Is Norway Expensive? Let’s Find Out…

To all those eager eyes & ears, this blog documents all my pre-travel checks & estimated expenses to plan my trip to Norway. Everything I know and researched about Norway would take a mention in my upcoming blogs.

As most of you know, this trip is a part of my birthday challenge to backpack Norway in under £100 (approx INR 9000). Read more about the challenge in this blog. This is the first time I’m documenting my researches and travel plans during my trip. Let me know how you feel about being a part of my journey.

Courtesy: Giphy

Being in Oslo for the last couple of days, I’ve tried spending more time to learn about the history and interacting with the locals to gain more insights about living in Norway.

Did you know, Norway was rated as the 2nd most expensive country in the world. Through my series of blogs I’ll take you on a path to enlightenment which testifies that you don’t need to spend a fortune to travel. All you need is a little patience & a pinch of flexibility. I have always travelled budget since my college days. I am a strong doer of things that others finding it challenging. My friends always crib about my travels and how expensive is travelling for them. However, I have a different opinion – Why do I have to spend a fortune on something that can be done in budget? That’s exactly how I travel.

Let’s deep dive into Norway!

Let’s look at some of the top reasons, that makes Norway Expensive

• World’s highest living standards – highest GDP per capita
• Oil Sheikh of Europe (contributes to 20-25% of GDP & world’s 5th largest oil exporter)
• Expensive arctic farming & cultivation (makes food expensive)
• 25% VAT + additional tax on items that are bad for health (alcohol, cigarettes, cars)
• High taxes for benefits – Citizens have FREE education, health care & social security, generous pension schemes

Courtesy: Giphy

What is affordable in Norway?

• Seafood & fish
• Electricity is half the price due to abundant hydro power
• Camping is free, yes you read it right
• Imported stuff are cheaper than native manufactured items

Some of my best budget international travel experiences have been in Sri Lanka (INR 7000), Bhutan (INR 6000), Cologne (£75), Berlin, Antwerp, Edinburgh (£50). Host me to know more about these experiences 😉

And don’t forget to keep watching this space for some amazing budget backpacking tips that I am experiencing in Oslo…

Courtesy: Giphy

If you have any special tips for my current time in Oslo, dont forget to drop me a comment below.

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Off to Norway on my birthday and this is what I have planned…

Say Hello to celebrations, bonfires, fall leaves, scary pumpkins, woolly sweaters, fur boots, cold nights & hot chocolates…

Courtesy: Giphy

It’s OCTOBER and my birthday month, no prizes for guessing my age, however, don’t forget to wish me ‘Happy Journey’ while you celebrate Halloween & I celebrate my trip to a new city in a new country. To top it up, it’s gonna be doubly interesting due to BREXIT happening on my special day (anyway let’s not discuss that here :-P).

Courtesy – Giphy

Did you know on my birth day,
– WW2 Battle of Britain ended
– Mount Rushmore construction completed after 14 years
– Statue of Unity began and opened to public
– every year I make it a point to travel to a new destination (Himachal, Kerala, Singapore, Andaman, Berlin so far)
– this year its neither my way nor your way, coz its Norway

So I have planned a short trip to Norway to celebrate my birthday this year in the Scandinavia. Last year I was gifted a surprise trip to Berlin on my birthday by my partner. This year since my visa expired, I had to apply for a new one & this doesn’t come by surprise, as you all know the visa procedure is a bit time consuming.

Being on Indian passport, it’s not easy to get through countries without a valid visa. My current Schengen visa got me frustrated when I got to know the duration of its validity. I was only given the number of my trip days as the duration of visa validity 😦 Disgusting news for a traveller like me. I would never recommend anyone to Norway embassy for a schengen visa.

I usually keep an eye on the flight tickets from UK to rest of the world for budget getaways. This time I managed to grab a great travel bargain from Ryanair with return tickets to Norway as cheap as £30 (which is about $37 & INR 2600). Do I need any other excuse to travel? Not really, but what about my work? Well, I will be burning just two working days from my annual leaves for this holiday 🙂

Courtesy: Giphy

In the next 15 days, I will be booking my accommodation & local transport (if any). I’ll be obliged to hear about your trips if you have been to Oslo before. Do drop a comment on this blog about your recommendations & experiences for me.

Last but not the least, I have challenged myself to get this vacation done in under £100. Do you think I’ll be able to succeed? I would love to hear from you.

A goal without plan is just a wish, so let’s start planning…

Paris Travel Blog – Latin Quarters

One of the oldest areas in Paris, best known for its Bohemian charm attracting budget travellers and students. This quarter is famous among students due to many educational institutions, the notable one being Sorbonne University (which is a home to 125 labs that specializes in science & medicine).

Grande Mosquée de Paris – 3 euros
First mosque built in France between 1922 and 1926 to thank the 100,000 Muslim fighters who fought for the French flag during the First World War. You will discover the beautiful gardens and architecture inspired by the Moroccan mosque of Fez. The visits happen only on Saturdays.

Courtesy: commons.wikimedia.org

Boulevard St Michel – FREE
Due to its close proximity to the university, this street is sprinkled with lively cafe, books, bars and shops, especially with the student community.

Courtesy: wikimedia commons

Pantheon – Full price 9 euros
An 18th-century church built in honour of St. Genevieve. Don’t forget to notice the iron framed dome which was inspired by St Paul’s cathedral in London. There is a viewing area at the top (charges applicable). Open from 10am-6pm daily but the last entry might be restricted around 5pm.

Courtesy: uroburos,Pixabay

Shakespeare & Company – FREE
Iconic, delightful, bi-level independent bookstore that stocks new & used titles, since 1951. If you buy a book here, it will be stamped with Shakespeare & Co Kilometre Zero Paris.

Courtesy: shakespeareandcompany.com

Cluny Museum – National Museum of the Middle Ages – FREE on first sundays
If you love history and are inquisitive about the medieval era, this place is just for you. The entry to this museum is free for all from 20th Aug 2019 to 16th Sep 2019. More information can be found here. The museum is closed on Tuesdays and ticket prices on other days range upto 9 euro.
For more details, download this tariff pdf.

Have you checked the other top things in Paris? 😉

Paris Travel Blog – Luxembourg Quarters

From the series of my Paris travel blogs, this place is known for having the most beautiful landmark in the city – Jardin de Luxembourg, which dates back to 1612.

Jardin du Luxembourg – FREE
17th-century park built with the Luxembourg Palace (former Royal residence), with well laid paths and manicured gardens, statues and benches to enjoy your family picnic under the sun shine. There is an octagonal shaped lake at the centre of this garden. The garden is home to Senat, famous statues like Statue Paul Verlaine, Statue de la Liberté, and Marie De Medicis fountain. Closeby, there is another garden – Jardin des Grands Explorateurs which leads to the great 2 minute pit stop for Fontaine de l’Observatoire. A 1873 fountain, made of bronze is located towards the southern tip of the garden.

Mineralogy Museum – FREE for under 12
A school of mines with a largest and notable collection of minerals, rocks, meteorites & gems. Tip – Closed on Sundays, Mondays and national holidays + on Saturdays (Jul-Aug). For general admission it is €6 and discounted is €3 accepts only cash payments.

Musée du Luxembourg – FREE for under 16
Love artworks in the form of paintings? Check this museum which has plenty of impressive collection from Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt and temporary exhibitions. Book tickets here.

Église Saint-Sulpice – FREE
Classical 17th century Roman Catholic church which was designed by an Italian architect.

Catholic Church of the Val-de-Grâce – FREE
Most beautiful church in France known for its notable dome structure. However, It is now served as a military hospital.

Top Things to See in Paris – Travel Blog

Bonjour! Paris is the most visited city in the world, also known as the ‘La Ville Lumiere’ aka city of lights. It gets it’s nickname as suggested from the theories in the past that Paris was the first of the European cities to adopt gas street lightning and perhaps also to have the centre of education and innovation.

Through my blog I’ll take you on my trip to Paris that we explored on foot which is an average of 15 km per day, (the route along the Seine is my favourite one). The places are in the order of our walking trail from one end of the city to the other, might help you to plan, if you’re looking for an itinerary area-wise or day-wise.

Let us have a quick glance at the divisional districts in the Paris city which is also known as quarters. Below, I have mentioned only the ones I have travelled to.
(PS: the below links would be updated once I have completed the detailed blog 😀 so keep watching this space )

• Montparnasse
• Luxembourg Quarters
• Latin Quarters
• The Marais
• Beaubourg and Les Halles
• Opera Quarters
• Tuileries Quarters
• Ile St-Louis and Ile de la Cite
• St-Germain des Pres
• Invalides and Eiffel Tower Quarters
• Champs-Elysees

What are you waiting for?

This what you should know if you’re travelling to Paris

Previous article here

France falls under the Schengen region of the Europe which means you should have a Schengen visa while travelling to France. However, the Schengen countries have a border treaty, which means you are free to roam from one Schengen country to the other without any border control in the Europe.

The best and the easiest way to get around Paris is to walk. Central Paris is compact and we covered the whole of it on foot. You can also cycle around, as Paris is well equipped for cyclists and rental bikes.

Arriving in Paris:

• Ferry
  Calais is the connecting link from the Eurotunnel.
• Air
  Charles de Gaulle is the main airport to the north of the city. Take RER line B to reach Chatelet (city) and then metro services within the city (about 40 mins).
  Orly airport is to the south of Paris. There are frequent bus and train services towards the city. Bus would be the best choice from Orly to connect towards the city.
• Train
  The train connectivity is very frequent with services to and from Amsterdam, Bonn, Brussels, Cologne, Lille, Basel, Luxembourg, Vienna, Geneva, Lyon, Milan, Rome, Zurich, Barcelona, Madrid, London (Eurostar) and many more. We arrived from London via the Eurostar on the English channel, one of the best train travels I’ve witnessed.

To travel longer distances from Paris city, we used RER (underground in Paris) and Metro. I found them to be convenient and a cheaper option to cover any distance that we couldn’t walk. Metro tickets are valid on RER as well. RER is very useful if you’re travelling to & fro the airport or outside Paris to Paris city. You may also use the buses, operated by RATP (which runs the Metro), which means you can use the same ticket on bus & train. There are Trams too in the city centre which again is operated by RATP.

Food in Paris:
Taste for good cuisine is the greatest pleasure for Parisians. You will find a lot of bistros, tearooms and cafes all over.

• If you’re a vegetarian like me it’s a bit difficult to survive in Paris as there are very few vegetarian options to indulge into. I indulge into different types of local produce like breads, croissants, cheese and pastries in Europe.
• Budget travellers can pick up food from Monoprix chain of supermarket for the on-the-go lunch and snacks. We usually do a lot of on the go as we love eating and walking down the streets than sit in a fancy restaurant (time-constrained travellers).
• For non-vegetarians, don’t forget to dive into the traditional French cuisine like steak frites, cassoulet and confit of duck.
• Classic french cuisine to try – Escargots la bourguignon (snails), Moules mariniere (mussels), Coq au vin (chicken)…if you know any others to suggest please drop it in the comments below.

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Tourist information:

• Visit the tourist information desk in Paris near Jardin des Tuileries for maps, tickets, brochures and city related information and help.
• Most of the museums charge admission fee, however, if you’re under 18 years of age & resident of EU, you are admitted free of charge.
• Senior citizens and students have great discounts at museums, cinemas and monuments (upto 25%) if they provide a valid proof of age.
• Openings hours might be 10am to 6pm, don’t forget to check before you visit. National museums in Paris are closed on Tuesdays.
• Check this pass for better family/tourist discounts. I didn’t use it as it didn’t suit my travel requirements.
• In France, the electric voltages are 220v and only round pin chargers fit into the sockets. I had to buy an adapter from the supermarket (cheapest option) as the British and Indian chargers didn’t fit into the socket.
• Call 112 – Police/ambulance/fire services for any emergency.
• Euro is the only currency used in Paris. Make sure you exchange your cash from reliable sources. If not, carry travel cards like we did. All major credit cards like Visa and Mastercard are accepted. Keep some coins and cash handy for street food/shopping.
• Last but not the least, this is my personal request and tip to all travellers. Please don’t bring/buy too much plastic with you when you travel. Carry your lunch boxes and refillable (good grade) water bottles. I drank tap water from refilling stations and restaurants and I’m still alive. Your future generation will thank me 🙂

Paris is a beautiful and overrated place to get lost…go and see it for yourself don’t blindly trust me 😛
Hope you find this blog helpful. Let me know in the comments 🙂

Europe Travel – Eurostar Paris

Emotions in my experience can never be covered in words…

Read previous chapter.

Feeling famished already, we walk to our coach and inspect all the numbered seats. “Look this one’s ours, you can take the window seat”, exclaimed Ravi. I smiled and cruised myself through the luggage’s and passengers waiting to pass by. We arranged our backpacks overhead the seats.

“Let’s have our dinner baby, we’re hungry”, said Ravi as his hands gently enter the food bag giving me options for dinner. Let’s eat the wraps first, else it’ll go stale until tomorrow. We hogged on the homemade wraps with vegetable stuffing and cheese (the stuffing used here is a fudgy version of Pav Bhaji from Indian cuisine). Not happy with just one, I’m obliged to take another serving assuring that its my last one. It’s a blessing when you travel with a partner who is a master chef & an outdoor expert. Imagine how Doraemon (Japanese Anime character), surprises Nobita with his magic pocket (wormhole), that’s exactly how Ravi is to me.

The adrenaline rush makes us stay awake all our journey through the English Channel. An hour later, we indulge in sipping some hot English coffee from our thermos. Tip – Don’t carry any separate mug, instead use the cap as a mug. The hot beverage slipped into our throats sipping in alternative turns and embracing the warmth seeping inside our gastro-intestinal track 😀

It was a working day for us, the day began at 05.00 and at 23.30 now, it still doesn’t seem to end. We’re now tired and all we crave is for a flat surface to rest our back at, at times your body fails to understand the support mechanism of the recliners over time. That’s the spooky truth of being a full time working yet a backpacker.

We arrive at Gare du Nord in Paris at 23.45, and have to rush to the local SNFC train to reach our accommodation.
We always prefer public transport anywhere round the globe, against uber or taxi. As we reach Paris, we had to be well versed with the transport especially during the night. And that’s where all my research comes into play 😉

My next blog will help you discover Paris from the eyes of a backpacker…

My Bookmarks:
Eurostar timetable
Paris by Train

Europe Travel – Eurostar London St. Pancras to Paris

“If you want a rainbow, you must shine in the rain”

Europe Travel – Harry Potter Platform 9-3/4

I have filled my life with adventures & not materials. Unfortunately or fortunately, I only have stories to tell, not things to show.

Europe Travel – Planning & Prerequisites Part 1

Friday – The golden child of the weekdays. The Superhero of the workweek. The welcome wagon to the weekend. The famous F word we thank God for, every week.