Shippin' Norway

Socializing with sexagenarians, taking out a mortgage to eat, freezing my ass off and flash-tourism are not usually "thang". But how could possibly turn down the opportunity to sail a bit of history. Norway is renowned for it's spectacular coastal beauty. When in the country, there may be no better way to appreciate it than hopping on the Hurtigruten.

Back in the day, around 1890s, it was darn near impossible to reach Norway's

arctic region. While rail, road and air all service the area today, this was not the case not that long ago. The only way to head north, was along the, largely, poorly charted waters. Enter the Hurtigruta ("express route"). A lot has changed over the years. The route from Bergen to Kirkenes, though still serving a small cargo need, is largely for tourists. Gone are the days of salty sea-dogs and swashbuckling. But that doesn't mean you can't sail a bit of history.

I figure, if you're gonna kick it, might as well kick it old school. With

a number of different vessels to choose from, i went for the MS Nordstjernen. The Hurtigruten website tries to wow you with phrases like, "rich in character" and "favourite for many enthusiasts". But that's just PR talk for 'old'. It's true the 1956 vessel lacks the hot tubs, bars and movie theatres some of the other fancy-pants boats flash around, but that's half the fun. But let's face it, i'm far from a hardcore cruiser and i'm kind of far from being a sexagenarian. My choice to hop on board was purely a practical one. Having reached Bodo, the end of the Norwegian train line, my only other choice for northerly travel was the extortionately expensive bus. If sleeping on deck and using the many port stops to stock up on food, the trip is not that expensive and is well worth it.

But the Hurtigruten is far from the only sea-board transport

available in Norway. There are a few other options that prove to be both economical (relative term for Norway) and nonstandard. The Flaggruten, operated by Tide, plies the route from Stavanger to Bergen for cheaper than buses and in less time than backtracking with a train. And this doesn't even begin to take into account the endless number of ferries that head up and down the fjords for both tourist and practical purposes, like the one to Lysebotn.

There is far more to sea based travel in Norway than just 'doing a tour'. Combining a series of boats for a combination of touristic enjoyment as well as practical transportation can prove to be both entertaining and economical. Although many of the Hurtigruten stops are short, 15 minutes in a place is better than zero. Get up close to the coast by boat. You won't regret it.