questions about living in oslo

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Is a blow dry after a hair cut the norm here? 

In Norway it is customary to pay extra to have your hair dried after your hair cut -- sometimes up to NOK 100!  

Is it customary to tip people who provide services for you, including hair dressers, in Norway?

Tipping service personnel, including hair dressers, is not required in this country because the wages are so high. (Unlike the UK and US where the salaries are so low that these folks depend on tips to make a living.)

How do I use the public telephones here?

Public telephones are located throughout the country, often in booths adjoining news stands.  Many phones accept only phone cards (telekort), which can be purchased in kiosks.  Regular pay phones charge 3 kroner to initiate a phone call.

Can I hire someone to plow my driveway? (I live in Bærum.)

Yes! You may be able to hire a neighborhood youngster to shovel your driveway, but you'll have to make the first move. Norwegian children generally don't go door-to-door or offer their services as they do in the States. (The same goes for mowing your lawn in the summer.) You can also hire a professional. One source in the Asker-Bærum area is Martin Rønning (66 90 61 36).

What is a brikke and how do I get one?

A brikke is an electronically scanable sensor (that looks like a small brick) that allows you to pass through the Abonnement lanes (far left) at the Oslo toll plazas. You pay up-front for a certain number of passes through the toll plaza at a reduced rate.

To purchase a brikke, fill out an application at any Esso gas station and pay the NOK 150 deposit. You can either purchase a brikke for an unlimited number of trips through the toll plaza during a set period of time (one, six, or twelve months) or for a set number of passings (or klipps) (25, 175, or 350). Carefully mount the brikke behind your rearview mirror on your front windshield. Be sure to mount it carefully or it will not register correctly as you pass through the toll plaza.

It generally takes up to a week after you pay for your brikke to be registered, so you will see a white cross flash at you as you pass through the toll plaza the first few times. You'll also see a white cross flash when you have five or fewer klipps remaining on your brikke or are nearing the end of your pre-paid period.

For more information, call 22 98 40 00 or 22 98 40 10 or read more here.