Vagabonding Field Report: Camping in Bergen, Norway
Cost/day: Around $60 if you’re camping and buying cheap food at the grocery store.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen lately?
I don’t know how strange it is, but we saw lots of cute sheep all over the mountain tops that didn’t run away when we got close. My experience with sheep is that they like to keep a good distance from you at all times, but these didn’t seem to mind us being around. They just chewed grass and stared at us while I took their photo. Also, the fog over the mountain was quick moving and ominous looking.
Describe a typical day:
This was a quick weekend trip, so we packed light and planned to camp in the mountains. We were told that you can camp pretty much anywhere for free and it seemed to be true. Unfortunately, we had some rainy weather, and up on the mountain it was pretty cold. We ate bread, beans, cheese, and salami for breakfast/lunch/dinner. Most of our time was spent walking around the city sight-seeing and hiking around the top of Fløyen, then setting up our tent at night and doing our best to stay warm.
Describe an interesting conversation you had with a local:
Sadly we didn’t have the opportunity to hold any long conversations with any locals (we didn’t come across anyone else while hiking until we were near the bottom, and everyone was too busy power-walking to stop and talk). However, in the short conversations we had, I felt that everyone was very cheerful and friendly.
What do you like about where you are? Dislike?
It is beautiful here! Even in less than ideal weather. My big dislike is how expensive it is in Norway! These two 12oz local beers were $24 (plus tip), which is officially the most expensive beer I’ve purchased.
What new lesson did you learn?
Apparently there are cabins along the trails that are free and open for public use. This lesson would have been handy to learn before the trip was over, this way we could have been in a cabin instead of freezing cold and wet in a small tent with a pair of pants on my head to keep warm.
Where next?
You know where I really want to go? Madagascar or Socotra. I just need a travel buddy, so let me know if you’re up for it! More travel photos here!
July 17th, 2013 at 4:26 pm
Hey Christy!
Looks like a pretty sweet trip. Bergen is Norway’s second largest city, correct? I haven’t been there, but I did make it out to Iceland where we hitchhiked and camped along the Ring Road. Funny you mention Madagascar (and Socotra! not many people know about that pace), since that’s my next destination. It’d be great to have a travel buddy for some of that trip. When were you thinking of going?
Tye
July 18th, 2013 at 3:36 am
I’ve heard the beer is ridiculously expensive there. I’ve heard of Socotra too – looks mad!
July 18th, 2013 at 8:01 am
Hey Tye, that’s awesome! I was hoping around December since I’ll be returning to the US soon for a few months of work, when are you going?
July 21st, 2013 at 8:30 am
We love Norway, and we love Bergen. Great post, and great photos too.