This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast
There is a place at the top of the world where the l…Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast
This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast
There is a place at the top of the world where the land runs out, a sheer thousand-foot cliff rising straight from the Arctic Ocean, and nothing beyond it but open sea all the way to the North Pole. This is the North Cape - the northernmost point of continental Europe and getting there means sailing one of the most spectacular coastlines on Earth.
From Oslo, we travel north through towering fjords and fishing villages so remote the ship is their only connection to the outside world. We pass the Lofoten Islands rising like a mountain range planted in the middle of the ocean, Alta - nicknamed the Northern Lights City - and on into the deep Arctic silence of Finnmark. Norway's coast is not just beautiful. It is staggering.
The Northern Lights wait for us there too. The Sami called them Govsov - the light you can hear, the light that speaks. Science calls them solar particles colliding with the earth's atmosphere. But standing beneath them, none of that matters. What you are seeing is the invisible touch of our sun, raining down in colour all around you - and it is unlike anything you have ever experienced before.
Join host Aaron Millar, and two expert guests, as we set sail on the North Cape Line with the legendary adventure ships of Hurtigruten. This is more than an expedition cruise, it is a journey to the edge of the world along one of the most awe-inspiring coastlines in the world in search of the Aurora at its most breathtaking.
Produced in Armchair Explorer's signature documentary style, this immersive audio adventure is designed not just to let you hear what it's like to chase the Northern Lights along the Norwegian coast - but to feel it.
Highlights include:
• Sailing the Trollfjord - a fjord so narrow it feels like you could reach out and touch the mountains on either side, sheer walls of rock and snow rising straight from the water around you.
• Standing at the North Cape - the northernmost point in Europe where beyond the cliff edge there nothing but the Arctic Ocean, all the way to the North Pole.
• Sitting inside a Sami Lavvu - warm with firelight and wood smoke - hearing stories, sharing food and listening to yoik, the ancient song form where every melody carries the spirit of a specific person, animal or place.
• Husky sledding into the Arctic wilderness - the moment the dogs stop barking, set off, and everything goes utterly silent. Just you, the animals, and the snow.
• The food of Norway's coast - fresh Arctic cod from the world's largest cod fishery in Lofoten, king crab hauled from the icy waters of Finnmark and cooked within the hour, cheese from a family farm whose recipes are 300 years old, and wild herbs foraged from cliff edges above the fjords.
• The Aurora itself - the crowning corona, where the lights rain down in every direction around you - “like taking a dream out of your head and placing it into the sky”
FIND OUT MORE
Produced in collaboration with Lonely Planet: LonelyPlanet.com
This journey is run by expedition cruise company Hurtigruten, whose ships have sailed this coastline for generations. This is what they promise: If you're on one of their 11-day or longer voyage during the Auroral season and the Lights don't appear, they'll give you another chance on a future sailing at no extra cost.
Find out more at hurtigruten.com
Connect with expert Aurora chaser Tom Kerss at TomKerss.com or follow him on Instagram at @tomkerss
Thank you also to Andre Pettersen, the man behind Hurtigruten's extraordinary food and community connections along the Norwegian coast.
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Armchair Explorer is written and presented by Aaron Millar. Audio editing and sound design by Charles Tyrie. Theme music by Sweet Chap. Produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at Armchair-Productions.com
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Oslo doesn't hit you the way other European capitals do. There's no single monument everyone leaves talking about, and yet people consistently walk away from this city with a feeling they can't quite explain.
Curtis Rojak is an American expat who has lived in Europe for over 25 years and holds dua…Oslo doesn't hit you the way other European capitals do. There's no single monument everyone leaves talking about, and yet people consistently walk away from this city with a feeling they can't quite explain.
Curtis Rojak is an American expat who has lived in Europe for over 25 years and holds dual Norwegian-American citizenship. He is the founder of Viking Biking, Oslo's premier guided bike and hiking tour company, and has led more than 3,000 tours through Oslo on foot and by bike.
This episode is a local's guide to Oslo, recorded in my living room with Curtis. We cover seven hidden gems in the city, from a haunting mausoleum most tourists never find to a private island cabin you can rent for a night on the Oslo Fjord.
This episode covers what makes a place feel like home versus just a place you've visited, what it takes to genuinely know a city at a local level, and how to discover the experiences that don't make it into guidebooks. You'll also hear honest conversation about building a life abroad long-term, what draws people to certain places, and why the best travel experiences often come from knowing someone who actually lives there. Curtis brings real depth on Oslo specifically, but the broader themes about place, belonging, and authentic discovery apply to anywhere you're considering visiting or moving to.
Have you ever discovered a hidden gem in a city that completely changed how you thought about that place? I'd love to hear your story, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message.
Tune In To Learn:
Why one of Norway's most extraordinary pieces of art is hidden in a mausoleum most tourists never find, and how to actually visit it
How to spend a Norwegian summer day at a lakeside farm where animals roam free through landscape gardens
Where to find secret sea cliffs near the city, and where locals actually jump from
Why a restaurant on its own private island captures the Norwegian good life better than almost anywhere else in the city
What makes one of Europe's best cocktail bars worth the New York-level prices you'll pay
How to rent a private island cabin on the Oslo Fjord through a local organization almost no tourists know about
Why Curtis believes Oslo's greatest strength is also what most tourists only notice on their last day
What 25 years as an expat taught Curtis about choosing where to live and why gut feeling matters more than logic
How the "Lego Country" exercise surfaces the best things about multiple continents and destinations
And so much more
Resources:
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Viking Biking
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Hidden Norway: 7 Off the Beaten Path Gems You'll Love with Torunn Tronsvang from Up Norway
Top 10 Reasons to Love Living Abroad with Botik Quest
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Pål Johansen is from Norway and is a licensed Oslo travel guide, sailor, filmmaker, and writer. Pål talks with Brent about Norway’s famous fjords, street food markets in Oslo, a firewater called aquavid, and why Norwegians drink so much coffee. Plus, why you can find great Pakistani food in Norway a…Pål Johansen is from Norway and is a licensed Oslo travel guide, sailor, filmmaker, and writer. Pål talks with Brent about Norway’s famous fjords, street food markets in Oslo, a firewater called aquavid, and why Norwegians drink so much coffee. Plus, why you can find great Pakistani food in Norway and why Norwegians don’t eat waffles for breakfast. [Ep 384]
An American expat in Oslo shares some of the quirks and customs of life in his adopted home. Then, a wilderness and history author recounts what he found exploring four blank spots on the US map. And an ethnobotanist describes the healing properties of different kinds of herbs around the world — som…An American expat in Oslo shares some of the quirks and customs of life in his adopted home. Then, a wilderness and history author recounts what he found exploring four blank spots on the US map. And an ethnobotanist describes the healing properties of different kinds of herbs around the world — some of which might be growing in your own backyard.more
What happens when you step out of your life for a year to live, work, and connect in a completely different culture?
Don Jenkins is a 27-year high-school teacher from Washington state who spent a full academic year in Norway through the Fulbright Roving Scholar Program. Based in Oslo but constantly…What happens when you step out of your life for a year to live, work, and connect in a completely different culture?
Don Jenkins is a 27-year high-school teacher from Washington state who spent a full academic year in Norway through the Fulbright Roving Scholar Program. Based in Oslo but constantly on the move, he traveled the country visiting schools and giving workshops on American history and government, reaching thousands of students along the way.
This episode explores Don’s journey as a cultural ambassador, educator, and traveler. We talk about the surprising differences between Norwegian and American school systems, how living abroad shifts your view of home, and what it takes to build connection across cultures - whether you’re in a classroom, a sauna, or a sawed-off tuk tuk.
Whether or not you’re a teacher, Don’s experience is full of lessons on curiosity, communication, and how to embrace the unfamiliar. From practical travel tips to deeper reflections on history, education, and societal values, this episode is a reminder of how much growth comes from stepping outside your bubble.
What’s one lesson you’ve picked up while traveling that changed how you see your home? I'd love to hear about your experience, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.
Tune In To Learn:
Why Don took a sabbatical to teach abroad in Norway for a year
How his “roving teacher” job works and the logistics of living in Oslo while visiting 30+ schools
Surprising insights about Norwegian classrooms, school culture, and community values
How to implement cultural lessons at home, even if you’re not a teacher
What it means to be a “mini ambassador” and have real conversations about your home country
Budget-friendly tips for traveling in Norway, including food hacks and local apps
The role of curiosity in building connections while traveling
Why honest history matters, and what happens when we don’t teach the full story
How being away from family for so long can be hard and insight on managing travel fears
And so much more
Resources:
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Don on Instagram
American-Scandinavian Foundation
Fulbright Roving Scholars
Too Good To Go App
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Cracking the Cultural Code, Ethical Travel To Indigenous Areas, & Life in Norway With Lorelou Desjardins
Hidden Norway: 7 Off The Beaten Path Gems You’ll Love, Popular Norwegian Concepts Worth Stealing, Trekking In Bhutan, & Living At The Crossroads of Magic & Science w/ Torunn Tronsvang from Up Norway
Walking the World: A Deeper Exploration of Culture and Community with Chris Arnade
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Could a loosely planned road trip actually turn out better than a perfectly mapped itinerary?
Anne Dorthe is my wife and travel partner of over 11 years, and a Norwegian local with roots in Trøndelag.
In this episode, Anne and I share the story of our recent open-ended family road trip through …Could a loosely planned road trip actually turn out better than a perfectly mapped itinerary?
Anne Dorthe is my wife and travel partner of over 11 years, and a Norwegian local with roots in Trøndelag.
In this episode, Anne and I share the story of our recent open-ended family road trip through Norway. We talk about the lessons we learned along the way, sharing insights that can be applied to anyone planning a more relaxed, rewarding road trip, whether in Norway or somewhere else.
If you’ve ever dreamed about traveling Norway without spending a fortune, this conversation offers a real-world example of how to make it work. You’ll hear about the small, in-the-moment choices that shaped each day, the unplanned stops that became highlights, and how following the weather brought a sense of ease and adventure to the whole trip. We’ll also talk about the joy of connecting with friends along the way, the simple comfort of cabin stays, and why embracing flexibility over a fixed plan deepened our connection to every place we visited.
What’s a spontaneous road trip or travel adventure you took that surprised you by how well it flowed? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.
Tune In To Learn:
Why letting go of a rigid schedule created our best family memories
How weather reports guided our route more than any app ever could
The exact approach I used to politely get a hotel refund
How overpacking led to lessons for smarter packing next time
Why cabins felt more authentic than hotels
The power of paper maps and local advice
What it’s like to wild-camp at 900 m with kids
How visiting friends became our travel anchor
How an unplanned ferry ride led to one of Norway’s most beautiful beaches
What it felt like swimming with our kids in Norwegian fjords and lakes
And so much more
Resources:
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Stiklestad Viking Experience
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