tomerik's VirtualTourist Home Page

Having been a regular visitor to VT a couple of years I have finally decided to take the step and create my own homepage.
I have travelled extensively the last ten years but sadly enough I do not have most of my pictures available on my computer.
On this page you will soon find more or less usefull info about the places I have been to.

I hope to visit South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Peru) and the US soon.

Norway is famous for Ibsen, Grieg, Solskjaer (the football player) and the boyband A-ha in the 1980s.

The people in Norway are very friendly and welcomes tourists with open arms. Still the country is really something on it's own. We are have the highest petrol and gaz prices in the world even if we are the 2nd largest export country in the world of oil and gaz.
The prices of alcohol, cigarettes, hotels and consumer goods are ridiculously high here but still the norwegians continue to accept it. So as a tourist don't expect to survive long on a tiny budget here.
The only alcohol supermarkets are allowed to sell is beer and ciders. For stronger drinks you must visit the Vinmonopolet (special state run shops). Be aware that they close early (around 3 o'clock in the afternoon on Saturdays). Also beer is not allowed to be sold after 6 o'clock in the afternoon in shops even if they do not close until late. The beer is "covered" in all supermarkets after that time.

When it comes tourism, transportation, hotel standards etc. things here are very well organized. Transportation and hotel standards are, I will say, above European standards, but again very expensive.
In terms of natural beauty Norway is frankly an incredible country offering breathtaking fjords, cliffs, mountains from the north to the south. The southern part along the coast is the most beautiful and is where most Norwegians go to.

We also have the midnight sun in the summer and the northern lights during the winter.
Above the Polar cercle there is no sun from beginning of December until beginning of February so don't come here expecting to work on your tan. In the summer it's the opposite. The sun can be seen 24 hours a day (from June until beginning of August).

Bergen is Norways second largest city with approx. 250 000 inhabitants.
The harbour and the fishmarket is among Bergens most attractive tourist destinations.

Yes, we have winter in Norway.
Still it seems it gets shorter every year.
Bring some warm clothes and some warm shoes. In the north winter starts around october and lasts until end of april.
In the south there is winter from mid november until march. The cities along the coast has little snow and mild winters. In the middle of the country it is the opposite.
Temperatures vary from 15-30°C during summer and -10-0°C in the winter.

This picture is taken 200 meters from where I used to live.
The pittoresque canal divides the old island in the small city of Horten in the south of Norway who was the base for the marines for a long time. Now it has a beach, parc and is developping into a residential area.

Visited (countries only, year of last visit, airport stopovers/transits not counted):

1995 Hungary
1995 Austria
1995 Slovenia
1995 Italy
1995 Germany
1995 France
1996 Russia
1997 Cyprus
1998 Spain
1999 France
1999 Italy
2000 France
2000 Sweden
2000 Denmark
2000 Monaco
2001 England
2001 Switzerland
2002 Italy
2004 France
2005 Italy
2005 Denmark
2005 France
2005 Egypt
2006 France
2006 Turkey
2006 Sweden
2006 Czech Republic
2006 Denmark
2007 Scotland
2007 Belgium
2007 France
2007 Denmark
2007 Germany
2008 Germany
2008 France
2008 Hungary (end of July)