I’ve messed up with the holiday I’ve booked

[SoEasyToFallInLove]

I had a week of annual leave to use before April. I did some research and booked a week to be split between Oslo and Copenhagen at the end of February/beginning of March. Everything I had found said that temperatures at this time were around -5° to 2°C. I figured I could cope with that.

I’ve now found a lot of discussion online that says that last year it was regularly -30° in Oslo in February. It’s a bit luck of the draw but apparently it can stay below freezing until the end of March.

What do I do? I’ve paid for everything and it’s non refundable but if it’s that cold I’ll literally just be sat in a hotel room all day. Do I go and hope for the best or just cancel and use my leave another way?

There are inserts for shoes and gloves that heat up. Get some.

A hat, a soft warm wool scarf, and a hood on your jacket. Get them.

Waterproof comfortable hiking shoes with good support and tread. Get some.

Have a ball.

You need good quality ski gear for freestyle skiing and it's not because its warmer, its expensive because it has to breathe, otherwise one would get very hot very quickly (and it's not £900 unless you go for Arcterix and thermals for Ice Breaker or something like that).

But any mid-quality ski gear is way enough for a normal ski trip and so it is for an activity that doesn't involve sitting or rolling in the snow, or descending a slope like a maniac.

You're going to Sweden, not on top of K2.
People live there.

Edit: Norway not Sweden sorry Norway sorry Sweden

*Bearbookagainandagain · Today 18:47

Look at Vinted, I'm sure you can find ski jacket/clothing for cheap to layer up

This has been said repeatedly on this thread but the op is going on about not affording £900 skiing gear!

because flights are £60 each way, I had avoid to use and hotels were about £420 all in. I’ve ended up paying less than £500.
Where are you flying from?

Nearly all the airports currently have return flights to Spain and Portugal less than £50 return. Using booking.com you could easy get accommodation that would have bought you in on budget.

On top of that everything would be significantly cheaper, including your transfer to the city from the airport, which is going to cost around £25 each way if you don't book in advance (im assuming your flying into Torp) your meals , drinks etc.
I don't think you have thought this through but you would be wise to listen to people who have been several times in winter and know what its actually like.

Honestly I think you would be fine layering up a down jacket and raincoat if that what you’ve got although I have found having a long, water resistant puffer a game changer (bye bye cold legs!), so do have a look at what you can get on vinted. From a quick look £50 would get you something acceptable if you don’t go for fancy brands and you’ll be able to sell it on for much the same as you paid for it (if you’re lucky you can even make a profit!).

My other strong recommendation is a pair of silky thermal sock liners to wear under regular socks - make a huge difference and they dry really quickly so you rinse in the hotel sink before bed and wear again the next day.

Other than that regular winter clothes sjhould be fine, just layer up.

Finally got round to looking at temps. For Feb, Oslo, average daily high 1 degree C. Average daily low (when you're asleep) 5 degrees C. Oops edited to correct 5 to minus 5.

£420 for a week in Scandinavia? Surely not.

No you won’t. It’s a dry cold. You bundle up warm stroll in and out of shops and cafes and museums etc. It’s great.

I wore a combo of a lightweight down jacket and waterproof shell jacket skiing last year (with suitable base layers and a fleece) and was absolutely fine. Admittedly it’s a top quality down jacket (probably the most expensive item of clothing I own) which makes a difference but I have Uniqlo down jacket too and it’s not at all bad.

Long waterproof insulated coat on vinted… £30. That would do you

https://www.vinted.co.uk/items/7329589134-black-trespass-audrey-coat-medium-size-14

£420 for a week in Scandinavia? Surely not.

Not one bit of ops post makes sense.
They talk about splitting between Osllo and Helsinki. Have they even got a map to see how far away it is and how much it costs to get there. Thats a huge part of the budget gone there. Plus how long it takes!
Transport costs to and from Torp are going to be between £30 and £50 depending when you book.
Hotels aren't cheap, heck even hostels cost a bit.
Food and drink is expensive in both countries.
All that and op is quibbling about paying 20quid for a decent coat on Vinted!

Op could have had plenty of change from her budget by having a week in Malaga out of season and it would have been warm enough not to take a big coat!

I’m flying into the main airport.

you can get a ferry between Oslo and Copenhagen for €41.

Just a thought though, they're both very expensive cities to do things in, specially food and drinks (alcohol is taxed extremely high) so I wouldn't really put money aside for clothes (just layer what you already owned) but build up a budget to spend while you're there.

Who doesn't use a coat in the UK it regularly drops below 0 in the UK im sure you'll use it again.

I am doing that.

Not down south it doesn’t!

Which one both airports are used. However it still costs to get to the city and return.
Thats not a bad price for the ferry but thats one way.
Being very optimistic that is around £150.
Have you booked your accommodation in both places?
If you haven't id re think this trip and cut your loses now.

I wear the same coat in Copenhagen and when I come to London, you do not need £900 of skiwear in either city, you just need to be sensible, this is not a huge issue, just wear an extra layer

It’s the main one. I’m flying BA - £57 and some change out.

im flying home from Copenhagen. The flight was 500-ish DKK but I had some avios to use so it went down to about £47.21 back.

And yes, accommodation is booked. my hotel in Oslo is NOK2523.96 (or £188 as per my calculation on the day I booked it). Copenhagen is DKK1989 (£232 per that day’s exchange). So it’s £420 for accommodation plus just over £100 all in for flights. I’m travelling hand luggage only to save on costs and because I have an IBIS membership my stay at Heathrow will be £47. My only cost left is the train up to London which I’ll be looking to get at Christmas time when the Trainline sale goes live, or I’ll ask for cash for Christmas to pay for it.

Get onto vinted and get yourself one of those big cosy jackets that look like sleeping bags. Then sell it when you return at the same price.

The layers sound ridiculous! You will be going into warm buildings having to peel of hundreds of layers.

If its Gardmoen ( im sure ive spelt it wrong) thats not to bad, ive always flown Mato Torp and its a bit of a drag getting into the city. Your trip will be cheaper as well as its only over half an hour away so that's good.

Honestly, it will be cold but it will be ok. You are not going to the south pole.
I know ive been saying it all day but for the sake of 20 quid just get a coat. It'll stop you being miserable and cold and there's no way you have to spend money on a new wardrobe or skiing stuff, thats just silly.
Seriously, a big coat and off you go. Oslo is my favourite city but only in the summer!

Why are people asking you for all your costings?

Because for some reason they think im lying about how much I’ve paid!

That’s weird isn’t it?

I guess to some they think travelling only exists in terms of £5,000 holidays.