Norway in a Nutshell questions
Apr 19th, 2004, 02:36 PM
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Norway in a Nutshell questions
Can you help me figure this out?
We have 9 days total in Norway, and are thinking that the nutshell could be the best use of our time if we do it slowly.
Here's our idea. 2 days in Oslo. Oslo to Bergen nutshell, stopping overnight at Stalheim. Where else does the tour stop that we could spend the night?
2 days Bergen, 2 days side trips from Bergen (where to go?).
Also, is the bus portion of Norway in a Nutshell bad for the car sick types? I've heard "hairpin" turns- makes me nervous!!!
Also, I can't seem to find a comprehensive website for the nutshell tour. Any links?
Thanks.
We have 9 days total in Norway, and are thinking that the nutshell could be the best use of our time if we do it slowly.
Here's our idea. 2 days in Oslo. Oslo to Bergen nutshell, stopping overnight at Stalheim. Where else does the tour stop that we could spend the night?
2 days Bergen, 2 days side trips from Bergen (where to go?).
Also, is the bus portion of Norway in a Nutshell bad for the car sick types? I've heard "hairpin" turns- makes me nervous!!!
Also, I can't seem to find a comprehensive website for the nutshell tour. Any links?
Thanks.
Apr 19th, 2004, 03:09 PM
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Instead of doing some side trips from Bergen, you can consider spending the night at the Stalheim and then the next day taking well coordinated public transporation across the Sognefjord to Balestrand. That's a good spot for a couple of days. Then take the ferry to Bergen for the rest of your stay.
Apr 19th, 2004, 03:12 PM
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I did the Norway-in-a-Nutshell tour two years ago, in late April. We spent the night in Flam (at the end of the train portion), and resumed the tour the next day. It is very quiet and peaceful in Flam, we enjoyed walking along the fjord.
As far as the bus part of the tour.... I have something of a fear of heights, especially driving along the edge of cliffs. The bus tour was definitely a white-knuckle experience for me. It didn't help that the driver was new, and actually had to put the bus in reverse and back up in order to get the bus around some of the hairpins
During the winter, the bus tour doesn't go up the steep route - they take a less scenic route.
But in spite of the scary bus ride, it is a very good tour and I'd recommend it.
As far as the bus part of the tour.... I have something of a fear of heights, especially driving along the edge of cliffs. The bus tour was definitely a white-knuckle experience for me. It didn't help that the driver was new, and actually had to put the bus in reverse and back up in order to get the bus around some of the hairpins
During the winter, the bus tour doesn't go up the steep route - they take a less scenic route. But in spite of the scary bus ride, it is a very good tour and I'd recommend it.
Apr 19th, 2004, 04:29 PM
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www.norwayinanutshell.com should help help answer some questions. I would suggest adding an extra night in Oslo-there are so many wonderful things to see-from the Viking museum on Bygdoy-Akerhus castle (including the Resistance museum) and the unforgettable Viegland Park. If you're going in the summer months, you'll be able to extend your day because of the lengthy daylight hours you'll have. Stalheim would be an excellent choice to overnight-and, yes, hairpin turns (17 if memory serves) they are all the way up to the top-but you'll be rewarded by views that are hard to describe because they're so beautiful! Relax, have fun and take plenty of film-this trip is amazing! ENJOY!
Apr 28th, 2004, 08:00 AM
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Sorry to hijack this string, but my questions are related, and I've had some trouble posting to the Norway category for some reason.
Is it advisable to buy the train ticket for Myrdal-Flam and the fjord cruise ticket to Gudvangen before I leave home? I'm going next month, late May and was wondering if I'd have any trouble buying tickets the day I decide to go. I'll be coming from Voss.
Also, regarding my trip in general: I'll be traveling through the western fjords at the end of May. It seems like a lot of people manage to see a lot in less time than I have, but I'm still getting concerned that my itinerary might be too hectic. Was looking for advice from the fjord experts, especially Bjorn who knows the area so well.
Fly into Bergen - 2 nights
Ulvik - 2 nights
Stalheim - 1 night.
Balestrand - 2 nights
Mundal/Fjaerland - 2 nights
Geiranger - 4 nights
Selje - 2 nights
Back to Bergen for flight home
Does this seem like too much to cram in or is it reasonable? What should be cut, if anything? Keep in mind that we'll be using public transport for the entire thing (don't feel like managing those roads, and have heard the connections are excellent anyway) so a lot of time will be spent on buses, trains, boats.
(BTW, Selje is just there because it seems they have a direct boat to Bergen, where we have to end up for the flight back to Amsterdam.)
Is it advisable to buy the train ticket for Myrdal-Flam and the fjord cruise ticket to Gudvangen before I leave home? I'm going next month, late May and was wondering if I'd have any trouble buying tickets the day I decide to go. I'll be coming from Voss.
Also, regarding my trip in general: I'll be traveling through the western fjords at the end of May. It seems like a lot of people manage to see a lot in less time than I have, but I'm still getting concerned that my itinerary might be too hectic. Was looking for advice from the fjord experts, especially Bjorn who knows the area so well.
Fly into Bergen - 2 nights
Ulvik - 2 nights
Stalheim - 1 night.
Balestrand - 2 nights
Mundal/Fjaerland - 2 nights
Geiranger - 4 nights
Selje - 2 nights
Back to Bergen for flight home
Does this seem like too much to cram in or is it reasonable? What should be cut, if anything? Keep in mind that we'll be using public transport for the entire thing (don't feel like managing those roads, and have heard the connections are excellent anyway) so a lot of time will be spent on buses, trains, boats.
(BTW, Selje is just there because it seems they have a direct boat to Bergen, where we have to end up for the flight back to Amsterdam.)
Apr 30th, 2004, 05:06 AM
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Reply for MarkAustin; your main problem is probably that you did not use the word Norway in your original post, you did use Norwegian, Balestrand, Geiranger, but that does not help if people search for 'Norway'. Usually when posting, scroll down on 'Pick a Topic' and choose the topic Norway before you write a question. This usually works, but using the word Norway somewhere in the text can help you getting noticed if something goes wrong. 
