Currently traveling South America from November 20th 2024

Sometimes I host social events in Bergen. Board games, vinyl sessions, movie nights, swim/sauna and BBQ.

About hosting:
✔ I prefer requests no longer than 7 days before your arrival. It's hard to know my availability far ahead. I also have one roommate to consider.
✔ Make some effort with your profile. Make it personal.
✔ Same goes for requests, make some effort and make it personal. Let me know a little about yourself, and why you want to stay with me. Everybody on Couchsurfing likes to travel, save money and meeting new people. Give me something more in your request.
✔ If there's two of you coming, with only one account, be sure to add social links or write about your partner/friend who will be joining you. I prefer two CS accounts, but I can make exceptions.
✔ Please read my profile before coming, I always read yours, and this way we know a little about each other before meeting in person 😊

I have hosted CS guests from:
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I live in a flat with a female roommate. Our flat is around 30 min walk from the bus/train station, or 15 min walk from the final stop with the light rail (ByBanen) coming from the airport. It's a little steep the last 10 min of the walk. You can take a bus from the city centre, "10 Mulen" to the stop "Øvre Sandviksvei".

First time in Bergen? Here are a few things to consider:
☔It rains a lot. Check out the website yr.no for the most accurate forecast.
💰💰💰Everything is expensive, and the quality of food and services might not be at a the same level as you are used to from home. 🍲 The cheapest groceries stores are Kiwi and Rema 1000, other stores might have good weekly deals. A lot of stores keep closed on Sundays. 🍷You can buy alcohol (Beer) up to 4,7% alcohol in grocery stores (usually Mon-Fri 08:00-20:00 - Saturday 08:00-18:00), closed on Sunday. If you want to buy wine or spirits you have to go to Vinmonopolet (check out the specific store for opening hours) Usually open from 10:00 until 16:00-18:00. 🚌 You can buy bus tickets from selected machines at the airport, or city center. The easiest way is to get the SKYSS app, tickets are valid for 90 min. New as of late 2022, you can now buy tickets onboard the busses with a debit or credit card. Ticket inspectors will give you a fine you if you get caught without a ticket.
🧝The people are generally friendly and helpful, but will rarely approach you first. Norwegians are reserved and a little shy, but will open more up over time. English is spoken and understood by the majority.
🚞The cable car Fløibanen runs every day. You can easily hike up if you are moderately fit. 🚡The cable car Ulriksbanen is open, but check the website for the specific date you wish to take it. It's a little pricy at 20€ one way, 35€ with return. It's possible to hike up and down, but do check out the weather forecast.
⛰️Trolltunge "Troll tongue" is overrated and made popular by Instagram. It's not close to Bergen. It's 4 hours away by car. You should check out the towns Odda or Tyssedal for accommodation. You will not make the hike and drive from Bergen in one day.
There are many beautiful hikes/viewpoints both near and far from Bergen. Tell me what you like and I can recommend you something.
🚢🌊Fjord cruises are a little pricy but can be worth it if the weather is nice. Check out the 5 day Fjordcard with Norled, you can travel deep into Sognefjorden and also up the coast to Selje. I have done this twice before and I slept in a tent. 🚗 It's also possible to rent a car and drive to the Fjords. Flåm for example is 2,5 hours away. Eidfjord in Hardanger even shorter. If you want to get deeper into Sognefjorden it will take you longer, and there might be a ferry. Olden, Loen and Stryn are almost 5 hours away (quickest route). Geiranger is over 7 hours away. Remember that the days are short in Winter/Early spring.
And again, there are lots of beautiful sights close to Bergen. You don't need to travel far. I can recommend places not seen so often on social media.

ABOUT ME

I'm a seeking, curious and adventurous person from Norway. Since I was very young I've always had two strong desires, to be close to nature and express myself in different mediums of art.
I studied fine art and photography in Norway. I found especially photography and painting rewarding.
Later I studied Filmmaking in Prague, which took me on a journey from Prague to London, then Hong Kong, and then back again. My main work of interest has been as a cinematographer (director of photography). But I have also done photography, both for clients and just for my own passion.
I grew up in a hiking loving family; it didn't take long before I had experienced both sleeping outside under the stars, and going full day hikes, deep into the wild.
My father taught me to love the life on the road, jumping on a plane without knowing where to sleep the same night. He showed me the joy of meeting new people, cultures and places and to treasure these moments.
For long I worked within the oil and gas industry. Both at platforms/ships in the north sea, and on gas processing plants and oil refineries on land. It was never my passion to work at these places, but I needed sorely money, and the market was tough. Even for entry-level jobs.
I was living in London for a few months, and I wanted a change. Working within the creative field can be tough, and especially as a freelancer. After struggling for awhile in London, I wanted to do something meaningful. I decided to do volunteer work for different people around Europe through Workaway.
In 2016 returned to Norway to pursue photography full time and worked in a photography partnership with my now ex, in 2019 I went back to being a solo freelance photographer and now I take different assignments in and around Bergen.
I’m vegetarian and I quit alcohol 12 years ago. I don’t smoke or do drugs but I love coffee/tea and sweets. Especially chocolate and ice cream. I like to build healthy habits for myself, but I sometimes struggle with motivation. I would like to get in better shape like I used to be in my early 20’s

If you like to see what I do for work:

www.benjaminbargard.com

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To meet different people with totally different mindsets and backgrounds from my own (same as well). To listen, tell and learn. To create new friendships!

Interests

I like: Art, Film, Photography, Hiking, Nature, Cycling, swimming, free diving, traveling, animals, the sea and the mountains. I love things analoge, like my turntable and records and my analoge camera collection. To breath the fresh cold winter air, to swim in the warmest streams in summer.

• animals
• cats
• dogs
• arts
• photography
• coffee
• walking
• traveling
• socializing
• cycling
• hiking
• camping
• swimming
• volunteering
• free diving
• deep conversations
• analog photography
• vinyl records

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Pink Floyd, Massive Attack, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Rachmaninoff, Radiohead, Khruangbin
Movies: Elsker dig for evigt, Human, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, The Fellowship Of The Ring, Blade Runner
Books: Sapiens, American Psycho, Moby Dick

Obviously lots more.
Current movie recommendation: Le Otto Montagne (The Eight Mountains)
TV series: Severance

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Drove 6,000 km from Bergen to North cap and back with my then-girlfriend. We slept in the car for three weeks
Hitchhiked from Vesterålen to Bergen 1,776 km, 20 different cars
Five weeks in Nepal, Annapurna Circuit, Kathmandu, Pokhara
Doing inter-rail in Europe with my father at a young age
Filming a short film in the nature around Hong Kong
Traveling around the Mediterranean with my family
More than three weeks exploring Myanmar
Doing Workaway in 4 different countries
Volunteering at a remote lighthouse
Saved someone from drowning

What I Can Share with Hosts

My joy of listening and my eagerness of learning. My sometimes unusual way of looking at life. My many funny travel stories.
I enjoy cooking (vegetarian) and I make great desserts. I can take your portrait =)

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United States, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Czech Republic, England, Hong Kong, Norway