Year Abroad: A trip to Oslo

Over the course of a weekend, I had the chance to go to Oslo, the capital of Norway as a trip organised by the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) in Gothenburg, Sweden. The trip sold out almost instantly with about 40 of us joining the journey.

We started bright and early at Gothenburg Central Station at around 6:30 am after waking up at around 5:30 am. The thought of a 4-hour bus ride was not a fun thought, but we all got on the bus excited for the trip ahead of us. We travelled by FlixBus, a budget-friendly option that I will always recommend to anyone looking to explore Europe.

During the journey, I spent much of the time simply looking at the beautiful scenery out the window, as the sun began to rise – the first hour of the journey had been in early morning darkness! As I always bring a book on long journeys, the 4 hours seemed to fly by as we made our way to Oslo. By 11 am, we arrived, excited and ready to explore the Norwegian capital.

After dropping our luggage off at the hostel, we had four hours of free time to explore the city. My group of five set out for a wander, first stopping at a café that had been converted from an old fire station. I treated myself to a sandwich and a hot chocolate served in a bowl-like cup – there was a lot more to it than I had expected.

Our next stop was a frozen-over lake, where some locals were skating. While a few brave souls in our group ventured out onto the ice, I chose to stay safely on the edge – there was no way I was risking that, even if the locals looked confident.

From there, we walked up to the Oslo Opera House. The rooftop had breathtaking views of the city and the surrounding fjord, and we took plenty of photos – we even managed a group photo, all of us smiling against the backdrop of the city.

Next, we headed toward the city centre, hopping between shops and picking up a few souvenirs. I got a postcard and a magnet, souvenirs that I always like to collect during my travels (I’ve got quite the collection now). We then wandered into the Christmas markets taking advantage of all the free samples (mostly cheese) which were being offered at the stalls.

At the end of the Christmas market, we came to the Royal Palace. Though we were too intimidated to get too close to the guards, we took in the grandness of the palace and got some more photos of the scenery.

In the afternoon we joined a city tour organised by ESN Oslo, despite already having explored much of the city on our own. The tour was quite insightful, as we learned more about the history behind the buildings and statues we had casually passed earlier.

For dinner, we followed a list of recommendations and decided to try an Indian restaurant. The prices were pretty good for us students, and the food was great. Back at the hostel, we spent a few hours playing cards, including a game called Wizard. I must admit, I never quite figured out the rules, but somehow, I ended up in second place.

Later that evening, the ESN Oslo invited us to their end-of-semester party. Some of us decided to attend, but I and many others opted out in favour of catching up on sleep. The early start had defeated me, and I was grateful for the quiet night to rest and recharge for the next day.

The next day, we ventured out to the Norsk Folkemuseum, which offered a look into Scandinavian culture and history. The tram ride there took about half an hour, and despite the rainy weather, there were plenty of opportunities for great photos. The museum gave me a new perspective on Scandinavian traditions and lifestyles, and it was an eye-opening experience.

After the museum, we returned to the city centre, and I decided to take some time for myself to explore Oslo. While others went off on their own, I visited the Deichman Bjorvika public library. Its design was stunning, and the staircases reminded me of a modern Hogwarts.

From the library, I made my way back to the Opera House. I couldn’t resist climbing up to the top again, despite the freezing temperatures. However, the steps had frozen over, turning the climb into a slippery challenge. People were holding hands to steady each other, and I witnessed a few falls as I carefully made my way back down. In hindsight, it was definitely a risky move to try that on my own, but I survived.

Before we left, a few of us decided to get something to eat at a local falafel place. I’d never tried falafel before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was surprised by how much I liked it.

We spent the rest of the evening in the hostel lobby, playing more card games that I continued to lose. By 8 pm, it was time to return to Gothenburg. The ride home was much quieter than the outbound trip, with most of us looking at photos or catching up on sleep. We arrived back in Gothenburg around midnight and said our farewells before heading off in different directions.

The weekend in Oslo was definitely an incredible experience. Thanks to both ESN Gothenburg and ESN Oslo for organising such a well-rounded adventure.