Letters Home - Norway
by Leslie Shalduha
August 14, 2025 Hello from Nesodden
We wrapped up our house-sit after two weeks. We enjoyed being able to cook, do laundry and have some relaxing downtime. We did do the River Sauna experience one rainy day and it was spectacular. The sauna had a floor to ceiling window that overlooked the river and we had the place mostly to ourselves. Emma and I enjoyed going back and forth from the water to the sauna for an hour or so. The river water was shockingly cold but once in we adapted quickly; probably because we went numb. Swimming in the rain in a fjord river in Norway…...a dream I did not know I had has come true.
Getting our luggage back from the housesit was much smoother than the getting there—maybe because we knew what to expect this time? After we dropped our luggage off at our original lodging near Oslo we headed straight to Delicatessen Tapas. I have a little crush on one of the servers, and when I wondered if he missed us he said “Every day before my shift I wonder if I will see them.” Haha! No doubt because the first time we went for dinner, as he squatted down to be on my level to take our order, I said “Hooowwdeee,” with a high-pitched accent to end the word. Which I was unaware that I did until Emma filled me in. Whew. It is hard to be me.
One evening Emma and I met Alex and his family at a nice restaurant called Asia down at the Aker Brygge, on the waterfront, to celebrate Alex’s birthday. We visited for almost three hours, enjoying great food, drinks and dessert with coffee. It was so, so lovely. With Emma and Alex being together for three years, his family feels like my family and maybe the feeling is mutual.
This past week we prepared, mentally and physically, for the big move to our final lodging before we leave for Iceland. This was to be the first time just Emma and I had to manhandle our full luggage complement, as we had left some things behind in Oslo when we went to Mjøndalen. With four suitcases, one large backpacking pack and five miscellaneous smaller bags, I was not looking forward to it though Emma was nonplussed. It was to be about a ½ block walk from our apartment to the tram, then board a ferry and a bus before a ¼ mile uphill walk to our lodging. Ugh!
Well, you should know I gave in to my panic and ordered a taxi from the lodging to the first ferry landing, and from the other ferry landing to our new lodging. It all went very smoothly – despite my fears we did really well with just the two of us when we had to move the luggage ourselves. Guess Emma was right all along! Still, having the taxi was a big relief and I stand by my decision.
The final taxi dropped us at the address listed and drove away. I was trying to find the information from the host about where exactly the apartment was while Emma was pulling the luggage together from the road. She wandered up a path to see if it was the right place but came back unsure. I knew I had received an email with the details – walk under a rose covered tunnel, go to apartment under house, key in the mailbox. I was all kinds of discombobulated, trying to find the right email. Emma said people were in a window in the house above, staring at us. It was indeed the hosts and they helped us pull the luggage through the rose tunnel to our apartment. The gentleman was asking us questions about who we were, why so much luggage, la la la…...turns out he is from Portland, Oregon! How funny is that! He just received citizenship here last month after living here for fifteen years.
The apartment is really lovely. Plenty of natural light, a sweet little kitchen that is very nicely equipped, a cozy bed and furniture and a nice bathroom. I leave the windows open most of the time to allow fresh air in – no bugs to speak of here so it is okay that there are no screens on the windows.
Emma stayed one night with me then joined Alex so I have had the place to myself. Not that I mind! I enjoy the alone time. So, with only myself to please, I have been exploring the area on foot in addition to getting in some work.
Each morning I pull up the map and look for something near the water to navigate to – we are up on top of a “hill” here. It is about 200 ft. down to the water from anywhere so I have been getting a lot of exercise here. For instance, yesterday I walked five miles and climbed 44 flights of steps, according to my app tracker. The day before I walked nearly seven miles but only 24 flights of stairs. Guess I am getting in shape!
This is a very nice area – the neighborhood is lovely and peaceful, the houses gorgeous in their Norwegian way. I see Oslo across the fjord from all sides. I follow the maps from here to there and it has sometimes led me to some, let’s call them interesting, paths. It often seems like I am crossing private property but the map says go, and I do. One narrow path in a neighborhood ran between two backyard fences and led me into the woods where I soon heard the sound of many children playing, screeching and screaming, laughing and calling. Eventually I came upon them—a school playground, just in the woods, on a hill above their school. I stood and watched for awhile before I carried on the path that was not obvious at all. The map told me I was going off of it after a bit so I stopped to figure it out. I heard knocking and realized there was a woodpecker above me; I spent some time looking for him, then decided it was a sign to stop and rest for a bit, realizing I was covered in sweat. A man came walking by and let himself off the path via a gate that I had not realized was a gate. Whew! Otherwise I might still be wandering around those woods.
Another walk found me at a ferry landing for a catch-up phone call with a friend. It began to rain so I tucked myself under an awning to wait it out as it was a long way home and going to be a steep, uphill journey. While I waited and chatted, several people came down to swim in the fjord, in the pouring rain—one woman in the nude! Ah, to be so brave…...After two hours it finally turned to a light sprinkle so I made my mad dash home, arriving only slightly wet. Luckily my friend and I had lots to talk about!
Yesterday I returned to a beach discovered on one of my explorations. I spent the afternoon swimming in the FREEZING water and lying on my towel, reading a book while watching families come and go, young children ran around nude playing and screaming, and enjoyed the sounds of foreign language on my ears. These folks just walk into the water like it is nothing—as I tiptoe in, I grit my teeth so I do not scream like a baby and disgrace myself. Once in, though, it makes me feel as if I can do anything in the world—what a feeling!
I have been mostly eating at the apartment though I have gone out to eat a couple of times. I like to put on jazz covers of current pop songs while I prepare my meals and then listen to instrumental guitar or piano as I read while I eat. It is like a small town here, mostly just homes, so not many options to eat out. They do have a mall nearby, though it is not a mall like I am used to in the States. hat is Here is where I find the grocery, pharmacy, flower and liquor store as well a bakery and restaurant, amongst a few other places.
Emma is due to come back today to visit. I have saved the best beach to share with her. In the meantime, I will keep walking and exploring. When next you hear from me, it will be with an update from Iceland! We finally come now to the point of our travels – I wonder what will we find?