When planning/going backpacking (TIPS!)

When planning on going backpacking somewhere, alone or with a friend, you need to plan a lot. Usually it is not smart to just let things happen as they are, you need to plan it carefully, also to know how much money it will probably or estimated cost. Below I will describe how I planned my trip and give tips. 

Start early

The best tip I can give, is to start early. There is a lot of research work to do, and if you start early there is a big chance, the cheapest options for stays etc are still available, the same goes for flight tickets. I started a few months in advance, to see what I could afford and what I exactly wanted to do during the trip, what to see, what to experience and where to stay. I bought a landmap of Norway, since I knew I would be studying in Norway and I wanted to see more of the country. Then I started looking, where are different airports, which place is situated where, I checked the internet for nice places to visit and different tips and tricks from others. When you start early, it also gives you the opportunity to overthink decisions before you buy the tickets and book the stays. Then I decided, okay, I want to see Oslo, Stavanger and Bergen. At the beginning, I also wanted to visit Trondheim and Alesund, but when calculating the end total, I noticed that would be too expensive, and I did not have the time to travel that long. I am a person that wants to stay a few days at one place, instead of just one day, I want to explore the city, get to know it, the local cultures and habits. So I ended up choosing Oslo, Stavanger and Bergen, also a great choice. Then I started looking at all the things that come when booking a holiday. From plane tickets, to public transport (I would not do the backpacking by hitchhiking or traveling by car) to nice, cozy hotspots in the different cities. 

Research the cities (hotspots, what to see, where to eat)

Then I started to do further research on the different cities. From looking at Youtube videos, to clicking on Pinterest. Researching the cities, making plans for different days, see where different things are located. From sightseeing to hiking, I researched everything. I looked at different activities as well, from kayaking to other sports. Fjordtours.com was a very helpful website for this. You can also buy a fjordpass at their website, which will give different discounts when you book activities via their website. Really usefull. This is how I found the kayak trip, and also a Viking trip. Unfortunately, for the latter, we booked too late, and therefore it was already fully booked. You can leave booking activities until the last moment, but then this is one of the risks, that it is already fully booked. I started to research blogs and other review pages about the cities as well. It lead me to find more small hidden places in the cities, small hidden gems, from streets to cozy hidden restaurants to buildings to parks. It is amazing how much you can find on the internet. Ut.no is a Norwegian website with all kinds of local trail that you would not find at the Information Centre usually. Different trails with different lengts, difficulties and distances to the city are listed on the city. It will usually describe which spots you will pass, and where the trail will lead you. I researched different hikes, the public transport to those places or walking trails to the trails and how difficult they were. When having researched this, I could estimate how many days per city was needed to fully explore everything.

Where to stay

After deciding which cities I wanted to visit, I checked for where to stay. I did not have a tent at that time, so that was not an option, and the rules of the Right to Roam in Norway state that you need to be atleast 100-150 metres away from housing and cabins. So when backpacking in the middle of the cities, this would not be an option. When checking where to stay, from hotels to hostels, I checked for prizing, what they offered, the reviews and how they were located (far or close to the hotspots and the city centre). I came across quite cheap hotels and hostels in Norway, but with those you need to book early, to get the rooms at those cheap rated places. 

Transport (very important!)

Then I researched how to get from place to place. I knew there was a possibility to fly everywhere, however, I heard from people and read on the internet that the train rides between those cities are incredibely beautiful. They did not lie, they were absolutely breathtaking, you get to see so much more if you travel by train and bus instead of flying. In the south of Norway there are a lot of train tracks and the train fares are not expensive at all. We traveled by train, bus and even boat! All relatively cheap, with the most magnificent views. This you can book later, but I would definetely book it before the trip, rather than on the trip self, just to be sure. 

Airplane tickets

With airplane tickets there are different tricks to get them at cheaper rates. You can use different websites like Kayak.com or Skyscanner.net to get an overview from all tickets at one day for different rates with different or no bagage included. It is always usefull to check the cooperate websites as well, since those might be cheaper in some cases. My best tip when buying airplane tickets, is to delete all your browser history before you book, and book on a Tuesday. It is proven that both will lower the fares of the tickets. 

To travel alone or with others?

Then a last thing to consider when traveling is whether you want to travel alone or with others. At first, I wanted to travel alone, because it would be easier, I could just do my thing and roll on. Then I remembered, but alone can be really alone sometimes, especially if you do not meet the right people at the hostels or activities. And it is safer to be together than alone, from different hiking situations to others. And when traveling with others, you get their input as well, so different views and more options of what to do during traveling. I traveled with a friend eventually, and I do not regret it, it was much more fun, to share the experiences, during hiking and when eating as well. 

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