Norway in a Nutshell

While we did not do the "Norway in a Nutshell" tour that is offered by a travel agency in Norway, we did certainly get a glimpse of Norway over the course of our 2-week vacation.  It was absolutely amazing.  From the steep mountain peaks, to the narrow fjords, and from the small fishing towns on the Atlantic to the thriving Bergen metropolis...it truly was an unforgettable trip.  Words and pictures can't possibly capture the amazing-ness of this Scandinavian country.  And, perhaps the most amazing aspect of our trip was the rich and deep history of the country and all of its traditions, architecture, and landscape.  We saw things that have been there since the 12th century...keep in mind the Christopher Columbus didn't even find the Americas until the 1400s, so while the land was already inhabited before that date, there is very little (if any) written history.  Moreover, Oregon wasn't even made a state until the 1800s.  It was just crazy to think about and see the historic viking graves, ships, etc.

While Norway itself was amazing, it was also interesting to learn some more about myself and who I am as a person and a traveller.  I have always been aware that I am extremely introverted, in other words, I get my energy from solitude, myself, and taking things in.  This characteristic was highlighted on this trip! Not only am I an introvert, but pretty much my whole family is! We were perfectly content to take it all in, wander around, and kind of do whatever came our way.  Also, I don't know if this is part of being an introvert, or it just being our first time out of the states, but we wanted to see and experience as much of the country as we could.  We wanted to get up early and head back late.  While it was exhausting, it was amazing at the same time, and we were ready for it. Our tour guides (the wonderful Welle family), however, could be characterized as extroverts.  And it is also important to note that they are fairly experienced world travellers (much different than our family), therefore, they have seen more than we have (especially of Norway), and didn't really want to spend all day out and about.  This didn't become an issue really, it was just interesting to note the differences. 

I could go on and on about this trip...but that would take a while! I'm looking forward to putting together my photos and journal entries to have a scrapbook of this amazing trip.  But, that will have to wait until after my thesis and wedding planning gets under control...