Five and a half things I’ve learnt about Norway

The first ‘must’ for any international adventure is enthusiasm…the second is research. No matter what your travel style – ‘wing it’, ‘nose-in-guide’ or ‘three page daily itinerary’ – there is always a need to read up about your destination (even if it’s only about how to get there).

Being the book worm that I am, this research phase pleases me exceedingly. So today (to reward myself for an almost completely disciplined study session), I curled up on my lounge and consulted the wise one we call the internet to learn more about Norway.

So far I’ve learnt…

Norway is home to about 3000 polar bears (about 1/8 of the world’s estimated wild polar bear population).
Norway’s currency is the Krone (or Kroner in the plural form). It is signified as ‘Kr’ or ‘NOK’ and currently, 1 Krone equals about Aus$0.17, £0.11 or €0.13. This 1NOK will buy you approximately 83 millilitres of milk, 1/250th of a pizza or 5 grams of chocolate.
A traditional Norwegian drink is aquavit, a spirit distilled from grain or potatoes that tastes like caraway and is usually drunk as a shot. The legal age to drink aquavit(or any other spirit) is 20 years, while wine and beer can be drunk legally at 18.
Fish is a big Norwegian export. There are currently more than 400 registered Norwegian fish exporters.
The arctic indigenous people, the Sami (or Lapps) are known for their reindeer herding skills. Norway is believed to be home to about 30,000 Sami people.

5.5. (I kinda knew a bit about this one already). The Northern Lights (a.k.a. aurora borealis) can be seen from Norway. This natural light display of moving colours is best seen in Northern Norway, above the Arctic Circle, between September and March.

Now, this is just the beginning of my research adventure; I’m sure I have much more to learn. Please share your experiences, knowledge and insights – I’d love to hear from you.

Links for more insight into Norway:

Lonely Planet – Norway travel tips

New York Times – photos of Oslo