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| jholt3051
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| Countries traveled: | 14 |
| Essential item: | an adventurous soul |
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Place
Western Europe
Austria
Stavanger |
Style Socially Conscious | Budget $$$ Comfortable |
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A clean, fresh, and enriching culture, like noneother.
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| Trip Costs | | In general, my costs in US$ were: |
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| Activities & Experiences | Local Interaction
Norway, a land that seems to lie on the the cusp of a fading utopian world. A world in which unique independent cultures are being watered-down by repetitive, familiar, mainstream, pop counterparts. Norway seems to still retain a balance between its own heritage and its affinity for American culture. The NBA is very popular amongst the adolescents. Thats rather interesting since the last time I checked, there hasn't been one Norwegian to ever cross the stage and shake David Stern's hand. Stavanger teenage boys seem to live for the game but many know that the reality is that once they graduate from school, the military requires them to enlist for a minimum of two years.
The small town of Stavanger, Norway, just an hour outside of the capital, offers a splendid local charm. It is required by Norwegian law that all establishments must employ people fluent in English, so the language barrier is far less prevelant that one might assume. Whether thats a Pro or Con when visiting a foreign culture, at least it won't restrict you from frequenting the local pub. Although Stavanger seems to love their strip malls as much as the state of New Jersey, there are a healthy number of local shops that sprinkle the town. The winding cobble stone paths all seem to lead you to the water. It is infact the water that is worth visiting, thanks to the breath-taking fjords that have made this country famous.
Just like a visit to Grandma's, everyone seems to possess a warm and welcoming prescence. All the smells and sights are very inviting and almost beckon you to explore. From what I learned after chatting with a few locals, the crime rate is almost non-existent thanks to a very strict law enforcement. Apparently their blood alcohol levels are set much lower than in the States and if you fail a breath-alizer, you are required to spend the night in jail and your license is revoked for a minimum of six months. As harsh as this may sound, everyone seems to have accepted these laws long ago when they were first implemented, as many late night drinkers happily opt for a cab, merrily singing into the chill norwegian air.
I've traveled enough to become skeptical of the local water but the water here makes water back home taste like bacteria-infested sewage. I have never, in all my travels, tasted water as fresh and crisp as it does here. What ever Stavanger has been doing for all these years, we all could certainly learn a lesson or two in how to live life so the concept of a hybrid car is something to laugh at than seriously consider, for here, that utopian world may still very well exist.
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Three essentials for India:
GET YOUR VISA ORGANIZED AHEAD OF TIME. The Embassy wait can be brutal!
A-Z of Adventure Travel Insurance from World Nomads as you will probably get "Delhi Belly."
Hostelworld was a great help for finding cheap, but decent accommodation in India!
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