Oslo, Norway is one of the world's most expensive cities, but it simultaneously offers the world's cheapest accommodations. Cheap in this case means free.
I could get used to this office view. (Shoes: Adidas Outdoor Terrex Fastshell, coming later this month.)
I'm writing this while sitting on a boulder, in the middle of a vast forest called "Nordmarka," just 15 minutes by train from Oslo's city center. When I'm done writing, I'm going to crawl into my sleeping bag and go to sleep. Norway (and from what I've heard, other parts of Scandinavia) are unique in a lot of ways. One that struck me in particular is the Norwegian people's affinity for nature and the outdoors. Oneness with nature is something that I strive for in life, and I knew that I could find it in Norway. That's why when I quit my day job and moved out of my DTLA loft just a few days ago, I chose to begin the adventure of my lifetime right here, in one of the world's most expensive cities.
Hardly a bad view to wake up to. Even in this foreign place, I feel right at home.
Norway has a law called "Right to Roam." Basically it states that you can camp anywhere. Well, almost anywhere. The law specifically states, "In open country in the lowlands, you can pitch a tent and camp overnight for up to 48 hours in one location without prior permission from the landowner. In the mountains, and in remote, sparsely populated areas, you may camp for longer than 48 hours. Unless local bylaws provide otherwise, you must never pitch your tent within 150 metres (500 feet) of an inhabited house or cabin." And that's it! No permits, no fees, no reservations. Just pick a spot that follows the guidelines noted by the Norwegian Mountain Association and camp out. Campers are required to follow additional guidelines similar to what we call "Leave No Trace" in America. For more information on these guidelines, check out this document.
The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is a full-blown laptop replacement that will allow me to write, edit photos, and even videos from anywhere on the field. Biggest bonus: it weights under 2 lbs.
For the next several months, my friend Daniel and I (he quit his advertising job too) are going to be traveling throughout Norway, Iceland, Nepal, and Southeast Asia - wild camping wherever and whenever possible. We'll be taking every opportunity to climb mountains, explore natural beauties, and engage in other adventurous activities along the way. Throughout the adventure, I'm going to bring you weekly adventure editorials, gear reviews, and how-to's.
The GOALZERO Sherpa 100 will be powering our adventure, allowing us to create content from some of the world's most remote locations.
If you have any suggestions for places that we should visit or adventurous/outdoorsy things that we should do along the way, I'd love to hear about them. Additionally, if you live in one of those places and would like to meet up, please don't hesitate to reach out! Here's my email address:
chris [at] indefinitelywild.com
Are these safe to eat? They're everywhere!
Finally, if you'd like to be a part of the adventure, there are a few hours left on my crowdfunding campaign, "Explore the Unimaginable." Daniel and I are going to make an adventure documentary about our travels and some of the prizes for backing include prints, photo books, and postcards from the journey. You could even join us in person on the adventure and be featured in the documentary. We reached our goal, but we're both unemployed and are putting our meager life-savings' to work already, so every bit helps.
I hope to see you out there.
Explore the Unimaginable,
Chris
Top Photo: The Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 2 will be my shelter for the next several months. It only weighs 18 oz, but is designed to stand up to wind, rain, and snow. It's spacious for two; a palace for one.
Photos: Chris Brinlee Jr. Follow along with his journey on Instagram.
IndefinitelyWild is a new publication about adventure travel in the outdoors, the vehicles and gear that get us there and the people we meet along the way. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.