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A few months ago, I was surfing the net as I thought about my next travel destination. I came across Norway and it looked like a dream- too good to be true. I was intrigued not just by the Northern Lights which of course are spell binding but various other beautiful sights such as the unique fjords, the huskies and sledge rides, the picturesque towns and savouring the Norwegian salmon in the country of its origin!

I resolved to go there one day with Angel when she is grown up and can handle the extreme cold weather and is more adventurous with food. I wouldn’t have thought that a conversation with my close friend over breakfast would make me spontaneously decide to go on this trip in 2025 itself ( do Iceland with Angel perhaps when she is grown up!).

So 2025 started with a bang, with this adventure to Norway. A 9 day sojourn which will forever hold fond memories in my heart. As always with every trip, a good movie or book or life lesson, I like to pick 3-5 key aspects that made an everlasting impact on me. So here it is for Norway ( barring the first , the rest are in no order of preference)

• A soul sister makes your travels even more fun- My dear friend MJ joined me on this trip . We havent known each other for many years, we met in our late 30’s at our workplace, one of the places you least expect to find someone who you can bond with. MJ PB and I had resolved to have a girls trip every year and we started with 2024. I asked them if they would like to accompany me to Norway and this could be our 2025 trip and MJ agreed. When I look back at the week spent in Norway, many memories were so fond thanks to MJ. Gossiping about work, cracking up at the silliest of things, prepping for a reel in pursuit of our common love for dancing , sharing a meal and life stories and posing for pics, I had the most wonderful time with her and I am grateful that we could do this together. Thank you MJ for taking care of me and being an awesome travel buddy.

• The Husky adventure– In Tromso (Northern Norway), we went Husky sledging. This was by far the most fun activity of our trip. The huskies were so adorable and I was struck by their unique behaviour where they kept barking relentlessly before we started the snow ride , but the moment they got into action, and started trotting, their focus on the road ahead was noteworthy. Not a sound except for the occasional playful bark and the wind roaring brutally, slapping your face. With teary eyes (thanks to the cold), frozen hands and a bumpy fun ride, this clearly was one worthwhile ride. We later got to pet the huskies and enjoy a hot meal with some hot blackcurrant juice, soup and chocolate cake which was a perfect way to end the afternoon

• Jacuzzi under the snow– A jacuzzi experience always feels relaxing , the one in Tromso where we had to brave the cold and shed our warm clothes , stepping into the open balcony and a hot jacuzzi as snowflakes gently caressed our faces was a refreshing experience. We then spent some time getting baked in the sauna and although I would have liked to step into the jacuzzi again and repeat this ritual – our rumbling stomachs got the better of us and we decided to shower and enjoy a hot meal

• The quaint village of Flam- this was our second stop after the bustling city of Oslo. It started with a scenic train ride from Oslo to Myrdal where the most pristine sights greet your eyes – snow covered mountains, pine trees, houses and wilderness which takes on a different form. This was a 4.5 hours train ride, with a nice little cafe onboard to buy cinnamon buns and hot chocolate as you watch the picturesque sights from the window. Once we reached Mrydal, we boarded the Flamsbanna , a small green train which takes you on a 40 minute ride, this is downhill and there are very different sights to feast your eyes on. The train also makes a 5 minute stop at a picture point. The population of Flam is just 228 and there are 2 hotels for tourists. It is surrounded by fjords and there is a cruise that starts from Flam which is another amazing experience. We stayed in Flam just for a day which felt too short for me. I also tried the Norwegian salmon here for the first time and totally loved it, the ones I tried later couldn’t match this one in taste. A restful vacation for me would be a small town like Flam where I could wake up to nature outside my balcony, take long walks , read a book, savour my favourite food and end the day with a drink in the local bar. This is one place I want to visit again for sure.

• The Northern lights– We were lucky to catch them on our first day in Tromso despite a 2 hour delayed flight. They do not look as dazzling as they look in pics but they carry a unique charm – the fact that they are a natural phenomenon is what makes them so magical. We saw different hues of green, red and purple which were visible in lighter shades to the naked eye on our first day. Our guide Alan a Romanian told us “We dont chase the lights, we chase clear skies” this caught my interest and I reflected upon life in general and how we often chase a particular goal relentlessly but sometimes forget that the path leading to that goal is often more important and what makes it worthwhile is enjoying the ride.

So thats Norway for me. A journey that I embarked upon solely to fuel my passion for seeing new places, soaking in new experiences, travelling with a new set of people and bringing in some spontaneity in life. It left me with richer with new experiences and gratitude for my life, my loved ones whom I sorely missed and a desire to explore many more such wonderful places in the years to come.