Originally written 11 July 2005
Well this is the comprehensive log of my adventures in Scandinavia, I'll divide it into three or so sections as it's going to be quite long and I appreciate your time constraints (and attention spans, Scott :-)). I'll try and keep it relatively concise and not waffle on, however, I've seen and done so much in the last three weeks that I can't promise anything. I've basically survived on an average of 4-5 hours sleep a night with a few cat-naps on the bus (thank God for Berocca), have travelled in excess of 8,000km on the bus alone, with probably another 1,000 to 2,000km including walking and boating. I know you are all probably dying to see my photos and I'll get them sorted as soon as possible.
Anyway, I started my tour in Copenhagen, Denmark on the 14th of June, flew in on EasyJet about 4.30pm and got a taxi to the hostel where we were staying. I went to get in the taxi driver's door as I forgot that they drive on the right over there and he asked if I wanted to drive, which I politely declined. It was a very strange sensation as it's the first time that I have experienced driving on the other side.
Met the rest of the tour group that evening which consisted of 43 people plus the tour manager, driver and cook. I was one of four Kiwis, including the tour manager (who was affectionately nicknamed "Sheepshagger" by the Australians) but the tour was mainly made up of Aussies (you travel almost as far from home as you can and you still can't get away from the buggers, although it was great when they got beaten by Bangladesh in the cricket, and also later on when it took a Kiwi to settle an argument on how many stars they have on their flag!!! It was all in good fun though and I've discovered that New Zealanders, Aussies and Canadians are basically fellow siblings when you are this far from home) with a few Brits, a couple of Americans,
anyone I've forgotten.
A few of us went out on the first night into Copenhagen and had a couple of drinks, then we went in again at 8am the next morning on the bus and did a city tour of the main sights - the Royal Palace, theHans Christian Anderson statue, the Little Mermaid statue from the fairytale, etc. Then did a tour of the Carlsberg brewery which was quite cool.
We were left to do what we liked for the rest of the afternoon and early evening so a few of us formed a group and walked around the city. We saw a bit of the National Museum, then had a look in the Church of our Saviour which was really ornate and it had a huge organ (tee hee) inside as well. Climbed up the spiral steeple on the outside of the church which gave a 360 degree view of Copenhagen (it was a fantastic day as well) - not for those with a fear of heights or vertigo as there is only a small handrail to stop you from plummeting earthwards. Went to Christiania next, which is a social experimenttown of around 1000 residents on the outskirts of Copenhagen that developed in the 70's after an influx of hippies, artists, musicians, and poets etc. It has it's own commercial life, political structure, schooling, radio station and weekly newspaper and was in total contrast to the rest of Copenhagen but rather interesting.
Did a canal cruise which was very cool, and then we had dinner in town and headed back to the hostel about 9.30pm.
Left early the next morning bound for Sweden, we headed north toHelsingor (still in Norway) and saw Kronborg castle which was made famous by Shakespeare in Hamlet, then across on a ferry and we were in Helsingborg, Sweden. Spent most of the day driving to Stockholm and arrived early evening at our campsite next to a lake and we had ourfirst experience of Sweden's mosquitoes, I think I was the only one that had packed repellent so I was a popular guy that evening.
Up early again the next morning and we headed into Stockholm on the bus. Did a tour of the town hall where they have the Nobel Peace Prize and saw some other sites. Then went to the Royal Palace and watched the changing of the guards. Went to the Vasa museum which houses the Vasa galleon which sunk on it's maiden voyage in 1628 and was raised in the 1960's from the harbour and restored. They have calculated that if the ship had been made 30 centimetres wider itwould not have fallen over and sunk. This was one of the things thatI had read about before I left NZ so it was great to see.
Saw the world's largest palace that is still in use - 608 rooms. Then did a Viking boat cruise which took 90 minutes and gave some spectacular scenery. Out for a group dinner in town that evening for a traditional Swedish smorgasborg (Sweden is where the smorgasborg originated), then to The Icebar - a bar made completely of ice along with the glasses, and which is kept at -5 degrees. They give you these big jackets and gloves to wear and we all had a ball there, I'm told that there is one in Queenstown as well, so you can experience it there if you don't have the time to scoot over to Stockholm.
We carried on and went to a night club where the expense of Scandinavia really hit home. I ordered two drinks of spirits and expected that it would not come to anymore than 120 Swedish Kroner(SEK), I then had to pick my jaw up off the floor as the barmen asked for 208 SEK (somewhere around $39 NZD), they were doubles in a tall glass but still...I regretted it even more when after one (or maybe two) too many drinks for the day, I had a chat with the urinal and deposited them, and the dinner, down the bar's toilet in the early hours of the morning, and was not-so-politely asked to leave.
We headed off for Norway the next morning and I was feeling very under the weather from the night before (got home about 3.30am and was up about 6.30am). We stopped at a very picturesque lake in Sweden for lunch on the way and I had a wild snake slither passed my leg while sitting on the bank, which was an unexpectedly pleasant surprise, I didn't even know that they have snakes there so I have no idea if it was poisoness or not, I just wish that I'd had time to take a photo.
Got to our campsite which was about an hours drive from Oslo that evening.
Part 2 to follow, I haven't written this yet so please be patient.
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