norsk

In a word - yes

mikewot

Thinking back to viking times most of us have some viking blood.

norsk

Imagine the standard of UK women without the Vikings...

Perhaps they should make a TV series in a similar vein to The Man in the High Castle. It would be horror of course, but hey...

scrubbedexpat141

Interesting. If Scandinavia is full of such better folk, why slum it in the UK?

My Grandad said that if I didn't eat my veggies then I'd be letting our Viking ancestors down. Turns out, years after his death my Granny admitted that there isn't a shred of truth in anything he said about us being part Viking.

It's a shame really, he had me completely convinced.

Bahtatboy

Says he from Dubai...

Tockalosh

Booze is way cheaper, you don't have to plug your car in to stop it freezing, no short skirts and gusset flashes in winter as everyone is under 10 layers of clothing, you can eat something other than pickled herrings, you can't get a battered sausage from the chippy

mikewot

I guess you've never been to the land of the norse in winter, where they do indeed wear 10 layers of clothing to get to your comfortable toasty abode. Then shed same in the 'hallway' for the normal clothing. It can prove interesting, almost as much as the mixed nude sauna but lets not dwell on that.......

Tockalosh

Incorrect dear sir, I spent some time in Sweden when my old company merged with it's Swedish rival. It was expensive, cold but did have great porn on the hotel tv channel. Old part of Stockholm was pleasant and I did like that ship they pulled up. My comments remain valid, Engerland is better

norsk

I was tricked into relocating to the UK around Y2K. Met my wife who is a second generation and now it is my home.

Norway has a lot of great points, but it is also small. Very small. Everyone knows everyone and the combination of oil and social democracy has made people go a bit bonkers. I don't think I could handle the pressure of keeping up with the neighbours/friends/family in terms of house, furniture, boats, cabin in the mountains, cabin by the sea. At this point I am happy to visit, but I cannot ever live there again I don't think.

Tock mentions price of booze, but that isn't an issue when you live there. Salaries are higher to cope with the taxes and duties imposed on foods/drinks. Also nobody is poor really. Even the lady at the till of the local supermarket probably earns 30K a year (and taxes are progressive to even everything out).

I have never eaten a pickled herring in my life!

norsk

this fb post has gone viral over the last couple of days so chances are you've already seen it, but if you haven't it is quite good..

https://www.facebook.com/emlyn.pearc...53554296065775

Inselaffen

lived one year in Sandefjord. Dullest year of my life!

shiva

such a killer having to have these and the weather to use them. Man i just hate visiting my friends hytte (sp) chilling in a forest by a lake, fishing from a canoe and cooking over an open fire outside without a sound of the modern world and stars galore enjoying a beer and some Fenalår knowing i'll be swimming in the lake the next day with stunning and naked women.

Yup Norway sucks, id never go back either.





ok i know it has its issues and certainly there are some issues with "keeping up" but the bits i've seen and my friends largely ignore all that crap.

Inselaffen

Interesting stats from the European Commission.In 2014 the European Commission Ageing study predicted that Germany's population will shrink from 81.3 million in 2013 to 70.8 million in 2060, whereas the UK's will rise from 64.1 million to 80.1 million.

No wonder Germany is pushing to accept so many refugees.They need someone to pay their future pensions.

norsk

Don't get me wrong. I miss loads of things, but I don't understand the need for all this stuff. Surely one hytte is enough! :-)

One of my mates just built a new hytte in the mountains. It is more than 5 km from the nearest road and has better facilities than most houses in the UK. If I remember correctly it cost him close to half a million quid, but that was projected costs during design and planning so probably went up by 25% or so. Pretty insane considering he will probably use it 2 or 3 times a year and he will be paying the mortgage every day until he retires....

I actually have a hytte as well, but it is nothing like the above. It is a listed hunting hytte in the middle of Hardangervidda (protected national park) with exactly zero comforts which has been in the family since the early 1800's. No water, no electricity, no toilet! I love it! When I go there I go there can relax in the knowledge that there are more than likely less than 5 people within 10 km in any direction!

As for the keeping up crap I think it hugely depends on where you grew up. I am from Vestkanten ie the 'rich' side of Oslo which means the fever is extreme...

shiva

That's insane money. I'd rather have the zero comforts and a primus than the debt. Similar situation with friends, variety of ages and states of disrepair of buildings but they are a very "outdoor" crowd so are out most weekends and probably go to their hyttes at least monthly in summer and winter.the rest of the time it's on small bots, hiking or camping.
Friends are all from Moss and Jeloy so not as bad as the "city" crowd but it's a longer drive to get North