Norway

A great introduction to Norway is the one-day Norway in a Nutshell (http://www.norwayinanutsh...) package on a single ticket from Oslo or Bergen into the mountains, with a boat trip through the fjords. You can break the trip at several interesting cabins for walking or just admiring the view, and even hire a mountain bike for part of the journey. One of the highlights of the 'Norway in a Nutshell' package is Flåmsbana (http://www.flaamsbana.no/...), a 20km railway that's one of the steepest in the world. Along the way you'll see beautiful mountains, rivers, valleys, waterfalls, and other beautiful sights on your way to the town of Flåm.

Go on top of the nearest top/mountain. Just for the walk. And for the view.

Citizens of countries belonging to the European Union, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, do not require a permit and are free to live and work in Norway for up to 3 months some restrictions apply for recent members of the European Union. In addition, citizens of a number of non-EU countries are permitted to work in Norway without the need to obtain a visa or any further authorisation for the period of their 90 day visa-free stay for more information, see the 'Get in' section above.

You may start from the local office of the public agency NAV (http://www.nav.no/), to get legal advise and a list of available jobs. Note that even though the unemployment rate in Norway is very low 2.5% (http://www.indexmundi.com...) , short-term employment may be hard to find. Certainly when not fluent in a Scandinavian language. If you decide to move there you have to fill in a "Residence Permit" which lasts for 3 years before it needs to be renewed.

Salaries range from 15 000 kroner - 35 000 kroner $2500-$5700/€2000-€3500 per month 2012.

skiing

Both cross country and alpine skiing are popular sports in the winter, and the largest areas, Trysil,Hafjell or Hemsedal for example, compete well with the Alps. Telemark is also a nice area to ski in. The birth place of cross country ski. Voss, Geilo and Oppdal are other major ski resorts. Around Oslo there is large park ideal for cross-country skiing. In Stryn, at Galdhøpiggen and at Folgefonna there alpine ski centres that are open in summer only May-September, offering unique opportunities for alpine skiing in T-shirt and short pants.

cycling

In Norway, you can rent, virtually everywhere, a bicycle. Cycling routes exist usually near bigger cities; you can find some tours at Cycle tourism in Norway (http://bike-norway.com/). Some roads and tunnels are forbidden for cyclists as they are life-threatening; read the section By bicycle above. Some city dumps may have a special section where you can pick up discarded bicycles and other stuff for free. The charity thrift-stores FRETEX/ELEVATOR/NMS Gjenbruksometimes stock used bicycles.

hiking

Norway has endless opportunties for hiking in its wide wilderness, from easy walks in Oslo's city forest to alpine climbing in Jotunheimen or Troms. A number of areas are protected as national parks, but most the country is equally attractive and available to the public.

In Norway, travelers enjoy a right to access, which means it is possible to camp freely in most places for a couple of days, as long as you're not on cultivated land and provided you are at least 150 m away from houses and farm buildings. Don't leave any traces and take your rubbish away for recycling.

Den Norske Turistforening DNT (http://www.turistforening...) The Norwegian Mountain Touring Association operates many staffed and self-service mountain cabins, marks mountain routes, offers maps and route information, guided tours, and several other services for mountain hikers in Norway.

Mountainous aereas ar popular among both Norwegians and tourists. Why not visit Galdhøpiggen 2469, the highest mountain in Norway, or join a [[musk ox safari]] in Dovrefjell!

For maps, bypass Google Maps, whose coverage of Norway is poor, and try the national mapping agency's Atlas.no site, which concords with their excellent printed hiking maps.