A Canadian in Oslo
Hello there from your friendly neighborhood canuck working here at Viking Biking & Hiking!
A little bit of a formal introduction of myself and why I moved from one great white north to another – my name is Alicia and I came to Norway in the summer of 2022 to complete my master’s degree in Viking and Medieval Norse Studies. With a degree like that, it’s no surprise that I ended up doing Oslo tours at a place like Viking Biking & Hiking! I get to talk about history and cycle/hike around Oslo for a living? Sign me up!
What has been so rewarding about my time here thus far at Viking Biking & Hiking is getting to know the city on a deeper level than I ever could have imagined. It has made me feel so connected with Norway and only driven me that much further to make this country my new home. Seeing that Norway and Canada are so similar in terms of the environment, the transition was quite easy and made me feel comfortable straight away as I knew I would be surrounded by the nature that I love so much. Today I wanted to share with you a couple of things that I have learned about the city (and Norway in general!) since starting as an Oslo tour guide.
First of all, Oslo is a very bike-friendly city for anyone who is looking for an Oslo cycling tour. I was so thrilled to see so many bike lanes and Oslo bike rentals around Oslo that were accessible for both locals and tourists alike. As someone who loves to be outside and explore every single nook and cranny it was lovely to see that people have access to so many different corners of the city. A concept that is indoctrinated into Norwegian society is known as ‘allemannsretten’, essentially meaning that people here have the right to roam, with little restrictions on when and where you can explore. You want to go camping in the forest? Kayaking in the fjord? Take Oslo tours through a military checkpoint and into the Norwegian Military of Defence? Go for it!
Now as someone who grew up surrounded by water, it was essential for me to be around it wherever I ended up in the world. And let me tell you, Norway does not disappoint (obviously). The Oslo fjord is home to a lot of different activities ranging from floating saunas to ferry rides that are perfect for day trips from Oslo. A perk of working with Viking Biking & Hiking is that we not only get to explore by way of bikes, but also on foot! We offer an Oslo Island Hopping tour that I was fortunate enough to also take part in guiding this season, where we get to float away from the hustle and bustle of the city and out to the relaxed islands of the Oslo fjord. Having a family cottage of my own back in Ontario, it was fascinating to learn and experience the cabin culture here in Norway, which you can thoroughly see when we visit the island of Lindøya.
Oslo is a great place to explore all year round, so if you find yourself visiting we would love to be able to take you on a tour of such an incredible city. If you happen to be on my nature walk or Oslo tour by bike, I would be thrilled to shower you with all the fun facts that I have learned during my time here in Norway (with a few Norse myths sprinkled in, naturally!). While the weather is getting a wee bit chillier, this is a great opportunity to have the city a bit more to yourself and just as much fun to take a local Oslo tour! And as we say in Norway – there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. So throw on those wool sweaters and let’s get exploring!