From Where You'd Rather Be

Stavanger, Norway

My Birthday present from M was a weekend to Norway, a very generous and amazing gift! M had seen a billboard with a picture of "The Pulpit Rock," a beautiful sight of Stavanger which can be reached by a two hour hike. We flew out of London on Friday evening and caught a shuttle to our hotel. He had booked us into the Radisson which had amazing views over the town's lake. On Saturday we enjoyed an amazing buffet breakfast and set out for Pulpit Rock. After waiting outside the hotel for a tour bus which never showed up, we took the initiative to walk to the ferry pier and caught a ferry and a cab to the base of the walk. The walk was not challenging, however elderly or unfit people may find the rock balancing slightly demanding. People of all ages, and even their dogs took the walk at their own pace and we reached the Pulpit Rock within two hours and ate lunch at the windy peak. It was a beautiful sight, with views for miles of lake, mountains and raw natural beauty. The wind was quite powerful making it hard to take pictures right by the edge, but still people were trying!

That night we asked the hotel where the best traditional Norwegian restaurant was and strolled down to the harbour where there was a great atmosphere of tourists mixing with locals, enveloped by a balmy breeze and lovely sunshine. We were surprised to learn that you could only drink at the outdoor seating of the restaurants and had to go inside to eat. We therefore chose to soak up the sunshine and went inside once the sun had set. The meal was delicious, but reflected the high prices of Norway-the total cost of two wines, two mains and a cheese platter equated to around AU$120!!!

The next day we took it easy, exploring the 'old town' and avoiding the rainfall. It was a beautiful weekend and i felt very spoilt, a big thank you to M for making me feel so special x