Most Expensive City On The Planet

Drove on the bus, talked to a guy named Jay from L.A. When we hit the Norweigan border there were three of us on the bus, us and Jay, who is black. The customs woman went up to him and began grilling him. Where are you from, why are you here,  what are you doing. He said he was coming to see a friend, she asked who, he said a girl he met online, she said your girlfrien, he said no, she asked if they had ever met in person, he said no, she asked him for the girl's phone number! To give you perspective the customs guy looked at our passports and said, here as tourists (we said yes) and he said have a good time. THEN they made poor Jay get out of the bus while they went through everything he had. We said something to the driver and the driver says, those Africans are always trying to come over here. We almost died, Jay is American, born and raised, I do not understand how his US passport is different from ours just because he is black. We were talking to him about it, I said you have an American passport and he said yes but I am still black. Apparently this happens to him ALL the time. He has traveled extensively and said one time he was stopped by security 8 times trying to fly out of the airport in Paris. Unbelievable. Anyway we got to Oslo and found our hostle it is in the burbs, I guess, on a big hill in like a park. By this time it was midnight or something so we crashed.

2nd- Had our free breakfast then bought Oslo passes. They get you free admission just about everywhere plus free public transport, which is really expensive here. Went to the fort/castle, in Winter they only do tours so we waited for the guide. The guide was hysterical, he was so funny. Went to a modern art museum, some really weird stuff there, the bizarre installation art that is so much fun. Then the regular art museum too. By that time it was 4pm and everything was closed so we looked in some stores and went to a market and looked at some lovely churches. Went back to the hotel and watched Extreme Home Makeover, but it was a 2 parter and they only showed part 1! Then went to bed.

And that's a fact jack!

3rd- Had free breakfast then headed to the museum of Cultural History. Neat life-sized displays and they had a part where we got to draw and color. I had not done that in a very long time so I spent a while drawing my picture to put on the wall with the other kids. Then took a long metro ride to the Hollmen Kollen Ski museum. Had neat stuff on the bottom floor about various arctic explorers but the main attraction is the massive ski jump. We got to go to the top, wow that was impressive. They have used the ski jump for the olympics and all kind of ski events, it is so tall and steep I can't imagine going down it! Took the metro to the Oslo Reptilpark, which was free for us but normally costs 10 dollars. It was very clean but super tiny. Never would have paid that much for it. The Fijian iguana were quite lovely. Then back to the hostel.

4th- Cook woke me in the morning and soon as I was up we went sledding. Still half asleep we went tearing down the hill. Did a couple runs, Cook had gone before I woke up also. Then took the bus to the Fram museum, wow it was so cool. I was so excited that we got to go it, "12" started teasing me, saying my face had lit up like a little girl. They kept the building really cold and played Arctic sounds so it was kind of like being there. The cabins were so incredibly tiny, and they lived in the ship for 5 years. Then over to the Kon Tiki museum which was amazing. He was an amazing man, I'd heard of him in passing before but to see the museum and read more about him, I agree with so many of his theories! Some of the ships looked so fragil and yet they crossed entire oceans. Went over to the Viking Ship museum, the ships were neat and the cart was so highly decorated. I had told "12" that the Folk Museum was closed in the Winter but revealed my deception while we were at the Viking museum, she was so suprised! So we walked over there and bought our tickets. It was so cool, they moved historic homes from all over Norway to this one place and then set it up like a mini Norway. There way an adorable childrens playhouse with furneture and everything and a beautiful Stave church and all these adorable farmsteads and a whole "city" of old Oslo. Most were closed due to the season but in Summer children actually go to school in the schoolhouse and they have people doing crafts and baking and all kinds of stuff in all the buildings. While we were in the farmsteads it started to snow. Got to go in quite a few of the "city" buildings, recreated interiors were really cool. Took the bus into town, hit a market then chilled at the hostel, our bus doesn't leave till late, 8 hour ride to Denmark, then on a really crowded bus to Berlin. Did a great two hour ferry on the way. Then a three hour layover in Berlin, didn't know where to stow our stuff so we chilled at the bus station. Then another 12 or so hours to Budapest, but we got there!