Uploaded July 2020 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
Cycling across the world, interviewing locals along the way! Note: views expressed are not my own.
"Scandinavian Socialism" is often bandied about in the media, but rarely do we hear perspectives from those who actually live under it.
The nordic spirit is very much embodied in the way Scandinavian countries are run, and the nordic people that I spoke to, on average, seemed supportive of that system. Are nordic countries socialist? Well, not really. The Scandinavian model, or "Nordic Model" is a blend of democratic socialism and capitalism. They have market economy (an economy where prices are determined by unrestricted competition) but of a lot social benefits, such as state pensions, free healthcare at the point of use, free universities, and income distribution. So, can socialism and capitalism work together? If Norway is anything to go by, then it certainly seems that way.
To fund all that, Norwegians pay very high taxes. But do Norwegians mind paying high taxes? For the most part, no. And contrary to what some media outlets will tell you, that's not because Norwegians are communist or marxist. Most that I spoke to simply said it was worth it for the benefits they get in the form of a strong social safety net and well-funded public services. In Trondheim, Central Norway, Nippe and Hege Fossland told me their thoughts on Norway's welfare state. They particularly valued the paid maternity leave, mental health services, free healthcare, and childcare.
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NORWAY:
I had a lot of questions about Norway from people who followed my trip. One of the most common was can Norwegians speak English? English is widespread in Norway. That made it easy to search for interviewees (even though I speak a little Norwegian myself). Many were also perplexed to see me cycling at 1am with the sun still up. So, another was does Norway get dark? In summer, Northern Norway has 24 hour daylight, which is why in these videos you'll see very little shot at night time. Norway's midnight sun is a spectacular sight. But in winter, Northern Norway has 24 hour darkness. Lastly, is Norway expensive? YES. VERY. High Norwegian salaries make up for that, but as a tourist it can be extremely costly to visit. Why is Norway so expensive? There are hefty taxes on a lot of things to pay for public services, and there is reasonable income equality, so most Norwegian can afford the prices.
Cycling across Norway was stunning; Norwegian fjords, mountains and the rest of the countryside is some of the most dramatic in the world. So I thought I'd combine some phone and drone footage from cycling in Scandinavia with audio from my interviews with locals!
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BACKGROUND:
For the last 1.5 years, I've been on a cycle tour from Tromsø in Northern Norway to Baku, Azerbaijan, while interviewing locals along the way for my blog. Cycle touring for beginners like me can be intimidating; I'd ridden a bike 4 times in the previous 10 years before this journey, but I decided to jump in at the deep end and learn about bikepacking and touring while I was on the road. After watching a few videos on "how to cycle tour", I set off, and covered 11 countries by bike (and took detours to another 2).
Long distance cycle touring alone was always going to be a challenge; I didn't have much cycling gear or expertise, and I resorted to using an old Trek mountain bike that I got for free, which was frustrating at times. But, I found motivation in the locals I met along the way, and the far-flung places I reached off the beaten track.
The adventure by bike introduced me to a new side of travel. I'd never interacted so much with local people and my surroundings, when I'd been abroad or been so exposed to the kindness of strangers. Travelling so slowly as I pedalled made me feel immersed in the countries and cultures I cycled through, and it forced me to stop in some of the more obscure places the world has to offer. All in all, cycling the world shows you a side of some countries that most travellers never get to appreciate. Norway by bike truly was unforgettable.
----------------
Website: placepersonplate.com
Facebook Page: facebook.com/tieranfreedman.co.uk
Instagram: instagram.com/tieranfreedman
Cycling across the world, interviewing locals along the way! Note: views expressed are not my own.
"Scandinavian Socialism" is often bandied about in the media, but rarely do we hear perspectives from those who actually live under it.
The nordic spirit is very much embodied in the way Scandinavian countries are run, and the nordic people that I spoke to, on average, seemed supportive of that system. Are nordic countries socialist? Well, not really. The Scandinavian model, or "Nordic Model" is a blend of democratic socialism and capitalism. They have market economy (an economy where prices are determined by unrestricted competition) but of a lot social benefits, such as state pensions, free healthcare at the point of use, free universities, and income distribution. So, can socialism and capitalism work together? If Norway is anything to go by, then it certainly seems that way.
To fund all that, Norwegians pay very high taxes. But do Norwegians mind paying high taxes? For the most part, no. And contrary to what some media outlets will tell you, that's not because Norwegians are communist or marxist. Most that I spoke to simply said it was worth it for the benefits they get in the form of a strong social safety net and well-funded public services. In Trondheim, Central Norway, Nippe and Hege Fossland told me their thoughts on Norway's welfare state. They particularly valued the paid maternity leave, mental health services, free healthcare, and childcare.
----------------------
NORWAY:
I had a lot of questions about Norway from people who followed my trip. One of the most common was can Norwegians speak English? English is widespread in Norway. That made it easy to search for interviewees (even though I speak a little Norwegian myself). Many were also perplexed to see me cycling at 1am with the sun still up. So, another was does Norway get dark? In summer, Northern Norway has 24 hour daylight, which is why in these videos you'll see very little shot at night time. Norway's midnight sun is a spectacular sight. But in winter, Northern Norway has 24 hour darkness. Lastly, is Norway expensive? YES. VERY. High Norwegian salaries make up for that, but as a tourist it can be extremely costly to visit. Why is Norway so expensive? There are hefty taxes on a lot of things to pay for public services, and there is reasonable income equality, so most Norwegian can afford the prices.
Cycling across Norway was stunning; Norwegian fjords, mountains and the rest of the countryside is some of the most dramatic in the world. So I thought I'd combine some phone and drone footage from cycling in Scandinavia with audio from my interviews with locals!
--------------
BACKGROUND:
For the last 1.5 years, I've been on a cycle tour from Tromsø in Northern Norway to Baku, Azerbaijan, while interviewing locals along the way for my blog. Cycle touring for beginners like me can be intimidating; I'd ridden a bike 4 times in the previous 10 years before this journey, but I decided to jump in at the deep end and learn about bikepacking and touring while I was on the road. After watching a few videos on "how to cycle tour", I set off, and covered 11 countries by bike (and took detours to another 2).
Long distance cycle touring alone was always going to be a challenge; I didn't have much cycling gear or expertise, and I resorted to using an old Trek mountain bike that I got for free, which was frustrating at times. But, I found motivation in the locals I met along the way, and the far-flung places I reached off the beaten track.
The adventure by bike introduced me to a new side of travel. I'd never interacted so much with local people and my surroundings, when I'd been abroad or been so exposed to the kindness of strangers. Travelling so slowly as I pedalled made me feel immersed in the countries and cultures I cycled through, and it forced me to stop in some of the more obscure places the world has to offer. All in all, cycling the world shows you a side of some countries that most travellers never get to appreciate. Norway by bike truly was unforgettable.
----------------
Website: placepersonplate.com
Facebook Page: facebook.com/tieranfreedman.co.uk
Instagram: instagram.com/tieranfreedman
