I'd found online a website called, Norway nutshell, this booked all your trains, boats, buses and fjords cruises with set times at once for you.
The website had little information about the itinerary and there was even littler information over google.

My plane from Edinburgh landed around midnight, from here I had to get express airport train into the city, I have this offline map that I hoped to use to find my hotel, even though it was one street in front of the train station.
with the time difference, the train pulled into Oslo station about 1.30am, of course my map didn't want to load, a local girl walked me down the right street to find this hotel.

I checked in and up to the 7th floor, down every corridor possible to get into my 'basic single' room, it was now way past 2am.

I'd unpacked my bag for the essentials I'd need in the morning, my train in the morning would leave at 8:05, so I intended to be at the station for at least 7:45, be organised get my tickets, find my platform with plenty of time to spare, I set my alarm for 6:00 and 6:30am, this would give me plenty of time get ready.

My alarms didn't go off.

I woke up at 8:25.

Never in my life have I jumped out of bed so quickly, I had to pack my suitcase again, get downstairs and check out, checking out I felt like the living dead, I rushed down the street to the station, where I had to find someone to help me, I needed a new train.
Standing at the ticket desk, telling the lady I'd got off the plane only a few hours ago, I've over slept, she luckily changed my tickets to the next train.

This wasn't until 2pm!

It hadn't even got to 9am yet.
I'd now have to sit around and wait for 5 hours!

Looking at my tickets, once i finally could get on the train, a while I would have to switch trains, I had 5 minutes to do this! I started to panic, again. How is it possible to switch trains in 5 minutes?!
within the long wait, I was able to visit some shops, sort out some paperwork, This felt like forever.

Finally 2pm came around!

I got onto the train, and awaited the dreaded change, there was nothing online about this change over, nothing about the station, nothing to help me at all.

I felt like I was going to be stranded up some mountain side again, after missing a second train.

Obviously I had nothing to worry about.


This station was deserted, there was one track, the new train was two carriages long.
this train was now a 5 hour long ride towards Alesund, up the mountain sides, the fog thickened, the rain came, it looked like something from a horror film, and when you looked out the window, nothing but a sheer drop to the bottom, I was a little scared for my life.

It was about 8:30 when the train finally pulled into a bus station, I still had a 2 hour trip to get into the city, the driver didn't speak English over the microphone {even though I had a USA shirt on), I am confused and worried again, where will I end up this time?!
He started to do hotel drop offs, and finally spoke English to me, took me to my hotel road, I walked in now just looking forward to laying down.

As I checked in, the guy at the desk tells me they have upgraded me to a premier suit as the room I had originally booked, there was none left.
As I entered the room, I had a lake view room, double bed, huge flat screen TV.
From sitting on my bed looking out the window, I can see the sun set.
The sun is twice as big here, then it is at home.
This has made my day worth all the hassle.