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Road Trip in Paradise part 2

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 I recently came across this quote about Norway: “Here, nature isn’t a vacation destination.” That may certainly be true for many people who travel here from all over the world, but for Norwegians, enjoying nature is simply part of everyday life: walking, running, skiing, cycling, paddling, fishing—and more. Whether you live in the heart of Oslo or north of the Arctic Circle, nature is always close at hand, and heading outdoors to recharge is deeply rooted in the culture. This is a country of active people, you don’t see many overweight people around here... And when you take it all in, it’s easy to understand why. You could almost say the country has been blessed by the gods! With the beautiful weather we’ve had these past few days (sunshine and temperatures between 20 and 25°C during the day) we could believe this is true, but we have to imagine the same places in the middle of winter, with temperatures dropping to -20°C and only a few short hours of daylight to play outside. Jud...
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Road Trip in Paradise

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Norway is a magnificent country, or at least that's what you hear all the time. But is its reputation a little overrated? Is it just another one of those Instagram must-see destinations that ends up being overrun by Instagrammers and isn't actually that extraordinary? Our answer, without the slightest hesitation, is  NO! There's no denying it,  it's beautiful, really, really beautiful. It might even be paradise on Earth... 😍 First of all, Norway is the ultimate road trip destination. While many people choose to explore the country and its spectacular fjords by cruise ship, we believe that discovering it by road is far more rewarding, for several reasons. To begin with, there's the scenery. Every mile brings a new spectacle before your eyes: waterfalls cascading down mountainsides, pristine sandy beaches, snow-capped peaks still even at the start of summer, crystal-clear lakes, rushing rivers, lush green forests... it's a feast for the eyes. The roads are in ex...
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Eternal Spring

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It's official: we've arrived in the Arctic! We crossed the Arctic Circle on June 10th in Finnish Lapland, and we're only just beginning to discover the extraordinary landscapes of Norway's fjords 😍. The sun no longer sets at all, and it feels as though spring lasts forever. Since March 21st, the official first day of spring when we were in Romania, we've had the feeling that we're carrying spring along with us in our luggage. The lilacs and tulips that were blooming in early April in Hungary are still blooming in mid-June in Finland, 2,500 km farther north... It feels a little strange, but it's also very pleasant. It's such a beautiful season, full of color and life 🌸. After leaving Lisa's place, we headed west and traveled along part of the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia, which separates Finland and Sweden, before turning back inland for a while and then continuing farther and farther north... Like its capital, Helsinki, Finland is beautiful—beaut...
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The Nordic Dolce Vita

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For the past few weeks, we’ve been experiencing a wonderful sense of well-being, a kind of Nordic dolce vita... This may be becasue of what is called Allemansrätt in Swedish, allemannsrett in Norwegian, jokamiehenoikeus in Finnish, and igameheõigus in Estonian. In each language, the word refers to the same concept: the right of public access to nature. This legal right allows everyone to enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings and their bounty, even on private property (under certain conditions, of course).  Not only is nature accessible to everyone, but great care has been taken to organize and equip places so people can enjoy it to the fullest. For nomadic travelers like us, it’s a little paradise. It’s easy to find wonderful places to settle without restrictions, sometimes even equipped with a lovely picnic table, a small barbecue for grilling,  and a supply of firewood along with an axe and a saw available for use—everything needed to build a campfire. Absolutely fant...
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