Arne & Carlos Norwegian Knitting Cruise 2023

Part 4: The voyage edit

Welcome to the fourth and final instalment of my Norwegian knitting adventures, with Arne and Carlos. Feel free to visit part one, two or, three. I have also made part 4 into a video, however, this blog posts has pictures plus all the other bits I forgot to say when filming.

So, last time we ended on our first night in Oslo and up to this point I had solo travelled. The morning after, our itinerary had us meeting early after breakfast. We all met one another in the hotel lobby and this was the bit that was killing me inside, but it had to be done. After a couple of minutes, I no longer felt like I was speed dating and everyone was so welcoming and interested in one another. Most had arrived as a pair, however, there were at least eight solo travellers. It still amazes me that people had travelled from all over the world and we were then standing together in the same space. Based on the fact the coach was full, I’d say there were at least 40 of us. Most from the US, then two from the UK (myself and a lady who had retired to Shetland from England), a Dutch lady, two sisters and a couple from Canada, then two couples from Australia. This certainly made the travelling more interesting.

Our first day together was a comprehensive tour of Oslo. I’m really glad this was included, because Oslo’s landscape is naturally quite ‘bitty’, therefore if I had been on foot, I would not have made the effort to get transport to all the little gems in Oslo. We also went to the folk museum and saw beautiful historical Bunard’s and even an antique sleigh. We saw the opera house, which is designed to look like a floating ice berg. There were also floating saunas with steps and local people dipping (very quickly!) into the icy water. We then had a beautiful tour of artwork in nature, including a sculpture by Salvador Dali (a rather naughty sculpture!). We then had a beautiful meal of fish soup and that is the first time I tried salmon. I also realised that the Norwegians were serious about the desserts and presentation. I did try cloudberries – a berry native to Norway that is allowed to be picked – however, they tasted too ‘seedy’ for me. A bit like strawberries, where you spend more time crunching little dots than enjoying the fruit. Perhaps I’d prefer cloudberry jam.

Oh, we also saw hundred’s of families strolling up a massive hill as if it were nothing. The tour guide said that today was a day that children get to ski and have a little competition. It was lovely to see so many people encouraging and nurturing the little ones. My favourite thing was seeing real time-Eddie the Eagle style-ski jumping. None of this was planned, just lovely sights from the coach.

Our tour Guide was called Elsa and she also had a business as a seamstress in Oslo. She was so talented and I often think about her when I am trying to learn a language. She had decided to qualify as a tour guide as something to do in her retirement. Elsa said she already spoke three languages and was learning Italian so that she could be a better tour guide. This is where I first had a glimpse that it is never too late and you are never too old. The coach was electric and very toasty warm: a mention should go to our fabulous coach driver, who was originally from Morocco and now taught I think it was maths, then drove a massive coach through the snow for the tours at weekends. She also drove that bus in a skirt and heels! How fabulous-truly inspirational ladies!

Day 3 we left Oslo and took a beautiful 6 hour train to Bergen, which is on the west coast of the country. Some useful information is that we were in standard seating and there was so much leg room-my 6 foot 4 brother would have been quite content. If I went on this train again (and do hope to), there wouldn’t be any need to book first class. This train was also an opportunity to chat to other members of the group, all whilst the stunning snowy landscape flew past. This train journey has recently been on a television programme, highlighting that is really is a beautiful and impactful voyage.

As soon as we arrived at Bergen train station, we noticed a wool shop. Of course Norway has such a demand for wool and crafts there is a wool shop in the train station, just as there are wool shops in supermarkets. Madness! I had a shop around with my new solo travel companions and then we retired for out last night in a hotel.

We enjoyed a sight seeing tour of Bergen, in addition to a trip to Oleana, which is a high end machine knitwear fashion brand in Norway, as well as the much anticipated Hillesvåg wool factory. One of the owners gave a tour and I learned a lot about the process of wool. The factory cannot upscale the business as it uses 100+ year old equipment and there physically isn’t the room to add more machinery. I still have no idea how they produce as much as they do. That day, they were making red yarn. The shop part had every single colour, weight and texture. I could have spent all day there. I will certainly return.

The day after we embarked onto Havilla Capella. I feel like I have been spoiled for my first boat journey as the boat was only a couple of years old and very luxurious. The boat is classed as a ferry, which offers a postal service and is used by commuters. The boat is allowed to do the full route from Bergen to Kirkenes at the Norwegian-Russian boarder, because of how low emission it is. I really enjoyed being on a small passenger boat (around 170 passengers) and I was finding my way round in no time. I also loved people watching and getting to know familiar faces.

As part of the pre-planned trip, we had three knitting lectures arranged for us. I really enjoyed these and it was a fantastic insight into designing and career paths. Two were by Arne and Carlos, covering their work over time and behind the scenes of designing; we also had a lecture from Ragnhild Lie from Lofoten wool. I believe they regularly change the guest lecturer and I was in awe of how clever wool sorting is, in additional to learning about dyeing wool naturally. Ragnhild’s lovely assistants also made a pop-up yarn shop on board. Lofoten wool is very expensive at £40 a hank (don’t tell mother!), so I chose a tank top which only required two for my size. I am looking forward to making a garment where I have literally met the shepherdess and the wool travelled barely any miles from the sheep to my hands. Very special indeed.

There were also optional excursions, which certainly kept the knitting husbands entertained! I went on four, where were: fishing in Trondheim, an arctic night walk, visiting reindeer and husky sledging. These trips were very expensive, however, this was my once in a life time holiday and I’m so glad I did them. The cheapest was the walk at 80 quid, the more expensive trips being 200 large ones. It turned out most people in our knitting group had booked excursions, so there was always someone to be with and get to know better along the way.

The boat was busy, but not chaotically full. Every day, there was a reserved section of the bar area for our pop-up ‘knitting café’ and each day Arne and Carlos were there and it makes me very happy to say I’ve knitted with them! There was a happy hour included in our package and I have to say that Norwegian beer is lovely. Arne and Carlos are partial to a tipple and let’s just say I couldn’t keep up! They made a point of sitting with us all at meal times and on the last day, they noticed they had not yet sat with a few people, so they ensured we all got chance to be dined with Arne and Carlos.

I know it’s their job and they are probably paid quite handsomely out of the trip, but I genuinely felt like they enjoyed getting to know new people. I certainly wouldn’t want to entertain for 18 hours a day! Carlos is even more handsome in real life and Arne is simply adorable. Together they can be rather naughty and I shall keep the story about the Dutch police men to myself! The knitting husbands all got on really well with the pair and I’d also like to confirm that Arne is the knitting machine you see on telly. He did colour work without a chart, which was a new design, which he was knitting on DPNs whilst chatting to people. Not only that he made like 4 projects and half a jumper. I took some pictures of our little fashion show on the final night of our trip. Yes, that is Arne and Carlos admiring my knitted skirt.

So, here is the big question. Would I go on an Arne & Carlos knitting holiday again?

I think about this holiday every single day and I’m glad I took the plunge and spent the money, but no, I probably wouldn’t go on another. Why? Well for starters I don’t have the money! A load of people there were retired teachers and seemed to go on every trip. How well do they pay teachers in the US!? Secondly, I have warm memories of the people in the group, in addition to a healthy bunch of solo travellers, so I never felt like I was just hanging on to someone. Our tour guide said that every trip is different because of the people and I worry the camaraderie of the people I met just wouldn’t be the same.

But if you’ve never been on an Arne & Carlos holiday before, I would certainly recommend it, based on how well planned they are, the additional optional trips and for the boys themselves. I would have been over phased planning a trip of this distance and length by myself.

This trip really was the making of me. I grew in confidence to be independent and I made it to the Arctic, so I now have proof I can rely on myself. I no longer feel conscious or worry about being on my own…or as we now call it ‘solo’. I am going to Latvia and Lithuania on my own next month. It’s funny how in that moment we were all at the same destination, yet we all had different reasons for being there and got there in different ways.

I guess we shall end on ‘oh yeah, and I saw the Northern Lights loads’.