Sandalsand Norge >>
2025 is over and this article is a look back at Sandalsand's travels and articles. As usual, you will find many exciting destinations.
Sandalsand publishes on two websites: Global and Norway. You can also find profiles on YouTube and Instagram.
The world in 2025
I have written in previous years that I missed travelling to distant lands. It has started to pick up, and 2025 was uplifting. This year the longest trips were to Japan and Dubai. There was also Europe, and not least a long series of trips home in Norway. In fact, I spent 57 days travelling (with overnight stays) last year, and of course only leisure trips.
Looking back, 2025 was my first year as a pensioner, so work trips became a thing of the past. In fact, it has been several years since I have been on the road this much. Good friends said before I retired, "welcome to the eternal holiday fields." If that is not entirely correct, there is something to it.
Japan in March
It's been 40 years since I went on my first real journey. Then I flew solo to Tokyo and began what is still my longest journey ever. It took me almost six months over vast distances and almost every country in East and Southeast Asia. In March I returned to Tokyo, and pretty much the same itinerary in Japan as back then.
The big difference was that I was now accompanied by two of my children, both of whom are now adults. It was a great two-week trip, with a number of new experiences. Tokyo is incredibly exciting with its combination of modern and traditional architecture and cultural expressions. We were there for a couple of days and added day trips to Kamakura and the iconic Mount Fuji.
Then we took the standard route south. Trains are the way to travel in Japan, and the Shinkansen is very convenient. We first camped in Kyoto and explored this city, Osaka and Kobe. Afterwards we stayed overnight in a traditional ryokan in the even older imperial city of Nara before heading south to Hiroshima. The cherry trees were in full bloom at the end of our holiday.
I added four new World Heritage Sites to my list, in addition to more experiences from two I visited a long time ago.
Balkans in July
In recent years, I have been exploring the southeastern part of Europe quite systematically. In 2023, I went on a road trip in mainland Greece and a city trip to Belgrade. In 2024, there was a road trip in Slovenia and a city trip to Bucharest with an excursion to Transylvania. This year, 2025, there was a longer road trip to five countries in the Balkans.
I simply flew solo to Dubrovnik – a place with many flights from Norway. There I rented a car and immediately drove south to Montenegro and Albania. Then it was inland to North Macedonia and Kosovo. As if in a circle, I returned to Montenegro and Dubrovnik. A brilliant holiday, and the heat was actually not that oppressive.
I was quite unsure about the road standard beforehand, especially on the stretch from Kosovo and into the Montenegrin mountains. You read so much, and I had secured myself with an SUV-like car. It went far better than feared. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I have driven so much on Norwegian roads?
This vacation gave me seven new World Heritage Sites, in addition to more impressions from two others I had previously checked off.
United Arab Emirates in November
It was supposed to be, and was a week in Dubai towards the end of the year. Since we also took a day trip to Abu Dhabi and stopped by Sharjah for a desert safari, it actually ended up being three of seven emirates. I have previously visited Qatar and Dubai on very short visits, and in 2024 also Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. That means I am starting to make myself familiar with the Gulf states.
In contrast to the negativity that has spread in Norway, I have been fundamentally fascinated by what we can experience in this region. I believe they are good at preserving their traditions and cultural heritage, possibly rebuilding buildings, so as not to let everything new take over completely.
Because there's no doubt that glass, steel and concrete dominate the skyline. Not least where we stayed overnight, sky-high in Dubai Marina.
These are small and vulnerable nations, at great risk of being completely swallowed up by far more populous countries in Asia. Moreover, they too are under pressure from the West, with our expanding culture and values.
Regardless, it was a brilliant week with family, world-class attractions and gastronomic highlights all in one fell swoop.
Sandalsand Global, the website
Looking back at 2025, I published 24 new articles – the same as the year before. I have another 50 articles waiting to be written and published. As usual in recent years, I am careful to write articles from visited World Heritage Sites (11 in 2025) and post new photo albums (6).
On the other hand, there are already as many as 989 posts to enjoy, along with 31 pages (accessible via the menu items). In addition, the website itself, many posts and most permanent pages have been upgraded and improved throughout the year.
As before, it is clear that Sandalsand Global, which has text in English and the entire world as its arena, faces stiff competition.
My bucket list for the world (2026 update)
For several years I have published my bucket list of places I want to travel. Find the previous years at the bottom. Here is the update for 2026 (and beyond):
Africa
- East Africa south of Sahara, with safari as part of the trip (2-3 weeks).
- Morocco. All those amazing towns on the coast and in the mountains. (1-2 weeks)
- Rwanda, the country with a terrible past is reinventing itself.
- West Africa from Senegal to Nigeria. It would have been nice with a road trip through half a dozen countries, but quite difficult. (3-4 weeks plus).
Americas
- Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay: Three countries in the south I have yet to discover.
- Caribbean island hopping, in particular the southern part and the Antilles. Perhaps even on a cruise, one of my taboos. Visiting multiple islands is not easy to accomplish apart from with airplanes, and prices are not favourable (2-4 weeks).
- Central America and more: So many wonderful locations, and I have to date missed them all. High on the list is Yucatan (Mexico), Costa Rica and Colombia.
- USA from New York to San Francisco. Flights between several places and perhaps a train journey across the plains just to sense the distances (2-4 weeks).
Asia
- Arabian Peninsula: Oman and more of the Emirates (2 weeks)
- India is a long-time favourite (2-4 weeks) and I have just began to savour it.
- Indonesia. Sooner or later I will have to find a way to explore at least some parts of this big island nation.
- Iran is still very much off the beaten track for a number of causes. Iran is one of the oldest civilisations on Earth, holding on to their history with pride. (1-2 weeks)
- Israel and Palestine: Been here before, long time ago, but I spent too little time. Round trip in the countries for a week, perhaps also a beach holiday with the family by the Mediterranean or Red Sea. (1 week)
- Sri Lanka in the south is a rapidly rising star, recommended by many.
- Vietnam. I have visited most of SE Asia, but not Vietnam yet. There is a lot to discover both in terms of nature and culturally significant places. (2 weeks)
Europe
- Great Britain: "remote" regions of the island, meaning Cornwall, Wales and Scotland.
- Georgia (country): Their food and wine is good, the Black Sea coast is fine for sun bathing and inland there are some nice cities and villages in the Caucasus. It would be wise to combine Georgia with neighbouring Armenia and perhaps even Azerbaijan. (1-2 weeks)
- Old Norse settlements in the West: Shetland, Orkney and Greenland. (1-2 weeks)
- Saint Petersburg: Extreme treasures and immense museums, as well as a fascinating history in every respect. (Perhaps one day after Russia has backed down from attacking its peaceful neighbours.)
Oceania
- Australia and New Zealand: For some reason I have never really fancied Australia, on the other hand I really should go there.
- Pacific island hopping on a round the world ticket to make the journey cheaper (3-4 weeks).
Norway in 2025
I never get tired of visiting new places in Norway. It can be places I have never been before, or where it has been a very long time since I was. Otherwise it can be well-known places with attractions that I am not very familiar with. With 2025 in retrospect, this was also the case last year.
Stavanger through the anniversary year
Some experiences were of the short-term kind, and as a resident of Stavanger, last year was actually quite exciting. The city celebrated its 900th anniversary with many events, and I was able to attend a good number of them. In July, the 200th anniversary of the first organised Norwegian emigration to America was also celebrated.
Kristiansand in January
The actual travel year started for me at the end of January with a train trip to Kristiansand and a couple of nights in the capital of the Sørlandet region. Trains are a wonderful way to travel, comfortable and with great views along the way. What tempted me the most was to visit Kunstsilo, the city's beautiful new art institution down by the sea. It was well worth a weekend in Kristiansand, and the city's streets are always pleasant to walk in.
Oslo in February
At the end of February I took a trip to Oslo. It had actually been a while since I last visited, and with family in town it was only natural that it should also be a social trip. In Oslo I managed to visit four museums that I had not been to before. The HL Center at Bygdøy, the Nordic Bible Museum in Kvadraturen, the Natural History Museum at Tøyen, and the Workers' Museum at Sagene. I was left with varied and very good impressions.
Sandalsand is not the same without spending several consecutive days or entire holidays on the road in Norway, behind the wheel. This year there were four trips.
Røros in May
The first took me to the southeastern part of Trøndelag and the northeastern parts of Innlandet. I stayed in Røros, a World Heritage Site, and drove around on relatively unknown roads, and with new discoveries. True enough, I had been to both Røros and a few other places before, but it was starting to feel like a long time ago.
Inner Agder and Telemark in June
One often drive along the coast, and I was relatively familiar with it from previous vacations. However, I have had to dig deep into the photo archive and not least into the mental memory bank to bring up real experiences from the interior of Agder and Telemark counties.
This summer I took out a map and created a very good itinerary for myself.
Finnskogen, Mjøsa and southern Innlandet in September
I had previously only visited the border areas with Sweden in southern Eastern Norway on a car trip from Kongsvinger to Halden, via Ørje. Early in the autumn I chose to explore the areas that nowadays are often just called Finnskogen, and then a little more, of course.
I covered the area from Magnor and Morokulien in the south to Trysil in the north. Then I turned the wheel towards Mjøsa and the municipalities on the eastern side of the country's largest lake. You could say that long stretches of forest are not the most exciting thing. What comes between the forests is the reward.
Voss and Askøy in September
Late in September it really felt like the time for car holidays in Norway was over. But those who have the opportunity and let impulses guide them – yes, they have opportunities. I chose to take a few days in Western Norway. I started out with inland roads from Stavanger, via Odda and up to Voss. The next day the village, known for its traditions and winter sports, offered cultural monuments in abundance.
From there I headed back south and across the Hardangerfjord to Øystese and Norheimsund. The day ended at Herdla, at the far end of Askøy, i.e. the furthest out to sea in Vestland county.
The return to Stavanger was crowned with new experiences in North Rogaland. It's amazing what you can find as long as you have something to look for. Like, for example, Hognalandsbassenget in Bokn municipality.
Sandalsand Norway, website
The website is used to share experiences from my own country, in Norwegian. Looking back at 2025, readers of Sandalsand Norge only had 10 new articles to read. The number is almost half of the previous year, which was the lowest ever on that website. To me, this is downright shocking. I would have thought that, with my newfound status as a pensioner, I would have produced many more. Perhaps the year was lost in too many travels?
Also, and as before, I am lagging behind in describing previous trips. I now have 142 articles I want to publish on Sandalsand Norge. For the second time, I did not manage to finish all my car trips (as overview articles) by the end of the year, a goal I have had for the past few years.
Nevertheless, at the turn of the year, the website consists of a total of 940 published articles plus 51 permanent pages. The number of images is approximately 22,000. They are from 304 municipalities, that is, 85% of all municipalities in the country.
I have edited and published a considerable amount of new images, the website has undergone significant changes behind what the reader sees, and I still spend a lot of time on it. But with few new published articles. The latter will be the ambition for next year.
Other social media
For my YouTube account Sandalfilm, visits are quite low, and are clearly related to zero growth in the number of videos over many years.
I uploaded 17 new photos on Sandalgram, which is my Instagram account. The number of followers is 442, about the same as last year.
Looking back at 2025, Sandalsand was modest in its use of social media.
Read more
So this was 2025 in retrospect. Find all annual summaries on the Publishing page.