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Huyen Chi is an electronics and telecommunications engineer living in southern France. She also runs the travel blog Cherry Tree On The Moon. Huyen Chi has extensive experience traveling independently across Europe. This summer, she chose to visit Norway in early July because it's the time of year when the weather is most favorable. The Nordic countries are starting to thaw, so the climate isn't too cold and the natural scenery is fresh and vibrant.
"Because I've had a lot of travel experience before, I've already equipped myself with all the necessary skills. So I don't feel too worried about this trip," Huyen Chi told Travellive.
The scenery in Norway is picture-perfect.
The snow begins to melt in early July.
Before arriving in Norway, Huyen Chi had to research the country's Covid-19 quarantine policies. Norway has very strict quarantine regulations, not opening its borders to foreign tourists. Therefore, Chi closely monitored these regulations until they were relaxed before packing up and leaving. She completed her Covid-19 vaccinations to stay safe. Knowing the journey would be long, Huyen Chi took her car for maintenance, bought some snacks, and packed her usual camping gear from the storage unit into the trunk. And so, her journey to Norway, a country as beautiful as a painting, began.
When asked about how she manages to plan her travel itinerary in Norway smoothly, Chi just smiled and said that she doesn't create an itinerary at all. During her road trips in Europe, Huyen Chi travels in a "go wherever you want" style, and she usually spends about a month experiencing each country. At each beautiful location, the blogger lingers for a long time to learn about the culture and take photos.
"Because I'm traveling at a leisurely pace and don't have a schedule, I don't feel pressured to visit all the places I planned to see. I've been in Norway for almost three weeks and have only visited the southern part of the country," Huyen Chi said.
A church nestled in the mountains.
A farm in Norway.
After touring southern Norway, Huyen Chi felt that the places most praised by the media weren't as beautiful as she'd hoped. Preikestolen and Trolltunga, while majestic, didn't leave much of an impression on the travel blogger. Huyen Chi preferred the lakes around Loen and Stryn. Near these lakes are many magnificent glaciers, picturesque mountain farms, and romantic landscapes.
On this trip, due to weather issues, Chi didn't have the chance to go to Northern Norway. On future trips, she chooses to visit the Lofoten Islands in the autumn, hoping to witness the aurora borealis. For Huyen Chi, traveling in Norway is about immersing herself in freedom. Norway has many pristine places and majestic natural landscapes. The blogger confided that she will forever remember the times she stopped for lunch by the lake or camped by the beach. And the next morning, waking up to see the early morning clouds floating above the sea and drifting across the mountain slopes. A very gentle feeling, yet easily memorable.
The estuary in southern Norway.
The scenery in Norway is picture-perfect.
"Hotels and restaurant services, especially alcoholic beverages, are very expensive in Norway. But camping fees and food prices at supermarkets are not any higher than in other European countries I usually visit, such as France and Germany," Huyen Chi observed.
The affordable camping fees helped Huyen Chi save money on her trip and allowed her to find suitable accommodation on her own. During that time, most Norwegians spent their summer holidays at home, causing tourism in Norway to become overcrowded. Hotel rooms in many of the places Huyen Chi visited were fully booked. The blogger chose to camp in campsites or set up tents in beautiful locations such as lakes and picturesque bays. Nordic countries differ from other European countries in that they encourage free camping. You can set up camp anywhere you like, as long as it's more than 100 meters away from residential areas.
A beautiful lake area in Norway.
Conquer the high mountains of Norway.
"This was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my trip," Huyen Chi said.
By the end of her trip, Huyen Chi had traveled a total of 9,000 km, crossing countless bridges and tunnels, and visiting many amazing destinations in European countries. The blogger felt that her limits had been challenged and expanded, something she had never been able to do before. In the near future, Chi hopes to travel further after more than two years without setting foot outside the borders of Europe. Her planned destinations could be New Zealand or South America.
