Cousins Unite!: Norway Søskenbarn!

Fly in to Oslo

Train from Oslo (stoppover at Lillehammer - Trondheim) to Bodo

Drive or Ferry from Bodo (through Liland) to Andenes and back

Train from Bodo to Trondheim

Drive from Trondheim to Bergen (route possibility)

Fly home from Bergen or train to Oslo and Fly home from Oslo

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Oslo

Edvard Munch museum
Vigeland Park (celebration of life-humanity statues)
WWII resistance memorials
Bygdoy Penninsula
bike it?
Moss

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Trondheim

Alexa's most-spent time there, good tour guide!
Nidarosomen cathedral

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Andenes/Liland

Lighthouse!
City of Liland
Høyvika in Vesterålen
Some great AirBnB options to stay at for 2-3 nights--Seriously, Holy Cuteness, Sleekster

Ferry over to the islands

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Trondheim to Bergen (12 hours drive time)

Atlantic Ocean Drive (Atlanterhavsvein) --5 miles, one of the most beautiful roads in the world , on the route from Bergen to Trondheim, begins at Molde

Stave churches (Hestad kapell, Kvernes stavkirk, rødven stavkirk)

Sognefjord-- one of most dramatic fjords in Norway
Most of the fjords are between Bergen & Trondheim

Sea Kayak fjord--guided
Aurlandsdalen Valley hike
Flam railway or Flam valley

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Bergen

Fish Market

Hike Bergen's 7 mountains

TRANSPORTATION

referenced from summer 2015 costs

TRAIN -- "There may not be a country better suited for rail travel than the splendor that is Norway. That’s why the Eurail Norway Pass is such a popular way to travel there."

Eurail Norway Pass:

Unlimited travel on the national rail network of Norway (see map).

Choice of 3, 4, 5 or 8 days unlimited train travel within a 1 month period.

May be used on consecutive or non-consecutive days

With Multi-traveler discount, per person cost:

$300 - 8 days, $240 - 5 days, $200 - 4 days, $175 - 3 days
Individual Ticket Oslo to Bergen $125 , Trondheim to Bodo $176, Bodo to Lillehammer $243, Lillehammer to Oslo $58 (or Bodo to Oslo $253)

Note: only goes as far as Bodo, and Andenes is 250 miles/6 hours north of that.

CAR --(Rented) -- from and returned Bodo or from Trondheim returned to Bergen:

$150/day for 9 passenger; $100/day for 5 passen.; $65/day for 2 passen.

Food

Norwegian National Cake "World's Best Cake"

multekrem -- cloudberries mixed with whip cream and commonly served with krumkake

grovbrød -- common whole grain bread eaten at most meals

geitost -- sweet goat cheese

brunost -- sweet sharp brown cheese with notes of caramel, often eaten thinly on bread

Lamb -- Fenalår, Pinnekjøtt, Fårikål, Smalahove

(one of these names is lamb's head: I'll eat it if you will)

fresh caught Salmon

Reker (little shrimps, often eaten with dill on toast)

Norwegian hot dog in potato tortilla -- polse i lompe

Solo

Freia Melkesjokolade (milk chocolate)

PROPOSED TRIP PLAN

referenced from summer 2015 costs

May 18 Wed-- Arrive in OSLO
May 19 Thur--OSLO
May 20 Fri-- OSLO
May 21 Sat-- OSLO, train to LILLEHAMMER (2 hrs train)
May 22 Sun-- church in LILLEHAMMER
May 23 Mon-- LILLEHAMMER
May 24 Tues--meet up with ALEXA (we come to her or she comes to us, depending on her location)
May 25 Wed--flex, travel to TRONDHEIM (5 hrs train)
May 26 Thur--TRONDHEIM
May 27 Fri--TRONDHEIM
May 28 Sat-- leave Trondheim, train to BODO (10 hrs train)
May 29 Sun-- church in BODO, rent car, drive/ferry through LILAND to ANDENES (9 hours drive/ferry)
May 30 Mon--ANDENES/Liland
May 31 Tues--ANDENES to BODO Area Islands/Towns
June 1 Wed--BODO train 10 hours south to Trondheim
June 2 Thur--driving south
June 3 Fri-- driving south
June 4 Sat--driving south
June 5 Sun--church in mystery town, driving south
June 6 Mon--arrive in BERGEN
June 7 Tues--BERGEN
June 8 Weds--BERGEN
June 9 Thurs--fly home from BERGEN

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Possible options for the 7-10 day crew:

MAY 20-May 28: Fly to OSLO Fri May 20 -- Depart Sat May 28 out of Trondheim

Pros: cheapest to fly direct to Oslo, time in Oslo, Lillehammer & Trondheim; pick up Alexa fresh off the mish; least amount of travel time between cities

MAY 28-JUNE3/4: Fly to BODO Sat May 28 -- Depart Fri or Sat June 3/4 from TRONDHEIM

Pros: train together to Andenes/Liland where our grandparents are from; experience train, driving to explore the land and northern islands, and ferry; a couple of extra days in Trondheim before flying out

MAY 28-JUNE 6: Fly to BODO Sat May 28 -- Depart Monday, June 6th from BERGEN

Pros: option 2, minus the Trondheim days, plus extra unstructured time to wander/drive south through the fjords and coastal towns on the way to Bergen

Optional: fly in to Trondheim on May 28 and immediately depart via train for Bodo, might be cheaper? Not sure with train costs included.

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**Or!**

May 18 Wed-- Arrive in BERGEN
May 19 Thur--BERGEN
May 20 Fri-- BERGEN
May 21 Sat-- driving north in hunt of fjords, hikes, and towns
May 22 Sun--church in mystery town, driving north
May 23 Mon--driving north
May 24 Tues--flex, meet up with ALEXA (we come to her or she comes to us, depending on her location)
May 25 Wed--flex, arrive in TRONDHEIM
May 26 Thur--TRONDHEIM
May 27 Fri--TRONDHEIM
May 28 Sat-- leave Trondheim, train to BODO (10 hrs train)
May 29 Sun-- church in BODO, rent car, drive/ferry through LILAND to ANDENES (9 hours drive/ferry)
May 30 Mon--ANDENES/Liland
May 31 Tues--ANDENES to BODO Area Islands/Towns
June 1 Wed--BODO train 10 hours south to Trondheim
June 2 Thur--train 5 hours to LILLEHAMMER
June 3 Fri-- LILLEHAMMER
June 4 Sat--LILLEHAMMER train to OSLO (2 hrs train)
June 5 Sun--church in OSLO/MOSS
June 6 Mon--OSLO area
June 7 Tues--OSLO
June 8 Weds--fly home from OSLO