Living in Kristiansand

What is it like to live in Kristiansand, or Norway for that matter, as an ex-pat? Well I am from Australia and have been here 10 years, so here is some info from my experience.

Skreli in Lyngdal.

It may depend on which country you come from, but your initial reaction when arriving here will be WOW. The scenery is jaw dropping. I could not tell you how often I stop the car to take a picture somewhere. I once referred to Norway as "nature on steroids". Perhaps not an appropriate slogan for someone that works in the tourism industry but that is how overwhelming it can be here.

Stopped the car to take this picture of a boat going through the morning mist in Farsund

The greenest grass you have ever seen - the cleanest water, the freshest air, amazing wildlife at your door step and the sense of living in a small town community - which it kind of is - with a population of about 5 million people. I love it when people smile, wave or say hello because it feels like home - feels friendly - feels safe.

Green grass and lots of flags. Norway Independence day Kristiansand.

Admittedly I live in Kristiansand which only has a population of 87,000 but where ever you go it feels like that. I remember my first visit to Norway back in 2002. I had been with my Norwegian girlfriend (now wife with 3 kids, 2 guinea pigs, one dog, one cat) for about 6 months and she wanted to take me to her home town for her nephew's confirmation.

The bus ride from Torp airport to Kristiansand was an experience in itself. He was getting confirmed in May which is a very proud month for Norwegians and so there were Norwegian flags on 99.9% of the houses. I had not seen something like that before - well maybe in the United States.

And then there were the white houses and red barns, green fields and tractors everywhere.

Food
Dont like: 

Brown cheese (goat cheese). Never liked it, but then again I am very fussy with cheese. 
Kumper: Round balls with meat inside them. Tried it for the first time at the hospital when we had our first child. Never touched them since.
Mackerel in tomato sauce: Yep that makes no sense.
Snus: it is not a food but tobacco and the locals put it into their mouth under their top lip which looks rediculous.

Do Like:

Love fresh salmon caught in the rivers here. I was never a big salmon fan before moving here - but am definitely "hooked".
Pirate burgers at fiskebrygga in Kristiansand.
Hamburger at Cafe Generalen in Kristiansand - a great burger.
Mackerel caught out past Kristiansand - you put a fishing line into the water with 5 hooks and get 5 fish afterwards. Easy dinner.
Moose meat - fresh after a hunt.
Bamsemums - chocolate bears.
Freia chocolate - I can safely say that it is the best chocolate i have ever had. When my wife was pregnant with our second child, I ate a packet of that EVERY DAY. (sympathy eating).

The Roads
Bad - well they are getting better. A road trip from Kristiansand to Oslo does have a freeway but it does not extend all the way to Oslo yet, so you will find yourself driving through small towns with speed limits of 50kmh at some points. 

I used to get frustrated with that road trip that I did often but now I appreciate it. I like to drive slowly through small towns so I can see what the locals there get up to. Sometimes we all need to slow down a little to take in our surroundings and appreciate them.

They also drive on the wrong side of the road! Being an Aussie (and a Brit) we drive on the left and these crazy Norwegians drive on the right. I still don't get it. 

Norwegian women
Well I married the prettiest one, but yes they are (as all Scandinavians are) beautiful. Let me say - also adventurous. They absolutely love the outdoors and sports. Just because Norway does have a cold winter and lots of rain before that, it does not stop these ladies. They are out jogging, walking, doing sports and keeping fit - I guess it is their Viking background.

So, if you would like to meet one, get fit and buy yourself some outdoor clothing - cause you are gunna need it.

A good reason to move to Norway.

Shopping
Electronics, clothing are very competitively priced. Gone are the days of flying to others cities in Europe to buy cheap clothes or electrical goods. They are all pretty much the same. That being said, my wife does like to get her Guess jeans from the US. (Luckily her parents go there regularly)

Shopping in Kristiansand.

Nightlife
Norwegians love to party. In fact one of Europe's largest beach parties is in Kristiansand. It is called Palmesus and takes place in July each year. It is always sold out and thousands attend it. There are bars in all the towns and restaurants.

One thing that took a little getting used to is the fact that Norwegians like to have a "forspill" (pre party) before going out. This is usually drinks and or dinner with friends before heading to town. Do not be surprised if the bars appear empty at 9pm at night on a Saturday. By midnight, they will be full.

Working
It can be difficult to get a job in Norway if you do not speak the language - the same was true for me. My background is IT which there is not a massive market for so I became a carpenter and worked at the local airport. I also ran my own IT business during this which eventually lead to a job with Visit Sørlandet (tourist organisation for Southern Norway)

My advice is not to give up if you struggle in the beggining - we all did/do.

Where I live
I live just outside Kristiansand in a very quiet place with a lot of farms in the area. (It is fair to say that almost all Norwegians live near a farm!) The tall grass and strawberry fields are fantastic - but not so nice when the farmers use manure to prepare for the season :)
There is also a skisenter at the end of our street - that is cool!

You will find fields like this all over Norway in the summer.

Making Norwegian friends
Norwegians are a little reserved. They seldom start a conversation with a stranger but they are very polite and will smile if you look at them. If you do not speak Norwegian, that can add to the difficulty but they all speak English - especially after a wine. I was very lucky when I moved here because my wife's cousin has a big network of friends and I got to know all of them.

Planning on moving to Norway?
Learn some Norwegian before you get here. When I started Norwegian language school, there was a girl from Vietnam that had read a Norwegian language book and she knew all the basics which actually helped her get a job straight away.

Planning on visiting Norway?
Check out the official tourism website for Southern Norway - great info and tips there.

My top 7 places I have visited in Norway

Topdalselva
What you say? Where and what is that? Well it is actually a river in Kristiansand that leads to a fjord, the city of Kristiansand and the sea. I love it because I am fortunate to have a boat in it. A river cruise into the city during the summer, taking the kids wake boarding or just taking a swim in the fresh water is what I always look forward to doing.

River surfing Kristiansand.

Preikestolen
Preikestolen (The preachers chair) is a cliff that is over 600 metres high and the hike is fantastic. The views on a nice day are breathtaking. It takes about 3 hours to drive there from Kristiansand. You need a good camera with you should you visit.

A picture of Preikestolen from a visit there back in 2003.

Lista in Farsund
I am (well was) a surfer, so the waves in Lista remind me of home. I could sit and watch waves breaking all day everyday and never get tired of it. The cool thing about Lista is that there is a lot of things to do there - a skatepark, a lighthouse and old fort and bunkers and tunnels. I am a bit of a war buff, so love the history there.

Windsurfing at Lista.

Rail biking in Flekkefjord
It is cheap, great exercise and site seeing all mixed into one. Visitors can hire a bike that goes on an old unused railway line through 19 tunnels, alongside fjords and cliffs in Flekkefjord.

The Rail bike adventure Flekkefjord.

Epledalen in Lyngdal
Epledalen is THE perfect place for camping with the family. Beautiful, quiet - has a forest a beach and accommodation if you do not want to take the tent.

Kids playing at Epledalen in Lyngdal.

Hiking in Kvinesdal
Kvinesdal is one place where the "Norway is nature on steroids" phrase is appropriate. Once you drive towards the town, the awesome mountains and valley with a fjord is picture perfect. A photographers dream. Not far from there is another great place for war history buffs - Knaben. It is an old mining town once used by the Germans when they occupied Norway during World War 2.

View from Utsikten Hotel in Kvinesdal. Photo: Jan KRafoss.

Coastline in Risør and Lygnør
Risør and the surrounding areas have an abundance of old wooden boats, white wooden houses and a charm that is unique. I have taken a boat trip around there and experienced it as a local. Very cool.

Kids playing at a little beach in Lygnør.

Well, I hope you found the information useful and if you do visit or move here, you will not be disappointed.
Adam Read @ Visit Sørlandet

Kaperdagene - the pirate days in Farsund

The Pirates of the Caribbean movies have re-ignited children’s interest in pirates but a little town in Southern Norway has had no such problem getting kids interested in piracy. Farsund has a wealth of history about pirates and their crusades against British ships that would pass through their waters.

Back then, the Norwegian government actually approved piracy against the British because they were seen as the enemy. A little town called Loshavn was even made by money stolen from these ships.

To celebrate this interesting history, the town of Farsund has a festival called “kaperdagene” or Pirate Days.

There are concerts, games and activities for kids, food and live pirate battles.

One day during this festival, there is a wooden boat race and a Pirate show late at night.

I took a trip to Farsund from Kristiansand and checked it out. I arrived at about 3pm and found lots of people, music playing and captains getting their wooden boats ready for the big race. These wooden boats do not go fast and many are well over 50 years old – all are hand made. Some have little diesel engines and others have petrol.

I was invited to go onto one of the boats for the race to take some pictures. I could not refuse. My captain was a man called Kjetil and his son and daughter were also along for the ride.

It was a lot of fun and all were eager to win the race, so there was the occasional collision in the water. That does not mean much for these strong wooden boats and if anything, it adds to the excitement.

There was a boat of pirates selling Coca Cola, One with a man attached to a mast and a piano player at the back and others with families.

Afterwards, I went to the Pirate show “kaperspill” which starts at 10pm. Now that is something that all children need to see. It is all about ACTION! 

The show is a battle re-lived between the British and the Norwegians. A British ships sails into the harbour and is attacked by local pirates. The captain is taken into shore and his men taken prisoner. 

There are about 5 canons that shoot blank rounds that are so loud, most kids need to wear ear protectors.

Thousands of people attended the show and all of the local stores were open until midnight. It has taken place for 20 years and we hope that it continues for another 100 years.

A fantastic event!

Adam Read Visit Sørlandet

Ny Hellesund Søgne

Ny Hellesund is a paradise for a family or couple looking to have a weekend away.

Arriving by boat. Photo: Morten Teinum

In the old days it was a dock used to fix old ships and the buildings have been in the same family for over 4 generations. 

Checking out the views from the Høllen ferry. Photo: Adam Read

The days of ship building in the area are well and truly gone, but the family wanted to do something with it so others can also enjoy the experience. 

Some children looking for jellyfish and crabs. Photo: Adam Read

As a result, they built apartments, a restaurant, walking trails with planks to make it easier and view points with comfortable chairs and tables. Work on this was completed two years ago, so everything is like new.

The Høllen ferry. Photo: Adam Read Visit Sørlandet

A ferry called Høllen takes you to the island all year round from the Høllen docks in Søgne just outside Kristiansand in Southern Norway. The journey takes about 20 minutes.

The boat trip in itself is scenic and fun. The classic white wooden houses dotted along the 

coastline reminds you this unique coastline.

View over the coast. Photo Adam Read

Once you arrive at the docks in Ny Hellesund you will see new red buildings with large glass windows overlooking the sea. These are 19 apartments that are filled with designer furniture and fittings and fantastic WIFI connections. 

Take a little trip to the "lighthouse". Photo: Adam Read

No expense has been spared in making these fantastic apartments. There are also 

conference rooms for up to 40 people and a gourmet restaurant called Bølgen & Moi.

The little beach by the apartments. Photo: Verftet Ny Hellessund

In the area there are hiking trails, a nearby old german bunker system from World War 2, beaches for swimming, a little lighthouse and places to relax taking in the great views.

You can also stay in a large old oil drum. Photo: Adam Read

I went there with my family and friends and stayed overnight. In our apartment had sleeping facilities for 8 people and we had a spare mattress for our littlest son who is 4. 

One of the apartments. Photo: Verftet Ny Hellesund

It was perfect and not too crowded in the apartment. There is a fridge, microwave oven, oven 

top and washing facilities. There is even a washing machine in the bathroom.

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. Photo: Adam Read

While we were there, we relaxed, took a walk to the little lighthouse, had a swim at the beach on the other side of the small island, had a wine, a meal at the restaurant and had a great time.

Searching for crabs with a little net. Photo: Adam Read

If you would like to stay overnight in Søgne, then you can contact Verftet apartments Ny Nyllesund Søgne here.

Kids having fun at Verftet Ny Hellesund. Photo: Adam Read

You can also contact the manager of the apartments on:

Hanne Bentsen
Post: Hølleveien 145b, 4640 SØGNE, Norway
+47 975 46 016 | verftet@nyhellesund.com 

If you would any information from me about Ny Hellesund, feel free to send an email on adam(a)visitsorlandet.com.

Adam Read

American festival Vanse Farsund

Adam from Visit Sørlandet went to the American Festival in Vanse Farsund and had a great time!

I have been to Farsund many times now and I was especially interested to see the American Festival that I had heard so much about.

The weather was perfect. Not a cloud in the sky and warm temperatures. I got there at about 2pm because I wanted to see the line dancers that were scheduled to start at that time. 

The Festival goes from Thursday to Sunday in the last weekend of June every year and each year it is getting more and more popular. This year was no exception. It is held in Vanse at 8th Avenue where there are American stores, cars, flag and memorabilia everywhere. It is actually like that all year, but even more so during the festival.

There are stalls dotted everywhere selling hamburgers and hot dogs. There are kids rides and swing and a massive theme park set up especially for the festival.

This festival is the biggest in the region, so the locals do their best to put on a good show for everyone. Each day it packed with different activities, games and live music. If you like country music, then this is the place to be.

There is Kjell Elvis who, like his name suggests, is an Elvis impersonator. The stage area was jam packed when he played. He loves to interact with the audience and there is usually a lucky lady or two that will get on stage with him for a dance or a hug.

Others bands and musicians from Norway and the United States play at the festival with live music keeping visitors entertained. Twice a day there is the highlight of the day, the parade. This is where a long line of American classic cars, motorbikes and floats drive along 8th avenue to a pleased crowd. There are Disney characters throwing candy to the kids along the road, bands playing music on floats and of course Elvis in his limousine.

Vanse is a small place, but has a big heart. You can stop and talk to anyone there who are more than happy to share a story or a laugh. It does not matter if you are not Norwegian, they cal all speak English at this festival.

I met lots of people at the festival. I met Finn who is the main man organising the event.

I also met a lovely couple who drove to the festival in their 17 metre long camper van!

There were also two sisters that were having a great time.

There was Farsund's watchman.

Some girls from Oslo who love to dress old retro style. Not just for the festival, but always.

You can find some more information about the American festival here.

All photos: Adam Read Visit Sørlandet. Dra på ferie til Farsund

Disney Ship comes to Kristiansand

The Disney ship is currently taking a tour around Norway and Iceland. The ship is decked out with Disney characters but there is also a section of the boat purely for adults that would like a break.

You can see the Disney Cruise ship next to the Kilden theatre. Photo: Adam Read

Today it was a beautiful sunny day in Kristiansand, which pleased the ships occupants. It docked outside the Kilden theatre near fiskebrygga and people took a short walk into the city to see what Kristiansand has to offer. Adam from Visit Sørlandet spoke to some coming off the boat.

Family from Florida Photo: Adam Read 

I spoke to this family who had been on the Disney cruise ship.

Adam: When are you leaving on the ship?
Mother and daughter at same time: Hopefully never. We love it here. We are from Florida and really like your little town. It has a nice homey feel about it. Kinds of like a country town where everyone knows each other and waves as you pass by.

Adam: How do you know when the ship is about to leave?
Mother: The ship plays a loud song from the Disney character Tinkerbell. I think it is the only ship in the world that has a chime instead of a fog horn.

I then met another couple that were standing in the shade having a rest. 

Couple from Emgland. Photo: Adam Read

Adam: Where are you from?
Couple: We are from England and have been going on cruise ships since the 90's. We really enjoy it. We have been to Norway before and will definitely be back. The fresh air, water it is just lovely.

The lady then told me that her grand daughter works on the ship as one of the managers so they had to see her and experience the Disney ship.

I then walked around the city with them for a little while - down the main street Markens gate and to a cafe where they had some refreshments.

They were very happy to visit Kristiansand.