In Bergen

Well folks, I'm in Norway. And conveniently enough, it's even raining. Unwittingly, I've discovered that it rains in Bergen some 270 days a year. At least I have an umbrella.

I arrived last night in Oslo in less than spectacular spirits. I think I was just a little bummed with the realization that while all of my friends from Hamline were headed home, I was setting out by myself, not going home. When you've been consistently surrounded by people for 5 weeks, it's a bit of a shock when suddenly that familiarity is gone. Plus, I suppose leaving London was a little bittersweet as well. I even found myself on the train this morning thinking about arbitration, for ever so slight a second. To top it all off, it didn't help that I'm confronted with some issues relating to my connecting flight on Sunday in London. British Airways, you may have a mean free mini-bottle of wine, but you sure are a bitch when it comes to easing my travel plans...

Waking up this morning though, and getting on a train helped raise my tone considerably, I think. Only then to have it dampened by how ridiculously expensive everything is here. I have literally survived thus far on a cup of coffee, a bottle of mineral water, and three chocolate chip buns. If that's how it has to be, that's how it has to be.

The Oslo-Bergen train ride is billed as one of the most spectacular in the world. I would agree, it's pretty nice. However, I think I missed out on a lot of it, since I happened to be on the side of the train which faced the inside of the mountain, most of the time. And a giant horde of Japanese tourists took up the other side. But nonetheless, it was pleasant. This is a very rugged country, to be sure. It's quite beautiful, but I don't think I'd say it's more beautiful than other places, per se. I'm of the opinion that natural landscapes are pretty much equal in attractiveness; it all depends on context. But in the context of Norwegian fjord-land/mountains, I would say Norway lives up to its billing.

Tomorrow I hope to take a fjord tour, and I might (a big might) meet a Norwegian guy I knew from Hamline on Friday for a bit. I don't know for sure, but I'm sure I can figure stuff out. Although I loathe hostels, I must say, getting a bottom bunk, having a large locker, and getting free wi-fi gives this one some perks.

I think it stopped raining. Time to explore.