21.06.2011 – 21.06.2011  17 °C

Early start as I needed to get on the 8.30 train from Stockholm to Oslo. I had thought I would have plenty of time to get to the train station and I was lucky that I actually left early as it took to me longer than I expected to get to the station. Catching the train in Europe is really easy. The central stations are (so far) very central which means a small walk to your hotel. I like the fact you don’t have to worry about going thru security etc and can basically turn up 5min before your train is due to arrive and just hop on!

I arrived and went down to my platform. After about 30min a train arrived that shouldn’t have (according to the platform guide) and I found out we were supposed to change trains to another platform but without any English loudspeaker it was quite difficult to work out what was going on.. Luckily there were a few non-swedish people on the platform who were all milling around looking like sheep and just like a flock of sheep we were all herded over to our new platform.

Once aboard the train was really quite luxurious… A definite cut above the old “Trans Siberian”. Assuming this train is indicative all other trains in Europe you know how I’m going to be travelling around! Each seat was good bit wider than your average economy sized seat on an aeroplane and there were power points at each seat to plug in your laptop! Pure luxury!

The countryside of Sweden was very luscious and green. Every vista seemed to be green pastures with many fir tree forests and plenty of lakes! Water everywhere!

Arrived into Oslo at around 3pm and spent the arvo wandering the streets familiarising myself with the town. Oslo is a really lovely town. Old buildings like Stockholm but mixed with many new buildings and wide leafy boulevards. Good mixture of the old and the new. Ended up down at the waterfront chowing down on fish soup with crusty bread and butter washing it all down with a “helognia piva” (cold beer)! Pure heaven! Pure heaven until you get to the cheque.. $40 but for fish soup and beer! Norway is EXY!!

Picked up Bookie and Conductor from the rail way station at 9pm, checked them in and then went hunting some dinner for them both. $80 later bookie and conductor were fed on a shared pizza and cold beer… Holy dooley she’s expensive here in Norway! Oh well, you have to suffer these things if you want to come and visit.