DH and I started out in Holland. We had worked out that we had very different ideas of what to see and do; resulting in a few heated discussions. So, we set the ground rules for our time of Eurailing through Europe:
1. I pick then you pick...for where next to go.
2. Always travel in the one direction; no zigzagging backwards.
I picked first. I wanted to go to Copenhagen and visit the Tivoli Gardens; so we headed on that way. Copenhagen was delightful; as was Tivoli. You'll be heading there in Winter. I don't think that Tivoli is opened in wintertime. It was a smaller city so everything was walkable and we really enjoyed the food and shopping there.....window shopping as everything was super expensive. And I loved that the buildings had that green copper roofs that are so associated with northern europe. Plus we walked around the royal palace and headed towards the Little Mermaid. The old waterfront area was also great.
DH picked next....he wanted to go see the fjords. So we headed up to Oslo. We met a couple of people on the train that were heading the same way and they recommended that we head towards Bergen but get off at Voss.
They told us about the bus that makes impossible hairpin turns down from the top of the mountains down to the valley and we could catch a ferry that took us through 2 arms of fjords before ending up at Flam. We would be able to catch the cog railway back up. The best thing about all of this was that at that time, all these transport options were included in our Eurail ticket for no extra charge.
When we got to Voss, I wasn't too sure about the choice. It was one of those railway stops where there was a single building and not much of a platform. We walked about 150m down the road before we came to the Youth Hostel. And we only saw about 3 shops on the way.
We had bought a bratwurst and a coke for the $30+ and I was a little concerned at how expensive DH's choice was going to end up. But the Youth Hostel was one that had a closed kitchen. They had a cook there and offered a 3-course Norweigian meal. The meal cost us $32 each. For that, we got a soup starter, Norweigian meatballs and overcooked vegies, and chocolate mousse for dessert. Water was free. Given the choice between the bratwurst and the meal at the Youth Hostel, I think we definitely got more value and a much more authentic experience at the Youth Hostel. The boiled meatballs were tasty and more filling.
That bus ride was scary. We sat in the front and there were times that I thought we were going to plunge down the mountain rather than being able to make the turn. But the scenery was spectacular....typically Nordic and it was summertime. So, we had the lush green grass, flowers and pencil thin waterways running down the mountains.
DH was happy because he got to sit back on the ferry and watch the fjord mountains slip by. We'd bought some crusty french stick, cheese, tomato and fruit for the trip. We met some other backpackers on the ferry and they had ham, bread, biscuits and wine. So, we split the food and had a great time on the ferry.
That cog railway? Spectacular! But then so were some of the other cog railways in Switzerland.
If I had done any research beforehand, I'm not sure if I would have done things differently. If anything, I think I would have allocated more money and time and headed towards Bergen as well. It is one of my regrets that we didn't see Bergen....next time.
I will admit that if DH had picked first (and he would have chosen Copenhagen as well), I probably wouldn't have picked the fjords....I would have chosen Stockholm instead. But after we got on the bus, I had no regrets or grumbles about his choice.
