Norway advice

[Dreadhead]

Hey folks need some help and advice here. Following 2 years of immobility and operations ill soon be healed up and whole again so me and SWMBO (water gypsy) have decided tae live the dream and go trekking in Norway

we will be mainly WWOOFing and then wild camping in between WWOOF hosts to explore as much of Norway as possible. This way we can cover a lot of ground and only need to use our savings for food in-between and some bus/train trips. as its been so long since either of us travelled abroad we need advice on travelling technicalities etc.

Looking at the Norwegian embassy and government sites it seems we do not need visas so long as we are travelling as tourists for up to 6 months? i think we must be able to prove we have 500 NOK for each day we plan to stay. It says we can then do another six months as long as there is a break between the two so do you think we would be okay for up to 12 months as long as we are not working or living etc or should we cross over to Sweden/Finland for a while and then cross back to Norway to break up the 6 month periods? I cant find seem to find this information again :s


For those who travel to Norway for their expeditions do you take some sort of travel insurance? Any advice on that would be appreciated

money is another issue. We have our savings for travelling but we are not entirely sure on the safest way to carry it. As we will be there as long as possible until our money runs out we don’t want to carry it all in cash so advice here is needed again. Travellers checks or are there any decent travelling debit accounts that are viable?


Any other advice or tips on travelling and exploring would help such as hunting (could we trap rabbits or fish in lakes etc) and if there are any sort free cabins similar to the bothy system we have in Scotland.

i should add that this is not intended as a hardcore expedition. We will be staying with wwoof hosts to improve our working and language skills and using these hosts as a base and then travelling between hosts whilst wild camping. On another thread i found a good map system to plan routes so it will be a case of planning routes in between wwoof hosts and stocking up on food for each small journey. We just want to make sure we are there perfectly legally, are able to travel as we please and that our money is safe!

Any sort of advice or useful links to check out on Norway would be great feel free to PM me or water gypsy too. We aren’t going anytime soon so have a few months to plan it all safely (even if I’ve been planning it in my head for years!)

Thanks
Hamish

[TurboGirl]

Some of our Midland meeters just got back and theres lists of their kit/ maps/ pics and a very nice norwegian chap who offers advice and a backyard in return for plentiful islay single malt Thread here (:

[Skaukraft]

Norway is a part of the Schengen, so you can come and go as you please, but there might be occational passporrt/ID-checks at the airport/boat terminal. If theres a rule that you must get out after six months or not I really do not know, but it is possible, but as a EU-citizent I would not worry to much bout that. There is more or less no bordercontrol between Norway and Sweden/Finland.
I wouldnt bother to much bout the 500NOK pr. day either. Never heard of it. If you need to, youre welcome to use me as an reference and contactperson during your stay.

Money: You will find ATMs in most places all over the country, and they accept all the most common creditcarda/bank accept (IVSA, Master Card, Diners, Am Ex e.t.c.), you can also get cash at most gas stations and grocery stores. I have never ever seen a travellers check being used here, so don't bother.

A European Health Insurance card is nice to have, and is guarante that you will recieve all the medical attention you need. This card is free for all EU-citizents: https://tjenester.nav.no/helsetrygdkort/forside.do
This is the version for norwegians, but I guess you have a British version.

Trapping for rabitt is not allowed. If you want to hunt you need a hunting license and a weapons license. The prices for hunting vary from almost cheap to extremely expensive. You can trapp fur animals like Martin, Weasel, Beaver and Fox if you have a hunting license and get a permit from the owner of the wood.
You can fish (almost) everywere, as long as you pay a small fishing license fee (you do not need any kind of license to buy fishing gear), but be aware of some local rules and regulations, specially when it comes to rivers with salomon and sea trout. Some species is not allowed to catch during spawning season.
The price for fishing vary, but typical (at least were I come from) 20NOK per day, 70NOK for a weekend or 120NOK for a week. The fee can be payed at different places like gas stations or self serviced booths.
In salt water you can fish whereever you want, theres no fee. If you are going to eat clams and mussels, please check that the shells are not toxic. You can find information about it here: http://www.matportalen.no/verktoy/blaskjellvarsel/
It is in norwegian, but I guess you can understand most of it.

You will find plenty usefull info about free cabins and hiking routes here: http://www.turistforeningen.no/engli...php?fo_id=3611
I guess you already checked out the maps i linked to in an other thread.

Remember that the puplic transport system is crappy outside the largest cities. Trains are kind of expencive and kind of unrealible.
Norway Buss Express can be a good alternative to trains: http://www.nor-way.no/?lang=en_GB

This is the first time I have heard about WWOOF. Are there any such farms in Norway??

Don't feed the banjo picker.

I'll post more usefull links when/if I remember any.

Things you might want to check out:
http://www.langedrag.no/english
http://www.skogmus.no/ (embarrassing that they do not have a english version of their site, but then agein you get to practice your norwegian skills)
http://www.norskfolkemuseum.no/en/
http://english.dirnat.no/ (usefull info)

You might find something of your liking here also: http://www.rockefeller.no/ one of the best music scenes in Scandinavia, suited in downtown Oslo.

[Dreadhead]

wow thats alot of great info thanks! thats been really helpful and put some worry to rest. there are over 60 WWOOF farms in norway so hopefully find plenty of places to stay and volunteer and maybe find some work while we are over there too

kind of unrelated. could anybody clear up a translation problem for me? would "halvgeiten" translate as "the half goat" in norsk? or would it translate more as halvparten geit? strange i know...

Hamish

[Skaukraft]

No prob.

Halvgeiten? Half a goat translated directly, but seeing you taste in music on your website I guess this could be an expression from some lyrics (love your leather work btw)
I have never heard the expression, but the devil is half a goat, isnt he?
Or it could be an expression from a dialect other than mine.
But my guess is that it is an AKA for the devil.

[Man of Tanith]

Can i ask what WWOOFing is?

[Dreadhead]

No prob.

Halvgeiten? Half a goat translated directly, but seeing you taste in music on your website I guess this could be an expression from some lyrics (love your leather work btw)
I have never heard the expression, but the devil is half a goat, isnt he?
Or it could be an expression from a dialect other than mine.
But my guess is that it is an AKA for the devil.

thanks bud my girlfriend calls me half-goat and as i love learning and speaking norsk i wanted to find out the translation for half-goat or the half goat. as im in the process of changing my name i was going to have it as a middle name for a laugh

[Dreadhead]

Can i ask what WWOOFing is?

Its like couch surfing. wwoof hosts are people who own land for forestry, home crops etc and need volunteer help. in return for your work they feed you and put a roof over your head. heres some links for UK wwoofing and independants which is mostly europe i think

http://www.wwoof.org.uk/

http://www.wwoofindependents.org/

Hamish

[mrcairney]

My dog only goes WWOOF when she's sleeping.

http://www.wwoof.org/

[Skaukraft]

thanks bud my girlfriend calls me half-goat and as i love learning and speaking norsk i wanted to find out the translation for half-goat or the half goat. as im in the process of changing my name i was going to have it as a middle name for a laugh

Well, then I would go for "Halvgeit" or "Halvgeita", and not "Halvgeiten", there's a subtle difference there.

[Dreadhead]

ok cheers im sure ill have more questions about norway popping up as they arise. thanks for the help

[Skaukraft]

No porb. Glad to help.

[bushwacker bob]

im in the process of changing my name

Why? Hamish is cool.

[Dreadhead]

changing my surname. cannae get rid o Hamish

[bushwacker bob]

Hamish Halfgoat is original.

[Dreadhead]

Hamish Half-Goat Odinson. ready tae conquer the land of heathens

[bushwacker bob]

Hamish Half-Goat Odinson. ready tae conquer the land of heathens

I know Salmond has some odd ideas but not all Scots are heathens.

[Dreadhead]

well i certainly am anyway back tae norway ideas!

i take it a mossie headnet is a must? or something with a finer mesh im betting.

as far as exploring oslo for a day when we get there. im sure its not too difficult to get a 24hr locker at the train station and then wander off to find some outdoor shops and the museums. that stuff can be sorted out closer to the time as for now its just basic planning and getting kit together which we are fairly sorted with

Half-Goat

[qsalister]

Alright Hamish

I'm also going to be heading over to Norway for 2 months this summer. I've been told the mozzies are really bad over there, definitely worth taking a decent sized net to give yourself some room to move about without getting eaten alive. On top of that, I'd recommend taking a blindfold or something to cover your eyes with when trying to sleep due to the sun been out nearly around the clock in the summer months.

What cooking system are you going to be using? I hear that it's hard to get your hands on some makes of gas canister over there.

Also, what is the map system you mentioned in your first post? Any chance you could sort me out with a link?

Cheers

Alister

[MartinK9]

I recommend Nordic Summer Insect Repellent, works wonders in Norway.

http://www.woodland-ways.co.uk/buy-online-wilmas-nordic-summer-insect-repellent-113.html

[TurboGirl]

Hamish Half-Goat Odinson. ready tae conquer the land of heathens

Ahhh, you're coming down to meet uz Midlanders, that'll be nice!

[Dreadhead]

Alright Hamish

I'm also going to be heading over to Norway for 2 months this summer. I've been told the mozzies are really bad over there, definitely worth taking a decent sized net to give yourself some room to move about without getting eaten alive. On top of that, I'd recommend taking a blindfold or something to cover your eyes with when trying to sleep due to the sun been out nearly around the clock in the summer months.

What cooking system are you going to be using? I hear that it's hard to get your hands on some makes of gas canister over there.

Also, what is the map system you mentioned in your first post? Any chance you could sort me out with a link?

Cheers

Alister

will bear that in mind. we just bought a polish army canvas lavvu so will be testing that to its limits in scotland and if it lives uptae the test it will be coming so that should block out the light and keep plenty of heat in.

for cooking i have a honey stove with a small trangia. compact and allows me to use wood fuel or the trangia burner in no fire months. i have a bunsen burner mat for under the stove to stop ground scarring. i never use gas stoves cant stand them. wood and maybe meths for me

heres some map links bud

http://www.statkart.no/ (go to kart pa nett - then - norgeskart)
http://www.atlas.no/Default.aspx

as i said we will be testing out kit out heavily first but were both pretty much scruffy hippies and iv only ever used wool blankets and deer skins etc for sleeping and our clothing will pretty much be all wool.

as your planning Norway too, if you come across any good links or advice feel free to share and we will do likewise


@Martink9: thanks for that link im sure its a lifesaver

Hamish

[Dreadhead]

Ahhh, you're coming down to meet uz Midlanders, that'll be nice!

ill acually be down in england staying with the missus before we set off so we will try and get round tae some meets

[Skaukraft]

Odinson. Thats kind of cool.
In my daughters kindergarden theres a 3 yr old boy named Odin.
My birthname is actually Odd, how odd is that

Regarding midnightsun. If you are travelling south of Trondelag, there will be no problem. I have lived in Norway all my life, and I have never seen the midnight sun.
Mosqitoes and gnats depends on where you are. Some parts of southern Norway there are no mosqitoes at all, and some parts there are enough to make you go insane, literally. I have seen grown men cry.

[Dreadhead]

cheers, Odd is a good name the midnight sun were really not bothered about should be no problem for us

Hamish

[Everything Mac]

Hey Hamish, how's the planning going?
im seriously considering doing a trek in Norway myself. Though only for a week or so.

Id not heard of wwoof'ing. Sounds pretty good to me.

A Norwegian colleague of mine mentioned some marked routes from Stavanger to Bergen though I'm having difficulty finding them on google.
I'm thinking of trekking between Stavanger to Bergen with the odd bus/ train to break up the walking.

Then get a boat from Bergen up the coast for a bit. I was thinking of going late September /early October though I'm worried it will be too cold for a first visit?

All advice welcome
Andy

[Dreadhead]

Well we have put it off until 2013 due to health and work issues but luckily it means we have more time to get our act together. the plan is still to fly to oslo and spend our time walking/hitching inbetween wwoof hosts so we have a good chance of rest/resupply inbetween some hard graft walking and sight seeing.

for routes check out this site: http://english.turistforeningen.no/index.php?fo_id=3611

and for maps: http://www.statkart.no/nor/Statens_k.../Kart_pa_nett/
top left corner kart på nett then click on norgeskart. very useful!

cant help you with the weather as im not too sure on that as we havent worked out when exactly we are going yet it will just be a case of 'were ready now lets hop on a flight'

hopefully some of our Norwegian members can shed more light on it for you Mac

[Everything Mac]

Awesome. Cheers big man. I might push the trip back until spring tbh. Still waiting for confirmation of my holiday from work.

All the best
Andy

[Tor helge]

What is too cold for a first visit?
I live in Bodø and we currently have 13 degrees and light overcast (it has been a **** summer). In september/october we may have the same temperature, or it could be below zero.
I guess it is the about the same weather pattern on the north west coast too (a little warmer perhaps).

Chech out http://www.yr.no/