cake (gurlotkake) which was a real treat. The Norwegians are so friendly and you will find most speak brilliant English.

Then we headed back home to take the dog for a walk along the coast line and down to a harbour. Even though the skies were grey and the weather was a little bit on the freezing side it was so scenic and enjoyable. I got my very own history lesson where I got to learn all about the Vikings, natives, traditional dress, hunting and about everyday life.

What was really spectacular and super special was the meal that was prepared for me that night. I was lucky enough to have a traditional dinner cooked by Norwegians. The first course was deer carpachio with balsamic dressing and pine nuts. This was definitely a first for me and was melt in your mouth kind of stuff. Next we had ‘game’ stew made with moose and deer caught locally and mushrooms that had been personally gathered.  It was served with mashed potato, steamed broccoli and ligon berry sauce. All this was accompanied by a glass of red and it was phenomenal! Then, as if that wasn’t enough, out came dessert… chocolate pudding and summer berries. Spoilt.

The next day we had a much needed late start and grabbed supplies before heading out to the cabin in Lysebotn. We waited for the 2:00pm Ferry and munched down on a cinnamon bun while we waited. The Ferry ride itself is breathtaking through the Fjords. However we had some peculiar weather and it was snowing as we arrived which meant poor visibility of the mountains.

But, we had arrived in a magical winter wonderland! We drove through the tiny town to the cabin which was a bit of a fairytale to be honest. I had the tour of the luxurious cabin with fire place, three bedrooms and a loft! By far the coolest feature was the view of the mountains and valley!

When I could finally peal my eyes off the view we rugged up and went for a walk through the valley. There were lambs and cabins with grassy rooves. Then pure streams (where we had to stop for a drink) and forests. We also looked at the ‘cold cave’ and children’s forts from years past. What an amazing playground!

We went back and made dinner. Tacos. Not traditional at all,  but still delicious. But I did get my culture fix by trying a Norwegian snack, dried fish ; essentially ‘fish jerky’. Not for the faint hearted. Smells fishy, but I liked it.

After a blissful night’s sleep in the magical cabin we got ready for a day of exploring higher up on the mountain. The plan was originally to use the snowmobile to check out the older cabins close to the ski fields. However, due to plowing we were able to drive right up. Well, up to a certain point anyway before we needed to trudge through the snow to get to yet another cabin! From here it was decided that we would cross country ski over to some of the original cabins in that area. A first for me!

I was probably a bit of a kook but I managed well enough (to be fair I did stack it once) . It was so cool to see the old cabins with engraved wooden walls and revolvers mounted by the door. And again,  what’s a cabin with out a grass roof? Covered in snow of course. Skiing is surprisingly exhausting so I was glad to go back to the cabin to have tea and a ‘school bun’ another Norwegian treat.

We visited some waterfalls that are just casually everywhere on our way back to the first cabin (so many to keep track of).  They outdid any from back home but they didn’t boast at all.

We had a quick lunch of leftovers then I said my goodbyes to that view (not before trying to soak it up as much as I could). Luckily the sun had come back out so I was able to take in the surrounds from the Ferry on our way back.

That night was a relaxed one but we did go for a walk and take advantage of the sunset. It was a stunner!

On my final day we explored more locally. We took a walk along the beach, waves, dunes and all! Then we checked out three gigantic swords in stone. The supposed sight of a Viking battle!

Well that’s it! I don’t blame you if you are now in the process of booking your flights with Norwegian Air. I pretty much just felt so blessed by this trip. I can’t thank my friend and her mum enough for their incredible hospitality!