I’ve not been to the Scandanavian countries since I was a little girl. Perhaps I’ve been reminiscing on my childhood a lot in this year out of clinical work, because I’ve chosen to go to Jordan (I grew up in the Middle East) and now I’ve picked to go to Norway (my mother was from a Scandanavian country).

My favourite way to explore a country is to enjoy both the city life, read about its histoy, and also go on an adventure. So, I booked the trip to go to Bergen to start off with. I rented a cute Airbnb along the residential slopes of the Floyen. There were stunning views of the city from there and a gorgeous walk up along the forests and lakes at the top of the mountain.

I brought some trail running shoes and it was such a joy to run and walk along the forestry and lakes. I can see why people who love the outdoors would choose to live in Bergen. It offers everything you could want – trail runs, wild swimming, saunas, and gorgeous views of the fjords. My mother always talked about the joys of saunas and cold water dips. I’ve done it a couple of times in the UK, but there really was something special about doing it on a floating sauna where you walk out and dip into fjords right after. In May, the fjord’s water was about 5-10 degrees, and I had a bit of cold water shock the first couple of times I went in!

I then met up with the Much Better Adventures group where we made our way to Voss. I was so incredibly lucky to travel with a lovely group of people who I could genuinely call friends after this trip. It made the adventure that much more special. Even on the bus to Voss and the start of the fjords, my mouth was wide open in awe. It really struck me how close such beautiful views were to the UK and I knew immediately that I would return here one day.

We hopped into our kayaks to get to our wild camping spot. I was very lucky to get into a tandem kayak, as there was quite the head wind and lots of boats throwing waves in our direction, adding to the sense of adventure. The views were awe inspiring. There is no other way to put it. When we got to the calmer waters in the fjord, the views were almost like a canvas painting. The sun struck the water and left twinkling raindrops on its surface. You almost felt guilty for disturbing the scenery, as though you were intruding somewhere people only get to view from afar.

Once we got to the wild camping spot, we had a delicious barbeque and chatted by the firelight. We were incredibly lucky with the weather. Despite it being May, we generally had warm weather you could enjoy in shorts and a T-shirt. I loved taking some time by myself to enjoy the views at the campsite.

The second day, we set off on a hike up Breiskrednosi. There was thick snow at the top requiring snow shoes. The views from the summit were jaw-dropping.

For the first time, I slept deeply whilst wild camping. I think this was because I was utterly exhausted from all the sea kayaking and hiking, but also because I felt safe with a thoughtful guide and the other lovely people in our group. It was amazing to feel refreshed for each day of adventure, which isn’t normally the case when I’m camping outdoors. Maybe, just maybe, I’m getting a bit more used to this non-city princess lifestyle.

When it was time to go, I felt a little sad, but definitely ready to be back in the comfort of my own flat. I’d been away for a little over a week and when things are so stimulating and hectic I can yearn for the comfort of my flat and routine. But I will definitely be returning to Norway, probably in the winter to explore what other wonders it has to offer.