And now I know what I'll find there: towering mountains cleaved by fjords; glaciers still crashing, slow motion, into the terrain; thundering waterfalls and shoe-soaking springs; ferries which dot the fjords and which are in turn dwarfed by the mountains - and don't forget all the sheep. Puffy clouds and blue skies, except when they are thick and heavy with rain or fog. Tiny red (or yellow, or green) clapboard summer homes mirrored in the clear green fjords. Ancient stave churches that were contemporaries of pre-Norman invasion England (!!) and, more recently, Victorian homes and English churches. Words that look suspiciously close to German. Friendly people with an enviable quality of life. Summer sun that just won't quit (except when it's, um, raining, or foggy). I am curious about the opposite effect of the midnight sun - now I'm thinking about a winter trip on the Hurtigruten to see the Northern Lights. Ooh, wouldn't that be fun.
Stunningly beautiful scenery and stunningly spendy costs. 900 NOK for cab fare between Oslo's airport and my hotel - each way! That's an anecdote that is going to have legs. Norway looks like Switzerland, kind of, but it's even more expensive. No mean feat.
I think I want to work for a Norwegian oil company - I met a guy on one of the flights who said employees get something like four weeks off for every two weeks you work.
