Foreigners in Norway plan summer ‘staycation’: Survey

Paula Capodistrias has even made a “staycation calendar” with her family, with treats such sleeping in a tree tent, a fancy hotel night in Oslo, camping on the balcony, or visiting the Tusenfryd amusement park planned for every day. 

 

“I mixed fancy expensive things (hotel) with cheap/free things (movie night at home), a little art (theatre) but also a bit of laziness (camping in the balcony),” she wrote on the Oslo Expats Facebook page. 

 

Kristina Dziedzic Wright and her family plan on touring the coast of northern Norway, taking a train to Trondheim, hiring a car and driving up the coast to Tromsø. 

 

Robert Cumming was planning to ship his car to Tromsø and then drive back home to Molde, but couldn't make the shipping dates work. 

 

One respondent planned to hike and camp around Sogn og Fjordane, visiting some of the most stunning fjords in the country. 

 

Others planned to visit other cities and towns in Norway, such as Oslo, Hamar, Frederikstad, Bergen and Stavanger. 

 

One American said they planned to visit Bergen, “just to wander around the city and check out the local café scene.”  

 

Some foreigners, however, are simply fitting the need to quarantine into their plans. 

 

Myrna Paruli, from the UK, is ready to quarantine for 14 days on arrival in Scotland and possibly for another 10 days on arrival back in Norway. But a visit and a change to hug grown-up children makes it worth it. 

 

There seemed be little anger among respondents at Norway's decision to be one of the last countries in Europe to lift restrictions. 

 

“I think we must stay positive and try to enjoy in everything what we have around us,” said Hana from Bosnia. “Norway is very beautiful country and we all can spend one good summer here exploring new beaches, lakes, woods, mountains… in this horrible time nature is our best friend.

 

“For just one summer, people should just let go of the consumeristic, childish and wanton need to travel somewhere abroad for holidays,” said one anonymous respondent. 

 

“It's highly detrimental for CO2 emissions (more so than the meat industry for example) and now increases the risk of a second wave of contagion.”