Hello all,
So unfortunately, it looks as though travel around Iceland is going to be too difficult during the winter months as none of the bus lines operate to the areas we would like to visit, especially the west fjords. We haven’t given up hope on seeing Iceland, but we have decided that starting in Norway is our best move. Scandinavians are very active in the outdoors during the winter, so going to the Nordic countries in the winter will show us a side of their culture and traditions that tourists miss out on while visiting in the summer.
Icelandair offers some affordable flights from Canada to Norway, so we have decided to fly straight from Canada (likely Vancouver) to Bergen, Norway. Looking through some workaway websites we’ve found some great opportunities, including: a farm which raises sled dogs, a couple wanting help building a sailboat to sail the world (not kidding), spiritual/religious centers, and animal husbandry work. It looks like we have a solid chance of finding plenty of interesting volunteering experiences living on some of the most beautiful properties.
Besides working, we’re hoping to do a fair amount of hiking in the parks and fjords. In particular, we would really like to explore the Sognefjord area, which is conveniently near Bergen, and the Jotunheimen Mountains. Otherwise, we’re hoping to see the northern lights and explore Bergen, Oslo, and a few smaller communities.
We’ll let you know details when we get it all together,
Ashleigh
