Norway currency

Have I mentioned just how expensive this country can be?

I am finding that the average hostel price (which runs about $20-$25 per night in the US) is anywhere between $30.00-$120.00. But the average I am finding, this is of course if we RSVP every night....is about $60 per night/per person!!! Is this NOT atrocious? And hotels are pretty much out of the question unless its an emergency as they are DOUBLE these figures!! I dont know how we are going to do this on a budget, but because we have to have a plan in case things dont turn out the way we hope sometimes..... I am expecting to pay about $1740.00 for 29 nights of (cheap)lodging on this trip.

Here are some other figures I found on couchsurfing.org about some costs (keep in mind that these are NOT actual costs, just averages and that they may flucuate depending on the time of year, area, and demand of the product)

Here is a couple of prices for you:

Cup of black coffee in cafè: 10-20kr = $1.80-$3.60
Caffélatte/Mocca/Cappuchino in cafè: 30-40kr= $5.40-$7.20
Hot chocolate in cafè: 20-30kr0, = $3.60-$5.40
5L bottle of mineral water in kiosk: 25kr0, =$4.50
5L bottle of mineral water in store: 15kr =$2.70
1L of milk in store: 15kr = $2.70

Plain bread in store: 10kr= $1.80
Premium bread in store: 20kr= $3.60
Premium bread in bakery: 35kr = $6.30
Regular small chocolate bar: 15kr= $2.70

Regular bag of potato chips: 30kr= $5.40

10 hot dogs in store: 60kr= $10.80 (wow they must be kosher?! LOL)
400g minced meat: 60kr= $10.80
300g chicken breast filet: 60kr= $10.80
500g dry pasta: 20kr= $3.60

Ready-made sandwich in kiosk: 30-60kr = $5.40-$10.80
Made-to-order sandwhich: 60-100kr= $10.80-$18.00
Dinner at low-end food place (kebab, burger): 60-100kr= $10.80-$18.00
Dinner at mid-end restaurant (Fridays, Hard Rock): 150-200kr= $27.00-$36.00

City transport - single trip pre-bought: 26kr =$4.68
City transport - single trip from driver: 40kr= $7.20
City transport - day pass: 70kr= $12.60
City transport - 8 trips flexi: 190kr= $34.20
City transport - week pass: 210kr= $37.80

Nightclub cover charge: 100-200kr= $18.00-$36.00


I like to use this site to get the most recent exchange rates (as currencies change on a daily basis): http://finance.yahoo.com/currency-converter/#from=NOK;to=USD;amt=20

Also I forgot some of the most important things:

Beer in a store: 15-25kr (per bottle depending on brand)= $2.70-$4.50
Beer in a pub: 40-70kr (per bottle)= $7.20-$12.60
Beer in a club: 70-100kr(per bottle)= $12.60-$18.00
Mixed drinks: 80-120kr= $14.40-$21.60

Over the past week I've been known to quote the cost of a single beer in Norway as it just astounds me. I dont mind paying for a beer but at double the cost of what Im used to....and the rumor is that Norwegians go over to Sweden to buy their beer for a cheaper rate! Whew guess its a good thing for my pocketbook I dont drink very much!!!

It is always better to be prepared for high prices and then be pleasantly suprised, rather than the other way around.

Sorry to throw all these figues at you but Im just doing my research!!! I still have tons of planning to do (and Norwegian to learn) do I have enough time to get everything accomplished?! How do I fit dating into all this? Aha, YES only date those who know Norwegian!! Oh, except there arent many around these parts. Sigh.

Brain reformating begins.....

How important exactly is it to know the language of a country you desire to visit?!

In my current quest of Norway I have been doing lotsa fun research. Research that is revealing that having a basic understanding of a language (especially in a Nordic country)will get you farther with the hard headed people of that region. (I am 1/4th Norwegian so I hope I do not offend any one nationality with the previous sentence....)

Sigh, the cities speak English but once you wander outside to the smaller towns and farm steads I think it will come in handy at least to know the basics!

Which is why I have also decided I am going to learn the Norwegian Language. Let me rephrase that....I am going to TRY to learn SOME Norwegian language. I have books, a dictionary, a great learning tool on the internet that teaches you 10 words a day. The only problem is, I have been thinking about learning Norwegian for about 3 months now.....and all I know how to say is uffda (which I picked up as a child anyhow) and himmel, which means sky.

NOTHING ELSE WILL STICK IN MY BRAIN!!!!

As of last week I am sure we are going (as me and my aunt purchaesed our tickets to OSLO!!!) So, no turning back now!!

Now I am more determined than ever to learn as much as I can in less than 5 months, gah when I actually type the length of time I have left it looks a bit....um, gulp.

So I bought some tapes and uploaded an application on my ipad (which has a flirting section in it as well *grin* what, everyone needs to know how to learn to flirt in Norwegian, right?!!)

And I ordered a subliminal CD which consists of 6 classical songs that apparantly have Norwegian learning basics laced through them. I patiently sit and listen to it on a nightly basis and shall get back to you with my final conclusion on "if" it works. God I hope Im not being brainwashed.

To be continued.......