Take Us Back to Norway!

We’ve been back from Norway for almost a week, returning in time for the ‘hurriquake’ in California.

There have been quite a few instances this week where we’ve said to each other, “We wouldn’t see that trash in Norway.” “It’d be daylight right now in Norway.” “This would run so much more efficiently in Norway.”

Ahh, Norway. After spending two weeks in this beautiful country, we have a few observations to share with our readers. Here goes:

1). Everything is clean. And I mean everything. Ok, ok, so we saw a little bit of trash in the cities, specifically Stavanger and Bergen, but everywhere else was pristine. Not a lick of trash. People are just respectful! And where you find a trash can, you’ll also find a receptacle for recycling and for food waste.

2). There are no billboards. None. Ok, ok, so I saw one small billboard on a run in Bergen, but otherwise, zero billboards! There were some larger (but still small) signs on some of the main highways we traveled, but these were creative signs reminding everyone to drive the speed limit.

3). Store hours are listed in big, bold print on many storefronts. Oh, the delight and ease! For some reason, the fact that hours of operation were printed just below the store sign made my Type A personality swoon with joy and admiration.

Is this the best or what?

Big and bold! Thanks, Norway!

4). Breakfast includes dessert. Yes, at the Thon Hotel breakfast buffet – and the other hotel breakfast buffets we benefitted from – guests can access chocolate cake, carrot cake, mousse, and other delicious sweets. As if I didn’t love Norwegian culture already…

5). There is no single-use plastic at all. At all. Anytime we required a utensil on the go, it was always wooden. In fact, I made a big fool of myself in Bergen – when we bought sausages for lunch, we needed to cut the kids’ sausage, as they were going to share. The sausage shop didn’t have utensils, so I walked across the street to a convenience store (not our favorite chain, Narvesen, but another one) and stupidly asked for a plastic knife. The cashier looked at me and laughed out loud. “Plastic? No, no, no. We don’t have. But I can give you something else.” And then he gave me a wooden knife. I walked out of the store dumbstruck – like, plastic is so ingrained in my being that it hadn’t dawned on me that other parts of the world are more environmentally friendly.

6). Alcohol is not advertised and the government regulates its sale. You know how we’re bombarded by alcohol ads at all times in the United States? Not so in Norway. We didn’t see one alcohol ad (part of that is due to #2 above). We also learned that, after 8pm on weekdays, 6pm on Saturdays, and all day on Sundays, you can’t buy alcohol at the store.

7). Norway has the best water. Ohmygosh, best tap water EVER!

Also, Taylor and Wyatt say that Norway has the best playgrounds ever. (Notice: No plastic.)

8). Everything runs on time. If the car rental site says they open at 7:30am, you’d best believe they open at 7:30am. If the ferry departs at 2:15pm, you’d best believe it departs at 2:15pm. If the restaurant opens at 12pm, you’d best believe it’ll open at 12pm and not a minute before. It’s lovely to be able to rely on timetables that work (when we traveled in Ecuador and Peru, things most certainly did not run on time!).

And people actually OBEY the signs.

9). The airports are beyond efficient. I’m convinced Norwegian efficiency shines at Norwegian airports. Each airport we visited had self-service bag checks. Each airport we visited had self-service boarding pass scanners at each gate. Each airport we visited loaded and unloaded passengers into the front AND back of planes. I could go on, but you get the picture. Remarkably efficient.

10). There were cycling/running/walking paths everywhere. I mean everywhere. We covered a lot of ground while we were in Norway – we saw rural and urban areas; the path was a consistent thing. And when you have a safe path to be outside on, you go outside! The U.S. needs an influx of Norwegian urban planners…that’s all I’m saying.

11). There are 14 specific allergens that Norwegian restaurants, hotels, snack bars, cafés, convenience shops, and other food business operators absolutely have to let you know about. You can thank the Norwegian Food Safety Authority for that. Similar to what you’d see if you were traveling through the European Union, Norway wants to let consumers know about ingredients in food that could trigger an allergy. I mean, so respectful…also life-saving.

12). Solo female travelers abound in Norway. I loved seeing women traveling alone or with a friend throughout Norway. And you know why? Because Norway is SAFE. There’s a low crime rate. And there is gender equality and even, I would say, a feminist society. And there is decency and kindness. (I mean, can you imagine?!)

13). The soft serve is DECADENT. If you’ve been reading our blog, then you know we loved us some Hennig Olsen softis. Like, a lot a lot a lot. Besides the feminist society and full-time embrace of nature, I would totally move to Norway for the soft serve.

And now I’ve really done it. Now, after revisiting all of these observations, all I want is to move to Norway. That’s it – we’re heading back, we’re opening a Narvesen, and we’re selling soft serve for the rest of our days! (Ahh, if only 😉)

Dear reader, thanks for joining us on our 2023 family vacation. We (well, Wyatt and I) had a ton of fun blogging – and we can’t wait for our next adventure.

Ha det!