Scandinavia- Norway, Sweden and Denmark

The planning of the faraway trip to Northern Europe began with my fascination for the Northern Lights. There were 3 of us – my mum, friend and I. What I enjoyed most in this trip was a better understanding of Northern Europe and its culture/land compared to zero knowledge on these places prior the trip. Northern Lights has always been somewhat magical to me and I had this thought when I was much younger that I would marry the man who proposed to me under the Lights. There was so much research and planning before the trip including crazy stocking up on thermal wear/gloves/socks and getting waterproof and slip-proof boots. I recalled I was excited and worried at the same time because it was my first time going on a winter holiday (it was on the extreme end of cold) and I was worried how my mum would take it. All in all, many misses and hits. I definitely want to go back Scandinavia again. More Northern Lights and maybe the midnight sun, anyone?

Our route: Tromso-Bergen-Flam-Oslo-Stockholm-Copenhagen

We went from 20 Mar-4 Apr 2015.

Tips

• Book train tickets early. The online booking opens 90 days prior to the travel dates and you can get cheaper tickets if you book on the opening day. Do note that some of their websites are not so English-friendly
• Book day/tour passes. Read up on the options available and compare which has the most savings for you. Note some require you to purchase in advance (before you enter the country)
• Spend more time travelling within a country and travel in depth than try to squeeze as many places as you can into your itinerary. You will have more time to appreciate the land/culture and having to avoid logistics hassle (which became almost like a horror as we had to move every other 2/3 days and lug our 20kg suitcases to/from train stations, go up/down the stairs and heave them up the stairs to board the trains and many of the streets/walkways are cobbled streets which are not exactly favourable in this case)
• My likes:
  • Sydspissen Hotel in Tromso (it has very reasonable rates and although it is further away from the city, I thoroughly enjoyed our 3 nights’ stay there as the view was scenic and the staff were super helpful. Book early!)
  • Chasing Lights tour team in Tromso (#1 Expedia votes as the best northern lights tour in Tromso and so expect to pay higher rates. The team was very friendly throughout and their expertise in chasing lights came in very helpful. We signed up for 3 consecutive nights and do mentally prepare yourselves for the long nights and try to keep warm. We experienced an unbelievable -22 degree Celsius when they drove us all the way into Finland to find clear skies)
  • Try dog-sledding! (initially I thought this was a super touristy thing to do but it brightened up everyone’s day. The thrill of driving your own sled of 4-6 dogs and the breath-taking scenery when you ride across the endless snow land makes this sport a must for your trip! We signed up with Chasing Lights)
  • Include the famous scenic railways- Bergen-Oslo and the Flam railway and a night’s stay at Flam (the scenic railways live up to their names and are worth it. I find the day and night sceneries attractive in different ways. It was also interesting that we experienced the daylight saving time while we were there and we were so worried if we got the time right as we had to catch an early train ride on that morning)
  • Fjord cruise (postcard worthy pictures from all angles)
  • Danish cookies (even those that we got last minute from the airport tasted so good and they are also very affordable gifts)
  • Everything Scandinavian (everything from their design, architecture, home décor to nature look so in-sync. I love their appreciation and respect for the nature. Cinnamon breads are everywhere and everyone is holding a cup of coffee as they stroll down the street/ chat. I love their home décor and wood furniture.)
  • The Northern Lights, of course (it’s a luck game. The more north you are at, the higher chances you have to see the lights. Usually at locations 70 degrees north as you may still be able to see it even when the aurora activity is low. The period to see the lights is between Sep and Mar.)