Oslo, Norway

Urban walk: Maridalsveien to Storgata, November 2017

When I arrived in Norway it was minus 6 degrees, and I was greeted by thick snow which I immediately had to wade through to descend from the airplane. That was a new experience.

I had unwisely changed money at Edinburgh airport before I came (£20 into NOK (Norwegian Kroner) using my debit card, which incurred a hefty £13.50 in fees, and then paid for the bus in the same way as directed by my host (22 euros + £1.10 Bank of Scotland fee / exchange rate). Note to self, either go back to my Post Office money card or try Revolut so that I can store and use money in local currencies. In Oslo it seems that you do not need cash, only a card.

We drove through industrial areas, and forests while I excitedly snapped photos through the dirty coach window. I have found that it makes for interesting effects which in this case reminded me of old black and white plates which have been delicately painted by hand.

Sarah met me from the bus and I left my camera at her flat to charge while we trudged through the white stuff  to pick up her son from school. In English we are supposed to be very low on other words for snow compared to the Inuit’s 50, but have a look at the link below for 400+ Scots alternatives.

There were Xmas card scenes: a church in the street lights as we diagonally crossed the frosty grass, its outline emphasised by the snowy covering; strings of coloured lights brightening doorways. It all delighted me after around 8 hours of travelling, and I was only slightly cold because we dawdled home at an 8 year old pace.

A few days later I walked from the cosy flat at Maridalsveien where I stayed for most of my visit, to the Shiatsu studios where I taught a 2 day workshop, a venue shared with a Triratna Buddhist group.

I was sharing some techniques and information with Norwegian practitioners gathered from my 25 years of practice with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), multiple sclerosis (MS), myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME / Post Viral Syndrome) and cancer.

I walk as much as possible when I am visiting cities to work. It gives me time to assimilate and integrate all the new sights: see the architectural details, listen to the local voices, smell the air, and get to know a place at a slower pace.

 

‘Miss Smilla’s Feeling for Snow’ by Peter Hoeg.

More than 400 Scots words for snow More than 400 Scots words for snow