What it's like to experience "Norway in a Nutshell"

[@christy9816]

thank you for this well-made and informative video!!! now I know what to expect in my upcoming trip

[@HappyLogicOnline]

Thanks Christy! I hope you have an equally fabulous trip.

[@anomanees]

You have some well-made videos of interesting places! This has helped me plan my upcoming Norway tour :) Greetings from Finland!

[@HappyLogicOnline]

Thanks! I've been lucky to see a lot of places but I loved seeing the fjords of Norway. Hope you have a great trip. Just remember to book accomodation in Flam in advance, because it's a small place and can get booked out.

[@adriangiddins6065]

Thanks you.... a reminder of virtually the same journey a month before yours...it was great to relive it....Norway is great !

[@documentaryfilms]

Wow, what a stunning journey. I visited the fjords last year, and this was a great reminder of the highlights. I'm inspired to do it again with "Norway in a Nutshell' trip from Oslo to Bergen via the Flam Railway. I was on an enormous, luxurious cruise ship which was completely "out of the box' for me, with a totally different perspective. It was like a floating resort. Which is fine if luxury and indulgence are your preference. The raw texture and the more individualised experience of the Nutshell trip strike me as highly appealing. Thank you, Ian, your calm commentary lulled me into the illusion of being with you and Jo.

[@HappyLogicOnline]

Thanks! I think the cruise ships are great for some people, but they're always on a timetable so it is pot luck with the weather you get and there is no time to simply be "still" and take in the environment.

[@documentaryfilms]

@@HappyLogicOnline I totally agree - I was fortunate with the weather when on the cruise- it was almost perfect for 8 days. I had a great time but had I been aware of the Nutshell - I would definitely have preferred it.

[@silkspectre1308]

I have two weeks left before my trip to Norway, so thanks a lot for the inspiration :)

[@HappyLogicOnline]

Wonderful!

[@arvidfahne4458]

Thank you very much. I grew up in Flåm/Aurland. This was my home in the 70s/80s. I didn't see the beauty in it at the time, but I do now.

[@HappyLogicOnline]

Arvid, thank you so much for this comment. I so totally relate - having myself grown up in a small town on the opposite side of the world. I truly didn’t appreciate how very special my own town was until I left and began to travel. Maybe it’s human nature to suspect that “the grass must be greener somewhere else”…. But I have to say, the fjords of Norway are some of the most breathtakingly beautiful places I have ever seen.

[@arvidfahne4458]

@@HappyLogicOnline I remember when I took the Flåmsbana to Voss, to the dentist in the summer. I remember hating all tourists. because in the summer the train stopped everywhere. Much better to take the train in winter, because then I got there much faster. Lol..

[@peacefulminimalist2028]

Can assure you Flåm is not dependent on cruise tourists for income, and pretty sure the 350 people there are chuffed to not have the massive ships there every day polluting their clean air. I know I am :)

[@Rebellen007]

Top quality production. Like a travel show on TV!

[@HappyLogicOnline]

Thanks! Much appreciate your feedback. Hope you check out some of my other vids. I'm generally just trying to capture what it is about a place that makes it so interesting...

[@jrzshor]

i am doing this trip at end of oct. i hope the weather is as good as your day was.

[@HappyLogicOnline]

Thanks! I hope the weather gods are kind to you. I suspect the fjords are spectacular in most kinds of weather (except perhaps sleet), but like I said in the video - there's no such thing as too much fjord! One thing I would recommend is that you schedule at least one night in Flam and preferably two. Otherwise you'll miss a lot of the ambience....

[@gailmo2279]

Hi, I also want to take the Fjord Safari Rib Boat ride next September but I noticed the train only arrives at 2:15 from Oslo into Flam and the RibBoat ride is at 2:45 and one has to be at their dock 20 minutes before 2:45, did you find it rushed? Did you do it the next day or the same day? Do you remember what time train you took out of Oslo? It would help me plan. Thanks

[@HappyLogicOnline]

I don't recall the time I arrived in Flam, but it was afternoon. I spent the remainder of the day wandering around and exploring. I took the Rib boat the next afternoon, and used the morning to take the tour trip up to the fjord viewpoint. Altogether I stayed 2 nights in Flam and caught the electric ferry on the morning of the 3rd day.

[@eaglet2000]

Brilliant footage. Well done. The commentary, scenes and music all complement each other. Are both the fast ride boat and the scenic cruise included together with the train trip in the Norway in the Nutshell? If not how much would these cost as add-ons to the NIN? I am also thinking of staying 2 nights in Flam before continuing the NIN journey. Is that recommended? In all I am planning to stay 6 or 7 nights in Norway. Arriving in Oslo and departing from Bergen (or vice-versa). So, I think that I will stay 2 nights in Oslo, 2 nights in Flam and 2/3 nights in Bergen. Your suggestions would be very helpful.

[@HappyLogicOnline]

Thanks Mark, “Norway In a Nutshell” is a generic itinerary and very customizable. You can adjust it to your budget and how much time you have. We organised our trip via the travel agency nordicvistor.com. (They were excellent, but there are plenty of other agencies who could also help you with your “Norway in a Nutshell” planning). My trip was similar to what you have in mind. 2 nights in Oslo, 2 nights in Flåm and 3 nights in Bergen, except after Bergen we took the bus down to Stavanger because we wanted to climb the Pulpit rock. (I have a video about that). That’s what I mean when I say NIN is very customisable. Flåm is quite small, but it’s in a stunning location. We arrived in the afternoon and spent the remainder of our arrival day exploring and taking in the ambience and atmosphere. The next day we took the tour bus up to the Stegastein Viewing Point lookout - which has those truly stunning views of the fjords below - worth it just for that, then in the afternoon - the Fjord Safari on the fast RIB. And then next day the electric boat to continue towards Bergen. Hope you are blessed with similar perfect weather to what we encountered in early June.

[@NancyGates-b6y]

nice weather

[@HappyLogicOnline]

Yes it was. Early June 2023.

[@SteveInNEPA1]

In What month did you travel?

[@HappyLogicOnline]

I travelled in early June - the beginning of summer. Not too hot and not too cold!

[@welltravelledlife]

The Norway in a Nutshell tour ensures that you get to the “hot spots”. Did you fashion your ow or go with a tour company?

[@HappyLogicOnline]

Norway in a Nutshell is a kind of "roll your own" tour. The basic itinerary is the same, but you can decide how long you wish to stay at each point, and what activities you want to do. For example we spent 2 nights in Flam in order to have time to do both the Flam RIB safari and the trip to the fjord viewpoint. We used a travel agency to book the accomodation and rail and bus tickets. Basically you travel by yourselves using public transport to get around - but the tickets have been pre-purchased. It worked well.

[@welltravelledlife]

@@HappyLogicOnline Great explanation. We loved Flam - though next time Jenn wants to do the zip line and the bike ride!!

[@johnmcmullan9741]

Nice for a day trip during the very short summer, but does anyone else notice the general lack of farmland in these videos of Norway? It's easy to see why Norway struggled historically and failed to develop culturally like most of Europe. On the periphery, geographically.

[@HappyLogicOnline]

I think you'll find that the fjords and the rugged terrain had a lot to do with the development of the Viking longships, which had a major impact on all European cultures. (e.g. Modern English history is said to begin in 1066 with William the conquerer who was a Norman/Norseman). Norway has always been a seafaring nation.

[@Norwegian_Troll]

I am a farmer from this district. It is true that the farmland is small and steep. If my fields were a little steeper, I could harvest it on both sides.

[@chuckmaurice3646]

Norway, is what I call, Haven for those who want piece and quit.

[@swedishpsychopath8795]

Answer this as truly as you can: Where do you think the Vikings originated? (1) In no-fjord, flat-earth, forest-infested Sweden? (2) In no-fjord, no-river, no-mountain flat-earth, tree-infested Denmark? (3) In fjord-infested, steep mountain-infested, tree-infested, river-infested, island-infested Norway? Where would they HAVE TO INVENT viking boats that later were refined into ocean-going viking-ships just to be able to travel inside the country?