An Evening in Oslo

After checking into my hostel, I decided to take stock of my surroundings.  My first move was to head south to the nearest ATM and get some Norwegian currency.  Following that, I intended to purchase some foodstuffs for the time I'd be staying in Oslo.  Finally, I wanted to get a general feel for my immediate vicinity, as well as the new culture within which I will be immersing myself.



As I walked, I was struck by the sheer ethnic diversity present in Oslo.  I had expected a majority of the populace to be of European descent, but I don't think that demographic made up anywhere near fifty percent.  People of Asian, African, and Middle-Eastern descent were all represented significantly, especially India.  In fact, two of the three groceries in the area were owned by Indians, and had a hefty supply of Indian food.

Another thing I noticed was that the prices for goods in Norway are noticeably cheaper than in Denmark.  It's not a significant difference, but it's definitely noticeable.  As the Norwegian Kroner is just barely weaker than the Danish kroner, that further boosts my purchasing power slightly.  These stores also have some crazy bulk discounts.  20 kg sacks of rice for 250 nok ($50)!  I only wish I could get those sorts of deals back in the states!  I settled for purchasing some juice, and apple, some rice, mushrooms, onion, and garlic.  All of it came to just under 100 kr.

Heading back to the hostel, I put down a deposit on some cooking supplies, and headed back to my room to cook dinner.  I opened my door, and was greeted by my roommate.  He was in his underwear, doing various exercises on the floor.  Excellent.  I concentrated on my cooking as we exchanged the typical introductions - where we were from, and where we were going.  He took a shower, then left, and I finished up supper.

After washing and returning the kitchen gear, I headed out for a run.  To kill time in Esbjerg, I switched from doing distance runs for time, and started doing timed runs for distance.  Instead of two miles, I've been running 20 minutes.  20 minutes was killer in Oslo, however, due to the hilly terrain.  Felt good, though.  Tomorrow I plan on roaming the city and finding some museums to visit.