We traveled to Norway with one purpose in mind, and that was to see the Northern Lights.
Hurtigruten Review with Kids: MS Kong Harald
Northern Lights Cruise
When we first started planning, the first result that popped up in Google was for the Hurtigruten Northern Lights Cruise.
The advertisements for the Hurtigruten were compelling, enticing, and romantic.
We were desperate to see...
Norway
Family Restaurant Review: Surf and Turf in Kirkenes, Norway | The Only Alternative to 7-11
Catherine - 2
During our entire eight day trip to Norway, we only ate at three restaurants for a total of three meals. Everything was either closed, insanely overpriced, or unappealing. That means we lived off of snacks and were starving the majority of the time. We devoured our meals on the Hurtigruten, and Pepe’s Pizza at the airport filled a very...
Norway
Where Our Baby Caught Her Hair on Fire: Family Review of the Kirkenes Scandic Hotel in Norway
Catherine - 0
Nothing happened according to plan this trip to Norway. And I mean that in the most literal sense. When we arrived at the Scandic Hotel, chosen because of how often we’d seen it pop up in search results in Google and we just wanted a sure thing, it was early in the morning after our Hurtigruten cruise. We couldn’t...
With the exception of our two night Hurtigruten Cruise we spent a huge majority of our time eating items from the local 7-11, or Norwegian equivalent Narvesen, during our two week Christmas trip to Norway.
We found all the best Norwegian Candy, and not because we love "food-like" items that never have an expiration date, but because most of...
Norway
What Not to Do on Your Northern Lights Chase: A 7 Point Checklist for Your Family to Ensure Viewing the Northern Lights
Catherine - 2
Seeing the Northern Lights is nothing short of becoming a witness to celestial splendor. It is emotional and spiritual and supernatural. When we first stepped out off the bus there was no mistaking the arched halo that formed a bridge over the horizon. The sky was no longer dark, as the lights fanned into the sky brilliantly like a...
Norway
Table for 5: Pepe’s Pizza Family Review at OSL Gardermoen Airport in Norway | Say Yes to the Garlic Bread
Catherine - 0
All things considered, during our eight day trip in Norway we actually spent a majority of our time at the Oslo Airport, OSL. Three of those eight days were spent at the Oslo Gardermoen Airport in fact. We had zero success getting on a flight to Tromsø for Christmas, and we had zero success getting on a flight out of...
Norway
Radisson Blu OSL Airport Family Review: Where to Stay in Oslo When You’re Exhausted and Ready to Give Up
Catherine - 0
Flights didn’t look good departing from Oslo to Amsterdam on December 30 but if nothing else we are risk takers. What do a couple too few seats even mean to a standby traveler? Anything can happen. After all, we made it on a flight from Kirkenes to Oslo that morning when the odds were against us, and not just...
Norway
The Happy Ending: Our Family Christmas in Norway Saga Part 3 | Stranded with 3 Children Praying for an Airbnb to Save Christmas
Catherine - 0
Across town, in the opposite direction of the graffiti and promiscuous pictures was where we found our home for Christmas. This darling airbnb, with red cupboards in the kitchen and four single beds laying side by side each other in the bedroom, was perfect for our celebrations. Though we longed to be in Tromsø, we were finally in a...
Norway
Visiting Kirkenes, Norway with a Family: The Easternmost Town in Scandinavia and Gateway to Russia | Land of No Food
Catherine - 0
We found ourselves in Kirkenes after debarking from our two night cruise on the Hurtigruten. Kirkenes is a tiny little town of only 3,000 inhabitants on just over 500 acres, and was upgraded from a village just 20 years ago! The peninsula is sandwiched between the Bøkfjorden fjord, and the Varangerfjord fjord that borders Russia, and the city is...
Norway
Airbnb Gone Bad: Our Family Christmas in Norway Saga Part 2 | Stranded in A Stinky Airbnb with 3 Children Praying for Fresh Air
Catherine - 0
We knew it would be an adventure to travel for Christmas, especially through two different climates and with a suitcase full of Christmas presents, but we didn’t quite anticipate everything that could go wrong, would go wrong. On our first leg of the trip from Salt Lake City, Utah to Galveston, Texas one of our bags of luggage was...