A very scenic bus trip including 2 ferry trips took us from Stavanger to Bergen. Chatting on the bus to a couple of Norwegian ladies travelling to Bergen for a funeral, culminated in them walking us to our hostel, Piano Apartments so that we didn't get lost.Accommodation in Bergen is some of the most expensive we have ever experienced. We had a tiny room with uncertain hot water and one power point but it was centrally located allowing us to be able to walk everywhere. With a supermarket close by, most meals were less horrendous in cost than they could have been. One fabulous seafood lunch on a sunny day enjoying the ambiance of the wharf area and looking out over the UNESCO World Heritage Bryggen, was a delicious exception.

A funicular railway clunked us up a mountain with a stunning view over all Bergen and out to fjords and islands. Our legs however took us all the way down again via twisted walking paths shared with lanky athletic Norwegians who made it look like a stroll in the park. We stopped to chat with a Dad pushing his daughter uphill in a pram. We noticed she had what looked like mosquito bites on her face but the father said "no.... childhood illness.... mmmm.. called measles?". Doesn't worry the Norwegians! In Australia we would keep children home with a communicable disease but they are such "outdoorsey" people and their babies are always on hikes. Mothers get a whole year of paid maternity leave and Father's get three months which can be concurrent or taken after the Mother goes back to work. Hence we see many young parents out and about.

Sleeping has been a bit of a struggle in Bergen. We have a big window with only light unlined curtains and there really is no night at this time of year in Norway.

It was another early start on our last Bergen morning to hike to the train station for the first train in a series of trains on one of the worlds most scenic and iconic routes, the Bergen to Oslo Railway via a side trip on the Flam railway. A real bucket list item.

During the day of travel we met a couple from Costa Rica, David and Marianne and Cindy from China. When our train to Oslo was delayed in Myrdal and theirs to Bergen, we enjoyed lunch together and lots of wonderful travel chitchat.Promises to stay in touch and invites to each others countries ensued.

Finally we arrived late into Oslo and spent a fruitless hour looking for the visitor's centre in the huge railway station complex. We wanted to buy an Oslo tourist pass that would include our transport and museum entries for our time in Oslo and we wanted it straight away as we had booked accommodation quite away out of the city centre. Finally we gave up and paid full price for the underground train, hiked a kilometre to the hotel and in sheer exhaustion made our way to our room. Immediately our spirits lifted. We had classy accommodation at half the price of our pokey room in Bergen. A king bed was waiting for our weary bodies and all was good with the world again.

Note: Bryggen in Bergen is UNESCO World Heritage Listed.