What A Big Ship ! : Viking Museum

I went to visit Viking Museum and I was shocked to see how big the ship was. It was very big at the same time compare to the cruise ships you see now, it was quite small. It makes you wonder how viking used to live on these ships.  I love walking around the museum where you can imagine how people might have lived.  The imagination go all wild. I have read about viking but just reading on books does not do justice.

Can you imagine this ship in the water?  Tell us what you think !

Explore Culture By Riding On the Train

  I had an opportunity to get on the train in Norway and what I was surprised about t was that there was no exist where you swipe your card or put your ticket in.  There were warning signs that say that not getting tickets are illegal and there were people who came by to check the tickets but as far as I know, the exists were quite open. The system was similar to the ones I have used in Australia or in Hong Kong where you can use the same tickets as long as it is used with in the time written on the card it is okay.

Riding on the local trains are quire exciting because you will be able to see how people actually live. How people dress up. Even when
I take the trains in Japan, I find myself quite fascinated by how people are like in the different region. In some area, I may find people who are all dressed up, while others there are more elderly people. It is kind of experiences you will not have when you are traveling only in the tour bus.

I am not an expert on trains but I do find that experience of riding on the train in different countries  gives you better idea of the culture.

What Not To Do On The Train

What are the unspoken rules on the train in Japan?

1) No Talking On the Cellphone
Though there is no huge sign saying this, it is not appropriate to talk on the phone on the train. Phone must be on a manner mode and you can actually use the phone to send messages, the phone should not make any sounds.

2)  No Eating (Unless you are on the Shinkansen/Private Car)
When you are on the regular train, it is considered very rude to eat on the train unless you arein Shinkansen or Express train where you have assigned seats.

3) Give Seats To Elderly,Pregnant, Or People with Special Needs
There are priority seats for those who are more likely to need the seats but of course when the seats are all full, it is a manner to give up seats for those who need the seats more than you.

4) Put Your Bag In front of You
In a train with many people, you need to keep the bags close to you.

5) No Taking Pictures of Strangers
There were instances of strangers taking pictures of random girls with their phone so that all Japanese cellphone are set to make sounds so that people can recognize when their pictures are being taken .

6) Line Up
In Japan, it is require to line up in two lines/three lines before getting on the train. There's no written rule but it is just what we do automatically.


I believe that pretty much covers unspoken rule. Perhaps there are many rules that became part of my everyday life that I don't notice anymore. What are the rules in your country?