Cecilie Skog on expedition in the local surroundings
She is known for her tough expeditions and was the first woman to reach Mount Everest, the North Pole and the South Pole. For the past year, Cecilie Skog has mostly been on local expeditions with her children. Here she shares her best tips for a successful - and short-haul - trip!
- If there's one thing I've learned in the last year, it's that adventure doesn't have to be so far away. Often it's waiting just outside the door.
Tips for a successful trip
Cecilie Skog is the mother of Vilja (6) and Vega (4) and lives in Oslo, with Østmarka as her closest neighbour. Like many of us, she too has discovered her local area in the last year. There has been a lot of short trips to the outdoors, and many short trips away from home. Her best tip for a successful trip is planning!
- The most important thing is that the whole family is involved in planning the trip so that everyone has an idea of where they are going and what they are doing. One tip is to give children some alternatives for different trips; then they feel that they have a say in the decision. Looking at the map together and helping to pack the bags creates a feeling that this is a joint project. After all, the most important thing is to create good memories.
Good food in the bag!
Cecilie always makes a packing list so as not to forget essentials like fire sticks, sunscreen and mosquito repellent.
- I also always pack a hammock and a spiked knife, a slackline, or maybe some rope so we can tie up and make a zipline, or make a climbing rope for the bears. And the kids always want to bring popcorn, so we bring popcorn kernels so we can pop popcorn on the fire or on gas burners.
When it comes to food, Cecilie is clear that there is so much more than sausages.
- There are many things that are easy to keep in a bottle; eggs for omelettes or pancake batter, for example. It's also easy to make wraps that can be fried on a pan, or have soup in a thermos!
And good footwear!
Anyone who has been on a trip with slippery jogging shoes or a chafing bag knows that the right equipment is important for a good trip for young and old. For Cecilie, shoes are an important part of the touring experience.
- Absolutely! Good shoes are a very important part of the hiking experience for both young and old. If you are on a trip with tight shoes that gnaw, then you miss all the beauty of being on a trip! It is important to have hiking shoes that fit well on the foot, have proper grip and good cushioning!
Together with ALFA, Cecilie has designed shoes that are perfect for light walks in nature, and that also fit nicely into everyday life. They come in two different models; a low shoe and a shoe with a higher ankle sock. The shoes sit well on the foot, they can withstand water, humidity and have a soft cushioning.
- These shoes meet all the requirements I have for a touring shoe. They work regardless of terrain, and I also think they are so nice that I like to use them in the city as well as in the forest. A little treat of a shoe, if you ask me.