BY: CAROLINE ROLF
What if you had the opportunity to walk across Norway on foot, exploring the country’s incredible streams and mountains? This would be the ideal vacation for most adventurers, and it just became a full-time job for one.
Out of 1,030 applicants, 23-year-old Andreas Orset was hired by the Norwegian hiking boot manufacturer, Alfa, to spend a year walking through Norway as an intense test of the brand’s hiking boots. The project has the support of the official travel guide, Visit Norway, and the Norwegian Union of Outdoor Recreation Organizations.
For one year, Orset will hike through the rugged terrain of Norway, enduring both the summer and winter. His adventures will be featured on a blog, documenting the product test and offering inspiration to others looking to get outside and be active. The mission will also showcase Norway as an extraordinary destination for adventure.
The young explorer has travelled all over the map and has even lived in New Zealand for a short while. He is currently studying at the Norwegian School of Economics for Business Administration. Needless to say, his life is ready for a change. Orset was selected for this job for his experience in hiking, positive attitude and great communication skills.
“I’m looking forward to the hot summer, with birds chirping – but really I’m just as excited about pitching my tent on the cold winter nights,” says Orset.
Come June, Orset will get to live what locals call, “friluftsliv,” of the “free air life.” He will explore beautiful sceneries and natural phenomena of steep mountains rising from the waters and the Northern Lights. To see what life is like for a full-time “eventyreren,” or explorer, make sure to follow him on Facebook. His official job description? “The Adventurer.”
Image sourcing: lonelyplanet.com