Expensive Shopping

I was told that Norway was expensive before we got here but I have traveled a lot and did not think that much of it. The first two days that we were here we did not even know what the exchange rate was so we felt as though we were spending with reckless abandon. Since our luggage had not arrived, we were having to get some essentials. We just bought what we needed without looking at prices because we did not know the rate anyway. Now that we know the rates we are shocked at what we paid. It is a little weird too because we are here for work and getting reimbursed for expenses. So, between not knowing the exchange rate, being reimbursed from work and living on one of the most expensive streets in town, we blew through over $1000 in 4 hours.

Here are some example outrageous expenses. When we arrived at 5:55 on Friday, I ran to the Body Shop that was a few doors down from our apartment to get shampoo and conditioner. Later I looked at the tag and realized that those two bottles cost just over $50! The night I went to the internet café I ordered dinner. I had a chicken Caesar salad that was very good. It cost $25. When Sam went to the same cafe to use the internet he got a beer that cost $11. With the multi purchase subway card each ride costs 20Kr which is $3.50. The cabride from the airport to the hotel was almost $200! Yikes.

Shopping is a different experience in Norway than back home. To start out, we do not have a car here so you typically are limited by shops that are in walking distance and you are limited in what you can buy by what you can carry. Monday when I went shopping with Christa to try to get things that our apartment lacked I broke both of these rules. I rode the subway to the end of the line and she met me there. It was close to her house and there was a shopping center at the train station. I took Katherine in the stroller and took the Patapum with me. Katherine fell asleep on the way so it was great shopping. I got a fair amount of stuff. Christa carried it while I pushed the stroller. We put it in her trunk and drove to the next stop.

Side note. I could not figure out how to carry our huge Britax car seat through town to the subway station so I chose not to take it with me. Christa had her carseat for her son but it was quite a bit larger than what Katherine is used to. I don’t like doing that because I plan to keep her rear facing as long as possible but it was better than the alternative of carrying her on my lap.

After we made our third stop at IKEA, Crista took me to the train station to get back in. I put Katherine in the patapum and put all of my purchases in the stroller. They barely all fit and I have even passed up on some items because I knew space was an issue.

We have learned that you typically go to the grocery store every day or two because you cannot carry more than that. You also should bring your own bags because they charge you for each grocery bag. We are using the bags that Shannon and George put in our stocking when we remember to take them with us.

We live in a part of town that is known for shopping and boutiques. There are a lot of shops that are very specific and we wonder how they can get enough business to stay in business. For example, across the street from us is a store that sells olive oil. That’s it – gourmet olive oil. There is a tea store and a cheese store on our street as well.