A week in Oxford

In June 2024, I spent a week attending an in-person summer course in Oxford. It was part of the Continued Education department at the University, which runs one week courses in summer on different topics, for people who have finished their education but still want to pursue learning.

Brasenose College

During this week, I lived and studied in a college in Oxford, just like students do. It was something I had always wanted to do, and finally I got to experience it😃. It felt amazing going back to school after so long, and that too in such a stimulating environment. I learnt and discussed a lot. The weather played spoilsport though, it was cold and rainy the whole week, definitely not how I had imagined the week to be like. But I still enjoyed my stay there, attending psychology classes in the mornings and exploring around town in the evenings.


Getting there

I flew from Amsterdam to Heathrow and took the Oxford Tube from the airport, a very convenient bus that leaves every hour from the airport to this old seat of learning. During the drive, there was a diversion and we got to drive through some gorgeous Cotswold countryside, where everything was a lovely summer green. And then Oxford appeared - this old town with grand yellow sandstone buildings, with a story to tell in every nook and cranny. It felt like such an old and storied place. Just the feeling of being there felt uplifting.

Radcliffe Library

In my first five mins in Oxford, I saw sights that would not be the norm elsewhere. I first walked by a Rhodes statue, of the famous philanthropist and imperialist. It had a plaque below it stating that the college does not support how he got his money but for certain reasons they cannot remove his statue from there. And they also asked the passers-by to consider that history has to be balanced with what was acceptable at that time. So they are requested not to deface or try to destroy it.

Evening meetings

And then right after, in front of Brasenose College was the famous Radcliffe Library, the centre of many of the town’s activities. I saw a lot of tents pitched outside and students protesting against Israel, for Palestine. These students had been living in those tents for a few months by now. In the evening, I saw a group of students sitting outside next to each other and conducting a prayer meeting for Palestine. Just seeing all this made me realise that it's at a place like Oxford that we can see students doing whatever they can for causes they believe in. It's only at places like this, student towns, that this can happen. (In cities, we are too busy earning a living, to care about spending so much time on protests). It just felt very liberating and heart warming to see this.


Studying in Oxford

Brasenose Quad

The one week course was run by the Continued Education Department. It was very well planned and organised. Our course was being run in Brasenose College, which is where we would be living for the next week. After I arrived, I checked into my accommodations, one of the student rooms at the college. It felt so simple, yet so cosy. And in the afternoon, we got an orientation tour around the College. 

Dinner Hall

It was a stunning place, with three gorgeous lawns in the courtyard (called Quads). We checked out its library, chapel and the dinner hall. The dinner hall was the most impressive - with three long tables for the students and a high table at the end for the faculty, all set up for a formal dinner. All around the room were paintings of notable alumni, as well as teachers from the college. We were then told the rules to be followed while having dinner in the hall. It all sounded so formal (and it was). We ate our dinner daily in the dinner hall and even had our gala closing dinner there. It was always fun. And I felt then that I had entered a different era, like I was in a Harry Potter movie. 

Then we were told all the other plans for our stay. The mornings and afternoons were generally quite packed. Every day we had lectures on our chosen topic from 9 am to 12 noon. And after that we would have a lecture for the entire cohort by a professor from the University on topics not linked to our chosen subjects. They were all so interesting that I attended and enjoyed each of them. Like on ‘whether EU foreign policy is dead’, ‘the history of teacups (and porcelain)’ and one about the author, CS Lewis.

Brasenose College

After lunch we would get some time to relax, and then every evening, we could join any of the organised events. I joined two of them, a literary walk through Oxford and a trip to Waddesdon Manor. But I missed a few others too, an evening of punting in the river (in the rain 😅), a Shakespeare play in the park (again in the rain), the Chapel concert and playing croquet in the Quad.

Studying in Oxford had been a dream of mine. And actually being there felt so exciting, just like the feeling on the first day of going back to school. In fact, on the day of the orientation, all the tutors gave an introduction to the course they were going to take that week. And I wanted to take all of them 😇. Especially the course on “the fourth dimension - time” sounded so interesting. The physics, philosophy and literature of it. I had chosen a different course already, and could not change at the last minute. But maybe someday later, I could try out another interesting one. Also interestingly, some of these topics may not have inspired me in my 20s when I was actually studying. But now they do. Still, I did manage to chat with the “fourth dimension” professor, one of the evenings in the dinner hall. And he sounded quite eccentric.

Over the next week, being with people from different walks of life, with differing life experiences, varied interests and unique views led to very interesting discussions on very varied topics. Such discussions were just so common here, they just happened all the time. You can learn so much from each other in such an environment. Only an eclectic university like Oxford can offer you an experience like this.

The lunches and dinners in the dinner hall always felt so short, there was never enough time to exchange thoughts with fellow students, on and beyond our course topics. For example, during one such dinner, I spoke to a professor who had moved to New Zealand for the last couple of years, to research Tolkien. Just like that. And the whole dinner, we spoke about Tolkien, his philosophy, the life events that impacted him and his literature, and so on. How I wish I could be in such inspiring company more often.

I had another very interesting discussion with a professor when we were talking about psychology, the topic I was studying. He was quite surprised that they're teaching psychology because he said that Oxford is very slow to accept new topics. I commented that psychology is not a new topic, it has been around for awhile. Then he asked me, 'just look around yourself in this dinner hall. Other than the lights, is there anything that you see that is less than 300 years old 😂’. Everything in Oxford has a different timeframe, in terms of what is new and what is ‘old'. I found that comment really funny.

During the week, I also learnt a lot about Oxford through all these chats. For one, Oxford seems to be quite self-absorbed with Oxford . Everyone talks about the town a lot, almost all the time. And many make a big deal of anything and everything about the city. It is almost like a bubble they all have lived in for long, and they don't know (or want to know) a lot about things from outside. For example the three authors that originated from here turn in up in almost every second conversation - Tolkien, CS Lewis and Lewis Carroll.

Also, there is quite a lot of rivalry between colleges. They talk about each other quite a lot, about which ones are richer, which are not, which are good at what and which not, and so on. It is interesting though to know that all the professors know each other and visit each other's colleges even if they talk competitively about them. Also, the college felt quite British, given most of the tutors were locals. I heard so much British English around me, I realised I hadn’t been in such situations a lot recently 😆.

The weather had been so unpredictable that week in July, that everyone was very cold, the professors AND the students. It was really funny to see. Everyone was freezing but couldn't do much about it, especially the ones who had come from abroad for the course. They had been expecting British summers and so hadn't brought any jumpers with them!! It's understandable give it was July, but still it was very funny to see. (Thankfully I was warm enough as I had (unwillingly) brought a jumper along with me)


Around Oxford

On my first afternoon, after quickly checking in at the college, I left for a quick tour around town. I first had lunch in a covered market nearby, which felt more like a food court than a market. It also felt like a student hangout place, with many types of food available for very little 😆. And later I learnt that there are tunnels connecting each of the colleges to the covered market. So it was definitely popular with the students.

Around Oxford

Then I walked around the colleges. Something I tried to do daily, even in the bad weather, with cold and rain. They were all so grand, so magnificent, so charming. Each college has its own history and character. Some are purely for research (like All Souls College), and some accept students. Some are focused on the arts, some on science. Some are a lot richer than the others. Most have some famous professors and writers associated with them. Each of them has a chapel and a dinner hall. The University has quite an interesting setup for studies. Students live in the colleges, are friends with other students there, have tutorials there while their lectures are held all together across Oxford University departments.

Christ Church College

One of the days, I joined an organised walk through town, called the Oxford Literature Walk (or maybe it was the history walk, but both are so intermixed always that you never know). The guide took us to the main colleges and libraries in town, giving us an overview of its history as we walked. Christ Church is one of the grandest and richest of the colleges, its buildings and gardens were impressive. The most famous authors from Oxford are CS Lewis, Tolkien and Lewis Carroll. And they were mentioned on the walk many times, their names adorning many plaques around town. In fact there were a few tours taking tourists around the University, talking about these authors and what inspired them to write their novels.

Punting in Oxford

The whole town was full of grand buildings - the university departments, churches and museums, famous libraries and so on. And so many parks in between. And then there were small streams and rivers around, with scenic bridges on them. They were all so impressive and grand to walk by, standing tall in their yellow sandstone. And there was so much history all around. It was always fun to walk around.

Christianity and religion were present everywhere. There were so many churches in town. And all college chapels had their own choirs, with concerts being organised regularly. That being said, it was interesting to know that the Vatican did not allow Catholics to come to Oxford until the 1800s! Only Anglicans were allowed before that.

Oxford

The city centre was always full of tourists during the day, crowding all the main sights. It was actually overwhelming to deal with all the tours going on. And there were so many events happening around, parties, concerts, lectures and so on, just students getting together and doing things. The real beauty of the town could only be seen either away from the centre or in the evening, when all the tourists had left. It felt quieter and cosier then.

So during the day, I would walk away from the centre. One day, I walked to a restaurant outside the main hub and saw a different side to the town. The road was lined with University departments. And there was a lot of greenery and parks (with no crowds!). It felt so different from the main Oxford university area, quieter, with no crowds. It felt like a nice place to live, I enjoyed my walk there.

Another day when I walked away from the university hub, I saw that the town has nice canals and beautiful residential areas. There was even some punting going on in the canals. Also as I walked out more away from the centre, there were newer colleges which were clearly less rich than the others. And this area was full of new buildings. It felt so different, like I had switched centuries within a 10 mins walk.


Waddesdon Manor

For one of the evenings, the organisers had planned a day out to a surprise location. So after our lectures, we got onto a bus and were on our way. We drove through the beautiful Cotswold countryside in summer, a vibrant green, dotted with small stone villages. And the destination turned out to be Waddesdon Manor - a huge manor house built by the Rothschilds (and later donated to the UK National Trust). Generally I am not a ‘buildings tour’ kind of person, but this was an enjoyable experience for me.

A dinner room

It was raining when we got there, and our tour wasn't to start till much later. So we hung out in the cafe, admiring the rain outside (just kidding!) till we could start our tour. And we were mind-blown. Every room was decorated with paintings from great masters, expensive carpets, exquisite furniture, vases, ceramics, silver, jewels and so much more. There were multiple dining rooms laid out with elaborate silverware. There were displays of antiquities as well as modern equipment from that time, including never-seen-before machines of that era. There was a jewel room with displays of some of the famous and expensive stones owned by the family. It was a huge place, and every room was full of such displays, it was tough to leave it to move to the next room. And it took us a few hours just to see the whole place.

A living room

It was just astounding to imagine how much money the Rothschilds would have had, to create a place like this. The Manor felt more like a museum, with a collection vast enough to challenge any museum. And that was true. This Manor was never a home, the family did not live here. It was not even an old country house of some British titled family. It had been built much later in the 1800s, by the Rothschilds, a business family, purely for the purpose of entertaining rich and successful people, networking as we call it now 😃. So it had been commissioned and decorated with art pieces sourced from across the world, with the single aim of impressing their rich guests. Later on, I read about the Rothschilds and was even more intrigued - the family that stays quiet but is said to be so rich and powerful that they are said to still be behind many economic and political decisions taken across the world. Interesting!

Gardens outside

Also, this Manor is the location where the famous introductory scene of Shah Rukh Khan in Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham was shot - when he steps out from a helicopter and runs toward the home where his mother is waiting. We enacted that scene for our Instagram reels, that was fun 😂.

The Stables

The gardens were even more spectacular. Just behind the house were some well landscaped gardens full of colourful flowers. And when I walked around the estate, I came across some stables, art houses and a lot more. But sadly, we didn't have enough time to explore it all. So after our tour, we headed back to Oxford, through some stunning scenery again. 

Ashmolean Museum

I had kept half a day free on my last day to walk around town and enjoy the (sometimes) nice British summer. But it ended up raining the whole day. So I did what I generally don't, go to a museum, the Ashmolean in this case. And what a revelation that was! It turned out to be a big one, with about half a million objects displayed over four floors. So I spent the next 3 hours in the museum admiring art from around the world, ending with a quick snack at the rooftop restaurant.

In the art section, the Ashmolean houses paintings, sculptures and ceramics but given the limited time I had, I walked around only the Post-Renaissance paintings section. And it was an absolute pleasure to explore it. I saw pieces from some new artists that I was drawn to - Panini, Canaletto, Joshua Reynolds, Courbet, Edward Lear and Thomas Moran (his painting reminded me of my favourite painting from Thyssen).

And then of course, there were the pieces from the greats. There is something about these legends - their art always draws you. 70% of the paintings I stopped at turned out to be painted by greats, like Constable, Guardi and Renoir. And clearly I was improving in my art appreciation given how I noticed them 😀. My favourites as usual were their landscape oil paintings and sketches.

I also did a quick tour in the world cultures section, exploring some of the Indian stone sculptures and textiles, Greek sculptures, Chinese ceramics and textiles, and Japanese paintings. There were just so many interesting things here from around the world. The pieces from the Arabic world, linked to their architecture, were impressive. And I realised that the Gupta period architecture defined a lot of how Indian architecture evolved into what it is today. Also, exhibits from Egypt are always so fascinating. But I wasn’t able to explore that section much, so next time.

But seriously, the UK has so much of global artefacts and treasures, they can have museums spread across the country and still not be able to display all they have. As usual, most of the stuff in the museum was from around the world. And in between some British things were kept to indicate 'we also had some history and culture .

My last day in Oxford was also “Alice Day” a day when people dress up as characters from Alice in Wonderland and join in parades throughout Oxford (as Lewis Carroll was also from Oxford). As it was raining, it seemed like the event was cancelled but while going back from the Ashmolean, I saw some people on the street dressed up as characters from the novel. But alas I had to run, so wasn't able to join the festivities at all.


And as I always end my articles, till another time. I enjoyed my stay in Oxford, learning so much, from the course I had signed up for but beyond that too. And I would suggest these summer courses to anyone looking to learn again, they are totally worth it.

Scandinavian driving trip (4): Stavanger and around (Norway)

Itinerary (1) 
Netherlands to Sweden (2)
Bergen and around in Norway (3)

Pulpit rock

After Bergen, we moved towards Stavanger and spent our last few days in Norway exploring the countryside around. The highlight of this part of our travels was the stay in the absolutely wonderful island of Mosteroy, as well as the hike up Pulpit Rock and the grand views overlooking Lysefjord. After all that, leaving Norway was tough, and the drive back was the most boring two days of our trip.


Day 10: Drive from Bergen to Stavanger (Mosteroy island) (4.5h), with stop at Haugesund

Today we left Bergen and started driving towards Stavanger, our next stop. Most of the drive was along the fjords, and coastal islands of Norway, jumping from one island to another either through bridges or on ferries. The islands were mostly green and uninhabited. And the drive when on land was through stunning valleys and green hills.

The ferry crossings were extremely scenic too. And the boarding and departure so seamless. You drive to the seafront, drive on when the ferry docks, park on the ferry and get off for a bit, go up the deck to check out the views around, get back to your car as soon as you hear the announcement and drive off as soon as the ferry reaches the destination. And then repeat again. It was so seamless, it felt like the ferries were part of the road route itself (which is how it was intended).

And from the ferry, the views of the islands and the sea around were magnificent. The air was crisp, the wind so refreshing and the surroundings ethereal. And the sunny day made the journey even more pleasant. It was interesting to see how the ferry part of the travel was also fun. 

Haugesund waterfront

On the route to Stavanger, we had only one stop, in the town of Haugesund. It was a lovely sweet little town along the sea. We parked our car and walked to the waterfront. It all seemed very serene and calm. Then we walked on a bridge to the other side of the water, towards the sea. And we saw huge crowds getting off from the cruises. Suddenly the town became more busy than expected as it was on the Norway cruise route! So we hurried back to the waterfront, to eat before the crowds booked out everything 😅.

Haugesund waterfront

There were a row of restaurants all along the waterfront. We ate Indian food there, at India Gate, and chatted with the owner, who was again from Punjab. We walked around town and the buildings around looked so pretty and charming. Then we walked to the city centre, towards the market, and were quite impressed - there was a lot of nice stuff there. Probably because the cruises stopped here, they had a huge clientele to sell to. The market was also so lively, with street artists playing music and so many people hanging around - a typical summer day in the Nordics. But it got quite hot by early afternoon, so we left for Stavanger soon.

Overall, the roads of Norway were impressive. Most of the roads were single lane and very few double laned roads. So using the autopilot on the Tesla was tough. I noticed that the Norwegians generally drove faster than the speed limit on the highways. That was unexpected.Also the roads around the fjords and mountains were full of tunnels, and quite long ones. Being in 5-10 km long tunnels was so common here. Apparently Norway has the third-longest road tunnel network in the world. Whenever crossing over from one island to another or driving under the mountains, more often than not, we encountered one. It was interesting that sometimes you would just enter a mountain and come out to a very different place on the other side. Or be on an island, and then suddenly on another one without having seen water!

We kept marvelling at the length of these tunnels and how difficult they would have been to construct. A lot of the tunnels had an unfinished look to them, with rocks jutting out from the sides. And that day we drove through a tunnel which had a roundabout, inside the tunnel! That was something we hadn't seen yet. Everything about the tunnels was impressive. They even had very bright lights inside, towards the end of the tunnel, to help drivers’ eyes adjust gradually to daylight after the long darkness inside. It's as if they had thought of everything and mastered the science of making tunnels. 

Our Airbnb

In Stavanger, we were staying in an airbnb holiday home on a nearby island called Mosteroy. Towards the end of our journey, we took a ferry to get quickly to Mosteroy, as otherwise the drive would have been much longer. We reached early this time, before sunset, so we could admire our home for the next few days. And boy, was it some abode! Mosteroy was a small green island, surrounded by sea on all sides. And on the island, were farms, farmhouses, boathouses and some luxury holiday homes. We were staying at one such place, a wooden house with 3 floors, a garden, a hot tub and outside sitting areas on every level. With spectacular views of the sea and islands surrounding Mosteroy.

Mosteroy island

We settled in the apartment and enjoyed watching the sun go down from our living room. It was lovely. And after dinner, we went out for a short walk to the waterfront, walking past the boats moored along the boathouse. It was all so natural, so gorgeous, so amazing. Wow, even remembering this scene gives me joy again.  


Day 11: Stavanger and Mosteroy

View from our Airbnb

We spent half of the next day indoors and within Mosteroy as it was raining. In the morning, I went mountain biking around the island and was amazed by its scenic beauty. The island was green, and all around you could see the nearby islands, bridges leading to those islands and the roads connecting them all. And on Mosteroy, we could see villages and farms and farm horses on land, and boats and boathouses on the waterfront everywhere. There were many clusters of holiday homes and communities dotting the island too.

In the afternoon, we drove to Stavanger and explored it all evening. It was cute, though not as impressive as Bergen. Also it started raining soon, so our experience was affected. We first walked to the Fargegaten area, the city centre with colourful shops everywhere. It was right next to the waterfront which is the most active part of town. The market area was full of colourful shops and alive with people. We walked up to the Valberg tower which had a good view of the town below. This side of town was full of bright coloured buildings everywhere.

Fargegaten city centre

Stavanger waterfront

Gamle street

Then we walked to the other side of town, to the white Gamle Stavanger area (also known as Straen), an old historic charming street in white. It is a pedestrian street, with about 200 wooden houses, all painted white with orange roofs. They are all so tastefully decorated, with colourful flowers and other decorations. Walking there was so much fun. The street looked so postcard-perfect, with all the summer flowers in full bloom. It was like we were walking through a painting. And though a tourist experience, it was still enjoyable.

Then we attended a live concert on the waterfront, where a band of four women were performing. It was fun as they were singing some well know pop songs and against such a stunning background - with the waterfront, all the shops and daylight even at 8pm! There were a few museums around town too. But it felt less active than Bergen. Also, as it started raining soon, after the short town tour, we headed back quickly to our island.


Day 12: Hike up to the Preikostolen (Pulpit rock)

Today was a day reserved for hiking up to the Preikostolen (the Pulpit Rock), one of the 3 famous hikes of Norway (the other two being Trolltunga and Kjeragbolten). So we drove about 40 kms, to the start of the Pulpit rock hike on Strand island. The drive there was mostly through tunnels, one of which was a 12 kms one. Apparently, it is one of the world’s longest sub-sea tunnels, running under the fjord, between the islands.

Views on the hike

Strand island was gorgeous. And we got some very majestic views of the fjords from the island. The rain had stopped and the sun soon came out too, which made everything even more stunning. We parked our car inside the Preikestolen Basecamp. It was quite crowded there with many other activities options other than hiking. Like canoeing, swimming, and ziplining. We though had come for the hike, and did just that. We walked around 8 kms in about 5 hours. Overall, it was not too strenuous a hike. And gave us enough time to stop and enjoy the views on the way.

Pathways on the hike

Most of the route was rocky, but well maintained. At places where it was boggy, there were wooden pathways. And places where it was steep, steps had been made to make it easier to walk. There was a stretch in between where we climbed nearly 300m within just 600 meters of the hike. This steep part was quite scary. Also the pathways for some of these steepest parts of the hike have been built by sherpas from Nepal. And even though the hike was tough, we saw so many children going up, and many people were carrying their babies on the hike! So I guess it's not considered an unsafe or difficult hike at all. Overall the walk was fun, with some awe-inspiring panoramic views all around.

Bogs on the hike

Steep pathways

Lysefjord from the top

And of course the feeling of being on the Rock was exhilarating. Once on the top, you can see the Lysefjords all the way below. And for hundreds of kms on both sides. The grandness of the sight is beyond explanation. Being there feels like you on top of the world, but also one with nature. We were there at the peak for a while, just admiring the scenery around us. You can never spend too much time at a place like this.  

On top of Pulpit Rock

The hike down was of course faster, but as grand. Coming down the steep steps took a bit of time though. The weather got a bit iffy on the hike too, sometimes it started raining, though most of the time it was sunny. In fact we saw all weathers - sunny, rainy, windy, cold - at different times on the 5 hour hike. Surprisingly the trail was not too crowded though we had read a lot about how crazy it gets there. In fact I had heard it sometimes gets tough to even find parking but that didn't happen to us. The drive back was gorgeous too and now we drove through a tunnel with multiple exits within the tunnel! Another something I hadn't seen before.

In the evening, I went cycling around Mosteroy island again. It looked so enchanting in the evening. And this time I cycled along beautiful wooden houses, with a stunning sunset in the background. I also ran into wild deer around the island, a few of them just hanging around as if they did this everyday. It was a very nice end to the day. (Also, I think after this, I had seen all the Nordic wildlife there is to see, mountain goats, deer and fox (spotted earlier in Copenhagen)). And just like that, our Nordic driving trip was coming to an end. So I spent this evening just soaking in all the beauty and serenity it had to offer. As the next day, we would start our long trek back to Amsterdam.

Mosteroy island

Cycling on Mosteroy

Day 13: Drive from Stavanger to Kolding (Denmark) (7h plus 3h on ferry)

We left Stavanger early and drove along the southern Norwegian coast towards Kristiansand, to take a ferry to Denmark. These were going to be our last views of Norway, and I was feeling really sad leaving it. All along the way, the views were spectacular - majestic mountains, rolling green valleys, lakes at every turn, small villages and wooden cabins everywhere. It was just so uplifting to drive through it. And no photographs can capture the beauty of this stunning landscape.

Tesla charging stop at Vilesa

Even the Tesla supercharger we stopped at, at Vilesa, was scenic. We walked across the road, through some stunning grasslands, along some huge bungalows. And enjoyed even this waiting experience so much. And apparently the other side of the Tesla supercharger was a huge lake. It is sometimes so unbelievable how a place could be so stunningly beautiful! It was so tough to leave such a divine place, I just kept thinking the whole time how much I would miss it.

We were to stop at Kristiansand on the way as it is supposed to be a scenic town, but we got stuck in traffic before getting onto the ferry (after not having been stuck in traffic even once in the last 10 days!), so we didn't get a chance to explore the town. And reached the ferry early, ending up waiting 1.5 hours at the boarding gates 😆.

There was also a lot of confusion if a passport was required to board the ferry or not. I was not carrying mine as we were travelling within the Schengen area. But the ferry checkin email mentioned a passport check at boarding. So I called up the local police, the police at Kristiansand, the immigration centre at Kristiansand and of course the ferry company. But not a single person was able to confirm to me whether a passport was required or not. So I got it couriered from the Netherlands, and in the end it turned out it wasn't required 😆.

It was a long 3-hour ferry to Denmark, and we sat in the sun for a while, enjoying the breeze of the Skagerrak Strait. There wasn't a lot to see though, just the vast ocean. But the wind and sun made it relaxing. It also gave us some quiet minutes to say our goodbyes to Norway. Then we landed in Denmark. And once there, the drive felt so boring, Through green plains, with no mountains or lakes to keep you interested, it felt so lacklustre compared to the spectacular landscapes we had left behind. But the roads did get better and wider. And the speed limit increased which helped us drive faster.

Today was going to be a long driving day, so I had just booked a hotel at the last minute in a town on the way to Amsterdam. It was called Kolding. We reached our hotel, the Hotel Kolding very late. It was lovely and convenient. And the perfect night stop on the long drive. I didn't go out but some people in our group did. And said it was a cute little town with a lake and a nice park. And that’s the beauty of Europe - even small places on the way have a charm and beauty of their own.


Day 14: Drive back from Kolding to Amsterdam (9h)

I think this was the most boring day of the trip, either because it was through Germany or because we were coming back and our enthusiasm was down. We left early from Kolding and just drove through simple grasslands in Denmark, green fields in Germany and flatlands of Netherlands to reach Amsterdam quickly. Barely stopping on the way, other than at two Tesla superchargers. And just like that, the trip to Scandinavia was over.


It had been so much fun to experience the Nordics. Exploring the cities, the beaches, the mountains. And everything else in between. It was also so much fun to drive across these vast countries. We drove more than 4500 kms over the two weeks. And I loved Norway the most - the country is just stunning. It's grand and majestic, and a place I can visit again and again. And it took me a long while to get over the hangover from the trip, and forget the gorgeousness that’s Norway. 


Map

Scandinavian driving trip (3): Sweden to Bergen and around (Norway)

Itinerary (1)
Netherlands to Sweden (2)

After taking five days to drive from Amsterdam to Sweden, on our sixth day, we finally entered Norway. We still took 2 days to reach Bergen, our first long stay destination in Norway, but we were already impressed with the stunning-ness of Norway, during our stop at Leveld and the experience in the fjords at Nærøyfjord on the way. The natural beauty of Norway is just magnificent, at every turn, and nothing I write below can capture the freshness and grandness of the place.

Walking up Mt Floyen

The highlights for me on this part of our trip were our stay in the cabin in Leveld, kayaking in Nærøyfjord, the views of Bergen from Mt Floyen and the serenity of Norheimsund lake. 




Day 6: Drive from Gothenburg to Leveld (Norway) (6.5h), with stops at Gothenburg and Oslo

Gothenburg city

In the morning, we spent a few hours exploring Gothenburg. We walked around in the old town, exploring the city centre. We started at the Haga market which was such a lively place, with colourful shops all around. (And interestingly the street next to it was completely empty!). Then we walked by some parks along the canal, lined with some grand buildings. There were also tons of statues everywhere. It was such a pleasant scenic walk, so simple yet pleasing to the eye. I was impressed with the town, and it felt quite picturesque at every turn.

Gothenburg from above

We then drove to the Keillers Park viewpoint nearby, at Ramberget, and we got a panoramic view of the city around. We could see the commercial areas along with the residential areas next to them. The view of the city from above was just average though. Walking through the town was more beautiful.

Gothenburg city

Then we were off to Oslo. The drive today was definitely prettier and more interesting than yesterday. And the whole vibe changed once we entered Norway. More mountains, more lakes, and very refreshing, with the bright green grass and colourful wild flowers all along the road. Our first stop in the country was in the capital, Oslo. And getting in was interesting. We were hoping to drive around town and see how it is, but somehow we landed into a tunnel which took us from the outskirts of town, directly into the city centre, completely skipping the entire city 😆.

Oslo waterfront

We spent most of our time walking around the Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen areas, the city centre with the pier and waterfront. And we loved it, the vibrant atmosphere there, with the shops and apartments right next to the sea. We had an Indian lunch at New Delhi, which had very tasty food. The owners of the restaurant were from Punjab, so we chatted with them for a while. Then we walked around the pier. It was full of tourists, with people taking cruises into the fjord, which came all the way in to the city centre. The waterfront was lined with boats and ferries. Then we walked inland a bit, and there were a few nice parks around, again with a lot of statues. It was quite a pleasure to walk around town, especially as it was sunny and clear weather. 

And then we were off to our next stop, to a non-descript place on the way, called Leveld. (It is a small village near Ål, in the Hallingdal valley). The drive was stunning, with valleys and lakes, high mountains with wooden cabins, and greenery everywhere the eye could see. There were many camping spots on the way, and the place seemed quite outdoorsy. On the way, we stopped to charge the Tesla and even that spot was mesmerising. It was next to a river, and we took a break, enjoying watching a calm sunset over the gushing river waters. The whole drive was just so enjoyable and refreshing, we could have gone on forever.

Cabin in Leveld

Given our two stops during the day, we reached our accommodation very late, around 11pm. And what a big miss it was! Our airbnb for the night was a small wooden cabin located on a hillside, which overlooked what looked like paradise. I totally loved it, the feel, the views and the feeling of being at a place like that. Green grass in front with red Norwegian houses and farmlands in the valley, till wherever the eyes could see. The owner lived right next door and let us in. It was a place we would have loved to walk around and explore, it was so heavenly. But alas I had booked an early morning activity the next day, and so we had to leave early again ☹️.

Interestingly this was the only accommodation on this trip that I was a bit skeptical about how it would be, as it was a simple wooden cabin in a village, but it turned out to be the most spectacular of all.


Day 7: Drive from Leveld to Bergen (4.5h), with kayaking and cruise at Naeroyfjord

We left Leveld early in the morning and drove towards the fjords. And now that we were in Norway, the views for the next one week were just stunning. The drive that day was delightful. Through mountains and lakes. Small streams everywhere, gushing with water. And the mountains full of wild flowers. Also, we drove through so many tunnels, we were impressed with the road infrastructure of the country. Soon, we entered into fjord country, the west coast of Norway. And after this point, our surroundings got even more breathtaking. In fact, stunning beauty became so omnipresent, it almost became a way of life.

Gudvangen

We drove towards Naeroyfjord which was a bit of a diversion and had many small remote villages all along the fjord. Part of the group were to take an organised ferry in the fjord, from the village of Flam to Gudvangen. And the others were to go kayaking in the fjord, from Gudvangen. We first dropped some of our group at Flam for the ferries. It was quite a pretty little town. And then we drove to the village of Gudvangen where we were to start kayaking from.

Cliffs of Naeroyfjord

We had signed up for a 24 kms kayaking trip in the fjord, with Nordic Ventures Adventure Sports in Gudvangen. Kayaking there is supposed to be an exhilarating experience, given it is one of the narrowest fjords in the world, with steep cliffs rising more than a thousand metres on both of its sides. We got ready, got our instructions and then were off in the fjord. It was quite a tiring experience I must say, but really worth it. We saw the mountains up close, those giant masses. And multiple waterfalls falling from above. We saw mountain goats in the villages. We saw some farmer villages along the fjord, some of which become uninhabited during the winter months. We even stopped at one spot where the guide made lunch for us to eat. It was a simple lunch, but tasted heavenly given all the exercise we had got.

View from the kayak

It was a very windy day that day and one group in our kayaking party got lost! So the guide left us by the shoreline, and went back to get them. Thankfully we found them and then continued on our trail. At one point it did feel like it would be tough to finish the kayak tour 😂. But we made it! We ended the tour in the village of Undredal, another small little charming town along the fjord. And then a shuttle picked us up and dropped us back at Gudvangen. It had been such an extraordinary day, with such awe-inspiring views during the day. It was quite an experience to be in the fjords and see what it looks like up close. It was also a sign of what was to come in the next few days.

And then though tired, I had to drive for 4 more hours to get to Bergen. The drive there was through striking scenery again, with lakes and wooden cabins and greenery. And as we got close to Bergen, there were just rows and rows of hills covered with beautiful houses, all next to the sea. We had a very enjoyable drive to get to Bergen, and I don't think I can describe Norway’s beauty that easily. It just has to be lived.

It had also started pouring by then. So it took us a while to find our airbnb in Bergen. But this place also turned out to be a stunner, and was very welcome after such a long tiring day. It was a nice luxury home in a residential area of outside of the city centre. And a good base for the next three days.


Day 8: Explored Bergen, climbed up Mt Floyen

Walking in Bergen

The next day, we spent the whole day exploring the town of Bergen. And I fell in love with the city. I would love to spend a month living here. It's just so charming, so stunning, so relaxed, and so seeped in nature, it's absolutely lovely. We first walked from our airbnb to the city centre. It was through some elegant looking streets, colourful residential areas, well manicured parks, over bridges and along the water. We ambled through the Nygardsparken park which was stunning to walk through. And we also walked by many murals on the streets, some of which looked like Banksy’s.

Lille Lungegardsvann lake

We stopped at the Lille Lungegårdsvann lake and its central fountain which had a nice backdrop of the Bergen mountains. And then we walked through some gorgeous gardens with a colourful flower canopy. The whole area felt surreal, and it being a sunny day helped bring out its beauty even more. I can't even imagine living in a city which is so grand and magnificent. 

Bryggen Wharf

Then we walked through the shopping area, to Torget Square, the location of the famous Bergen fish market, the Fisketorget. We walked up to Bryggen street, past the iconic Bryggen Wharf with its colourful old Norwegian houses, all painted in bright colours and then around the waterfront. Here, there were some cruises parked for the day, and all the cruise tourists were exploring the city centre. This whole area was extremely active and lively that summer day.

Walk up Mt Floyen

Bergen is known for its seven surrounding hills, some of which are hikeable. So we decided to go up one of those, Mt. Floyen. This hike was quite popular and started from the Torget Square itself. It was quite a short hike, about 3 kms long with a 400 metres ascent. We initially walked past some gorgeous houses overlooking the town. And then the path became narrow through the forests. And we kept getting increasingly better views of the city down below.

Lake Skomakerdiket

The top was crowded as there was also a Floibanen funicular which goes up to the top. And there was so much activity going on there. On the top, there were many activities going on. Including at the Skomakerdiket lake where people were doing watersports. People were even canoeing there. We took a walk all around it. It was quite a tranquil little lake, located up a mountain. 

Bergen islands from Mt Floyen

Then we went to the Floyen viewpoint, from where you can get a 180 degrees view of the town below. We just sat there for a while, enjoying the views of the city. We could see all the seven hills surrounding Bergen, the colourful houses below and all the way till the surrounding islands far off. It was just so breathtakingly beautiful, we didn't want to leave this place. But after a while, we had to.

Flowers canopy

When we walked down, we ate freshly caught cod at the Bergen fish market, the Fisketorget. The fish was tasty but it was so bland, that even I had to ask for some sauces to put on it! The fish was very fresh though. And the atmosphere all around was so lively. With all the tourists coming through the ferries, the street performers playing local music, and everyone enjoying a nice weather day - it was just so joyous and lively. We hung out there for a while, and then walked all the way back to our airbnb, enjoying the city views as much on the walk back as on the walk in.


Day 9: Drive around Hardanger fjords, with stops at Haga village, Steinsdalfossen waterfall, Norheimsund beach

Haga village

The next day, we left Bergen and explored the Hardangerfjord areas nearby, which is the longest fjord in the world. It's called the ‘Queen of the Fjords,’ and is one of Norway’s most scenic drives, dotted with waterfalls.We drove along the scenic route, mostly driving along the fjords.First we stopped at the Haga village on the way. It was a sweet little village, and we just walked around, having chai next to the waterfront.

View from Steinsdalfossen
 waterfall

Next we drove to the Steinsdalfossen waterfall, which allows one to walk behind the waterfall. It was located in quite a picturesque valley with a river nearby. We walked up the waterfall but also spent some time in the valley, going down to the river and putting our feet in the water.

Norheimsund beach

And the last stop of the day was at Norheimsund beach in the town of Norheimsund. It was just so serene, and so dazzlingly beautiful. To be in such surreal surroundings, next to a lake, with mountains and snow and houses all around. We swam in the lake for a bit, but mostly just took in the scene and the fresh air. And were just there..

Serenity at Norheimsund

Today was one of the most beautiful days of our trip, but the pictures and words can only explain as much of the joy of being at such places. I just loved being there and will definitely be back 




Map




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