Bergen

Bergen is a friendly city. You feel it on every corner, in every shop. A welcoming that makes you want to stay. It is known as a rainy city, and with average summer temps in the teens, it felt like a Canberra Winter.

Which was a great reason to buy a new jacket.

The adventure I looked forward to on this leg of the journey was the hiking. Bergen is surrounded by mountains and the sea, and the hiking options range from family friendly to expert. We picked a “moderate” walk and set off on one of the days with a sunny forecast to explore the Vidden trail.

The hike is beautiful, well marked and has some fun challenges including a rock scramble or two. As the fog cleared and the view to the sea opened up, it is simply stunning.

We set off quite early, and met solo and family hikers, trail runners along the way. Which was helpful when we had trouble finding the next trail maker. It was humbling to see the speed a local could traverse the rocks and I cautiously checked my footing with each step.

The reward at the end of the day was a dinner booked at one of the many amazing places to eat in Bergen. We really ate well in this city. The fish fresh, the vegetables perfection and staff so good at talking you into a dessert. From fine dining to the markets we sampled all that we could find. Noteworthy was Lysverket which was a dining experience I will always remember for not only the quality of the food, but for the entire dining experience.

Our remaining days in Bergen we explored the popular tourist spots including the Troll Museum and the Aquarium. We also tried on some of the incredible Norwegian knitwear products. Beautiful jumpers that are designed to last for decades.

Bergen is a city to grab the umbrella and walk around. The philosophy of the city seems to be to get out and get into nature, and it is one that I want to take home.

And home I will head. Bergen is the final stop in the Northern hemisphere, and from here I head home via Singapore.