Norway: Fun, Fjords and Physical Therapy

 Tonight my husband, daughter and I are flying to “The Land of the Midnight Sun,” a.k.a.Norway. To be honest, I have no independent recollection of how we landed on this country but I think it was just good old American marketing because the pictures of the place are beautiful. 

We will spend a few days in Oslo and then take a 7-hour train ride across the country to Bergen, which has been described as one of the loveliest train trips in Europe. Thanks to the magic of YouTube, I watched a very condensed 12 minute video of the journey. The video showed happy people boarding the train wearing pants, jackets and light scarves and all of the mountains on the journey were snow-covered. I naturally thought that this particular trip had to have been filmed in October or November. I learned around minute six that I was way off and that it was actually taped in July. Needless to say, my very full suitcase contains neither shorts nor a bathing suit. 

Once we arrive in Bergen, we will be joined by our daughter’s boyfriend and then begin hiking around the fjords for five days on another “Backroads” trip. As I get older, I have realized that preparing for a physical vacation is more complex and takes up a lot more time. For this particular vacation, for example, I needed physical therapy on not one, but two parts of my body. (I am already worrying that I will need three for our next trip.)  This was no strength training- it’s because things are just not working like they used to. The latest addition to my vacation prep regimen was an injection of cortisone in my wrist. What a miracle drug!  As I have no plans to hike on my hands, I recognize that my wrist will play only a minor role in our outdoor adventure— but it hurt too damn much not to address. 

On top of all the physical preparation, there is all the COVID prep to address.  The good news: We need no COVID tests to enter Norway and testing to return to the United States has recently been lifted.  The bad news:  None of all this good news has diminished my worrying.  Under no circumstances was I going to be the one who screwed up our vacation plans by testing positive! While I am fully vaccinated and boosted, I’m the middle-age woman wearing my mask everywhere!  My husband and I have recently discussed whether others think that I am an anti-vaxxer because of my constant mask wearing. I think I could address this issue by getting a shirt that says, “I trust the science but I’m nervous by nature.” I think I could make a fortune…..at least in the northeast! 

I will write more once we arrive on the other side of “the pond.”


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