However, it may be too late to reserve a cabin on the postal boat (Hurtigruten). When I did the trip from Trondheim to Bergen in 2011, I reserved in March and got the last single cabin on the ship. It's a fantastic trip, though. It's hard to believe that one small country could have that much incredible scenery.

I didn't find the funicular to the top of the mountain to be at all scary. You never leave the ground, after all. The view is amazing, and the walk down is pleasant. I'm glad I didn't have to walk UP, though. In fact, I didn't think any of the train rides were scary.

Classical music fans should be aware that the tourist information center sells combined concert +bus tickets to Trollhaugen, Edvard Grieg's home on the outskirts of the city.

Anyway, it sounds as if you need to purchase a guidebook and decide what you really want to see. With eight days, you have plenty of time to travel to Oslo, a lovely city with some fine museums and an all-around pleasant atmosphere.