Part Three: The journey edit
Hello, I am back after a week off from my day job. I went to Dublin to discover more woolly wonders, so I must finish my Norway adventure blogging. I have released a video here, however, this post has more detail and pictures from my adventure, in addition to all the stuff I forgot to say whilst filming. Part 4 will be released next week (25th Feb 2024) and soon I will be off to Latvia to explore their beautiful traditional knits.
If you like The Sound of Music, then you’ll know that the beginning is a very good place to start. I was asked on the trip when I had first heard of Arne and Carlos and I honestly can’t remember. To add some cheese, it feels like they have been there throughout my knitting journey. I must have come across them in a magazine, because that was how I accessed knitting and new products at the time (we are talking over 10 years ago). I suspect it was an article about their very popular knitted Christmas balls book. A lot of people came across Arne and Carlos in lockdown with their popular ‘Sit and Knit for a Bit’ show on YouTube; that is also how my admiration for the duo was reignited. Arne and Carlos live in Norway and their new format shares Norwegian and Scandinavian textile knowledge, which really inspired something new in me and still takes me down a rabbit hole of exploration.
Somewhere along the line, I digested knowledge that they run knitting holidays, which sounds like the most magical thing ever. When they announced there’d be another (the first post lockdown) I was searching the back arse of the internet to get an inkling of the cost of previous expeditions. I found it – it was incredibly expensive – I put that thought to the back of my mind.
The problem was it stayed there and I pictured myself with reindeer and exploring new wool brands. I vaguely mentioned the idea to my mum, who didn’t put me off. I also mentioned it to my manager at work, who didn’t put me off. These were not the responses I wanted! Then my manager sealed it for me. She said when I have a mortgage, I will never be able to do anything like this again. This would be my once in a lifetime; my Australia, my swimming with dolphins…also, my house deposit.
I had spent years saving for half a house deposit, then found myself in a position where I was single, and even further away from the amount of money I’d need. So why have half a house deposit when you can half none? Honestly I don’t regret the cost of the trip and it was nice to experience luxury. I honestly never regretted spending that money and hand on heart, I think about that holiday every single day. There were quite a few extra costs of my own, but I can make anything expensive. I got the most flexible flights and also needed snow boots and new (Marks and Spencer’s) thermals. With the cost of living crisis in the UK, I have worn those thermals for at least 5 months of the year; I’m really glad I got the dearer but quality M and S ones.
I had had limited experience of the outside world until I was 24. This is no ones fault, I either had no where to go or went on a day trip with family. Events took me to a place where I decided to address this and, slowly, I started going to theatre shows on the train, which I became quite a whizz at. I also travelled to the Midlands for work and the world slowly opened up and became less scary. Long story short, I’d come as far as I could in the UK and this was my next logical step of independence. I knew the Norwegians spoke very good English and that it was a safe country. The holiday was a nice blend of organised and self-organised, so I was going to be safe and I wasn’t going to have to plan everything.
The holiday sold out in an hour and I got my place. I did have to pay a single person supplement and I decided to pay for an exterior sea view room. I’m so glad I did because cabin fever is real, so I can’t even imagine that without a window. Norway does turn dark quickly in February, however, when it was day time the whole sea lit up bright with reflections of the snowy mountains. But we aren’t up to that bit just yet!
I had 6 months from booking to packing and I spent that time making lovely warm jumpers and accessories. The Arne and Carlos dickie (free pattern) was a great decision; keeping me warm and not taking up loads of room like a scarf would. I have never been to a snowy country before and I did not anticipate that warm clothes would take up so much room in a suitcase. Two weeks is a long time and I had to sacrifice being fashionable for wardrobe repeats. I like to wear dungarees, so you just need to take different tops and jumpers and this can make an outfit look new and fresh.
All packed a few days beforehand, I then arrived at the airport. And honestly, I felt dejected. Dejected that I wasn’t feeling the holiday vibe and wondering if I had bitten off more than I could chew. When I came back, all successful and alive, my family revealed they were apprehensive it was a step too far. I’d got myself all flustered at the airport, so the thermals came off and I crocheted anxiously until my gate number appeared on the board. I’m even slightly scared of flying.
As the plane approached Norway, the view was unbelievable. Nothing but rugged snow capped landscape, that looked flat but were actually probably mountains. Then as we descended you could see little islands with wooden houses on, coloured red and yellow. There was snow at the airport, but all in hand and not a botherto the Norwegians.
I then took at rather expensive £35 coach to Oslo. It was an hour and a half as Ryan Air only flies to the little airport, Oslo Torp, which is quite far out. Fortunately, the hotel wasn’t too far away from the bus station, but finding the front door to the bloody thing became quite a challenge. And this wasn’t a Rachel moment, a few people trying to enter the hotel were slowly grouping, looking confused. FYI, the actual front door is right round the corner, quite far down.
The hotel-Clarion The Hub-was very swish and it took me a day to understand how to operate the space age lift. My room had bag with an itinerary for the trip and some Norwegian chocolate: the expert organisation of Githa made me less anxious. It was around 2pm and I flung myself out into Oslo wool shopping. The temperature was -1, but didn’t actually feel too cold. Little snowflakes fell and I had a warm feeling that Google maps and I might just be able to do this thing.
Well, I ran out of time in that video to discuss more, so you’ll have to wait until part 4 is released (if you’re in the future, go and read it now!)
Click here to go to part 2.
Click here to go to part 1.
Take care, Rachel G x
Little Miss Drop Stitch 