Nordic countries, round two.

We are 12 days out from being on the way to the Nordic part of the world, again! I can’t believe I get to type that sentence. I never thought I’d make it to Iceland once, let alone twice. If you knew my husband and his affinity for warmth and sunshine, you’d be as shocked as I am. I convinced him to go. TWICE.

We are headed back to Iceland for 2 days on the front end of the trip, and then 2 days on the return end of the trip. If you’re planning a vacation anywhere in Northern Europe, I highly recommend breaking it up with a stopover in Iceland. It gives you a chance to check one more place off your bucket list, and it breaks the flight up a bit, which (I think) makes the jet lag easier. Plus, Iceland is amazing. So wild. So pure.

The big highlight this year for us is Norway. We will be visiting Oslo, Bergen and Tromsø – which also means we will officially be in the arctic circle while we are in Tromsø. Another major bucket list item of ours! We plan to meet some reindeer, sail some fjords, hunt for the Northern Lights and of course, just immerse ourselves in as much Scandinavian culture as possible. Can you say Brunost, anyone?

I have a question for everyone, though. When you travel, do you learn phrases or words in the native language? I am a FIRM believer that the answer to that question should be yes. But let me tell you, Nordic languages are tough. I am struggling to learn some basics in Norwegian. Most Norwegians speak great English, anyway, but there’s just something that really breaks the ice with strangers when you stumble through a few words in their native language. Have you tried it before? What are your favorite resources when learning words in a foreign language? Drop me a comment below!

Adjø! (Goodbye!)

Stacey