Viking Pictures

Roughing it in Stansted and a Viking Day in Norway

Probably around eight months ago, Kristine, a friend from Norway told us we had to visit her in the summer. Being so far away and never turning down a reason to travel, we told her we would. Never did I actually think that we would follow through with this. There have been many other trips we said we were going to make but never did. This one felt no different.

Then one day Kristine started to badger me about coming. “So when are you coming? Have you booked your tickets? Look at this link of the beautiful fjords. And this one. And this one. I live in an incredible place, come visit me.”

Well, this must have worked, because within the following week the class was setting our exam schedule and I decided, well, if we can, let’s give ourselves a week in Norway. So as I tried to coordinate schedules with the Spanish, Hillary and Caitlyn were frantically booking tickets to London and Haugesund, Norway on Ryanair. Our promise was coming to fruition.

Immediately after, excited, Kristine invited all of her Norwegian friends on the backpacking trip through the mountains and fjords she was planning for us. The excitement was building, mounting. She even made a Facebook Event Page for our trip and kept posting videos and pictures of the things we would do and see.

Well, all the excitement and planning paid off. You will be able to see in my pictures the fruits of our labor. But first, the trip.

Our trip started Wednesday, June 8^th with a flight to London Stansted Airport where we had a short layover. Excuse me, I guess I mean short when I compare it to Hillary’s future layover in Iceland of two and a half days. No, our layover was about 18 hours, and we spent every minute of it in the airport. Ever see the movie Terminal? Well I haven’t, but I imagine the movie sums up what living in an airport is like. We ate prepackaged food we bought at the convenience store, laid uncomfortably on the airport benches, and slept more uncomfortably on the floor in front of some closed check in desks. Luckily I had a sleeping bag and sleeping pad packed for the trip so we weren’t lying directly on the floor. Unluckily, at 3:30 am, after about three hours of half restful sleep, staff went around waking people up to clear the way for check ins. Who checks in at 3:30? Nobody. All in all, the stay probably still rated better than the hostel I stayed at in Paris. Seriously, say no to Jules Ferry International Youth Hostel. Worst place ever.

After a rousing night at the airport, admittedly less exciting than a night at the museum, we boarded the plane to Norway where I finally got some decent shut eye. Another “on time flight” later and we were landing at Haugesund’s airport where “Home of the Kings of the Vikings” was proudly displayed on the building along with some tribal drawings of a Viking and what I think were some birds.

After a little liquor shopping at the duty free (Norway is notoriously expensive for alcohol), Kristine was waiting for us outside of the airport. It feels so good to know somebody when you show up in a foreign country, and having them pick you up at the airport is even better. Having food waiting for you when you get to their house can’t be beat. It’s almost like home. Almost. (Hint: Mom and Dad, it might not be so terrible to have dinner waiting for me upon my homecoming after 13 months.)

After a hearty lunch of mom-made potato salad, sandwiches and refreshing Norwegian water, we headed off to pick up some hiking shoes, got our things together, and then went to a Viking festival. That’s right! We happened to be visiting Haugesund during their annual Viking Festival, complete with Viking fighting, Viking food, Viking crafts, Viking buildings, Viking ships, and everything else Viking that you could want. Even the Viking horns to drink from! All of this was on sacred Viking ground where they previously found artifacts from past Viking colonies! Disappointing fact: Vikings did not wear horns on their helmets.

Well, after some delicious burgers and a little CSI, we hit the sack for some actually very satisfying sleep.

Hiking and backpacking to come.

Another Overdue Update

I have my last final tomorrow. My last final in Spain. My academic responsibilities in Santander are coming to an end. I don't know if I should be overjoyed or saddened or a little bit of both. I can't dwell on that now, though. I still have one test remaining: Foundation Engineering.

I read through all the chapters in the book. I went through all of our old homeworks. I looked over all the powerpoint slides. I reviewed my own notes. I feel like I have exhausted what I can do now. All I have left is to watch movies and write my blog.

Yes, long time no see, blogging world. I have been on hiatus, for no reason at all. I guess I should quickly recap my life from where I left off before I write my next blog about my adventures in Norway.

So I left you in Porto. Well, after Porto I visited Erica and Iona in Madrid where they both have been studying for the past semester. Finally, a little CCC love, I missed it, although have not been to any concerts still.

We explored Madrid, ate some long craved for (by Hillary) southern food at a restaurant called Gumbo, clubbed a little, went to a quiz night in an American haven and retired into the sun in Retiro. While I really enjoyed seeing my Cornell friends, I just wanted to be back in Santander. I wanted my own room with my own bed. I had been travelling for 3 weeks now and was just tired. I always seem to need a vacation from my vacations.

Back in Santander I had work to catch up on. More prelims and problem sets than I really wanted, but put my nose to the grind so we could host a Chili Fest of our own later that week for our Italian friends. I have gotten pretty good at corn bread and we have experimented a little with some chilis. We had our good old original beef recipe accompanied by a pork and beer chili and my personal favorite, a white bean chicken chili.

More Italian food and problem sets followed in the weeks to come. I eventually met with Ferrovial, my summer employer. The interview was really just a “What are you looking for?” type of deal, nothing to be too worried about. I will be working on the Historical Archive of Euskadi building in Bilbao for six weeks, although I still haven’t heard anything from them and am supposed to begin next Monday.

I then had finals. I took four tests in the week and a half leading up to my trip to Norway, notably two of them being for Coastal Engineering. Yes, I had my second prelim two days before my final. How are you supposed to know what you are doing incorrectly when you have barely just been tested. Oh well, turns out I passed that class.

What was really great was that before two of my afternoon finals I got to go see prehistoric art in the Cantabrian countryside for several hours in the morning. While my peers were studying, I was in a Land Rover sick to my stomach navigating steep hills and cow pies to see a few rock carvings. This happened two Fridays in a row. Great. Sad thing is, these carvings will be around longer than anything I will ever design. Ugh.

Probably one of the most interesting things I have done between Porto and Norway was that I tried surfing. A few of my Italian friends knew this place we could rent boards and suits for 10 euros for the day over at Somo Beach so the Sunday before I headed off to the fjords I caught the ferry and a few waves. While I wasn’t outstanding, I was pleased that I got up a few times, especially since the Italians gave me a five minute lesson before I entered the water. I was sore and felt like I ate a pound of salt afterwards, but it was amazing to think that I would start the week off hanging ten in the Atlantic and end it at the edge of Trolltunga jutting into the Norwegian fjords. But more on that later.