Travelling again: Norway

I stayed 6 nights in Stavanger, visiting an old friend (actually she's young, but we've been friends quite a while). It was nice to just be in a home for just a while. 

Stavanger is a really beautiful little city. Its centre and harbour front display beautiful old timber buildings on cobbled streets, and in the middle there's a little lake with a couple of swans currently displaying their new cygnets (swan chicks for those not knowing this). 

My friends took me to plenty of sights and a couple of museums. My favourite excursions were drives in the countryside, and a visit to an old Viking farm, called Jernaldergården. (Although it's only open on Sundays and we went mid week, a guy there escorted my friend and I into the main building and told us all about it, so, we were lucky). 

I also went salsa dancing! This was my first time since I left Australia. I don't travel with dance shoes (borrowed my friends), and I find its usually a lonely experience to go alone to a place where no-one knows you can dance. But, this time I was introduced to some very good dancers (and felt rather rusty in my style- or lack of!). 

In Stavanger I tried to make plans for the rest of Norway, but I know I'll change them. Firstly though, I'm in Bergen now... And it's horrible weather!

Norway: expensive!

I took a flight from Malaga (Spain) to Stavanger (Norway) to visit a heavily pregnant friend. I will, of course, take the opportunity to see some of the country too.

The first thing that struck me about Norway was the colour of everything. The light seems to have a different clarity to it and it's really lovely. It makes it seem as though the edges of everything are all the more crisp.

It's cold here, of course, but when the sun shines during the day it can be quite nice. I'm pleased I haven't yet throw away all my worn out layers.

The other thing that people will tell you is that it's quite expensive here. They're not kidding! A coffee in a cafe is about $6. A smoothie and a sandwich $30. And this was just a cafe in a shopping centre.

My highlight so far was taking a hike to Pulpit Rock. 2 hours of rugged hiking up, another 2 back down, and a bus and ferry journey each way. Here's a photo.