Norway Scavenger Hunt: Final Results

While this was whirlwind of a trip, I did have 10 scavenger hunt items to accomplish in 6 days. Let's see how I did:

1. See the Northern Lights and try to capture them with my camera. I've been practicing taking night shots so we'll see!

I was able to see the Northern Lights on my first night in Tromso when I went dog sledding and get a couple of photos of them which I was super excited about. I did see the lights the following night on the cruise although they were hidden in clouds. I couldn't get good photos of them because I was on a moving vessel. Still, I saw them!

2. See the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. I have another layover in Amsterdam like last trip so instead of a canal cruise of the city, I hope to gain more insight into her story and see more of the city, minus the Red Light District. :)

With a bit of an initial setback due to missing my train stop, I was able to go to the Anne Frank House and see a bit of the city. Their story and the history I was able to touch touched me deeply. I have a fondness for Amsterdam and hope someday to spend more time exploring the city and the Netherlands.

3. Ride and possibly drive a dog sled.

I was able to ride in a dog sled and with that experience ALL that comes with the excursion, even the bits they don't tell you about. I wouldn't mind trying it again but this time as a musher/ driver.

4. Stand at the tip of the tippy top of Europe, the North Cape.

I was able to stand at the edge of the world, well almost since it's the edge of Europe and with that experience the cold beauty that surrounds this famous point.

5. Snowmobile on a frozen fjord. It'll be my first time snowmobiling so I'm excited!

This was one of my highlights. I not only was able to snowmobile on a frozen fjord but I did it at 75 mph! I definitely want to do this again.

6. Try some of the native dishes and their orange soda.

I tried their orange soda called "Sol" and a well known chocolate called "Smil" which looks like "Rolos" with a soft, caramel/ toffee filing. I also got to try lots of fish, served almost at every meal; Norwegian waffles; the Norwegian equivalent of a hot dog which was a Reindeer sausage wrapped in a tortilla-like bread made out of potatoes called "lefsa"; a traditional Sami meal with reindeer meat, veggies and potatoes; and Norwegian brown cheese.

7. Listen for a Norwegian saying the expression, "Uffda." It's like saying "I'm sorry" or "Darn it." It's mainly used in the Scandinavian parts of Minnesota but I like the word and want to see if still is in use there since it supposedly came from Norway.
I did listen for this expression and did not hear it to my dismay. I even asked about it and they looked at me funny so I don't think it's used anymore in Norway. I thought I heard a German fellow say it but that could be my wishful hearing. :)

8. Stay in an ice hotel.

This was truly a cool experience (pun intended)! Having a hotel background, I've been interested in unique hotels and the ice hotel had captured my fascination for some time. There are a handful around the world, mainly in Europe so I'm thankful I was able to experience it. It's truly amazing to sleep under a meter of snow and be somewhat warm!

9. Experience God in other cultures.

While God did not specifically come up in conversation, He was there in all that I saw. What stood out to me on this trip was God's attention to detail in His creation - the uniqueness of every snowflake and the different types of snow flakes - hard and soft, small and large; how the cylindrical design of reindeer hair helps them maintain moisture and stay warm, perfect for their climate; and how bits of solar dust can combine to create such mystical beauty found in the Northern Lights, light not practically needed except to touch the souls of those that witness them. His thoughtful and whimsical creations astounds me and inspires me to mimic those characteristics in what I do.

10. Have Starbucks. I brought my gift card so I'm ready!

While I did bring my gift card, I did not use it. There was a Starbucks in the Amsterdam airport but I did not come across the friendly green mermaid sign in Norway. Apparently there is much discussion about this out on the web. Who knew!

Results: Completed 8 out of 10 = 80% Pretty good!