See the random videos from the trip...

Reading a New Chapter: Europe 2011-Part I

Top 10 Things things YOU need to know about the trip!

If you know me, you won't be surprised that I'm making a list. It's what I do. Enjoy my ramblings!

Top 10 Things YOU Need to Know About The Trip:
1. Last year when our entire family went to Japan for three weeks, my Mom instated the best travel rule ever: Everyone is allowed to have one melt down. It's all right to be upset, frustrated, irritated, and downright exasperated. It's all right to express these feelings but once you're finished pitching a tiny fit, pick yourself up and move on. Go eat a Nutella crepe and move on with your life.

2. If you ever go to Europe (or travel anywhere, for that matter), try as many things as you can and eat as much as possible. Especially if you're in Paris. The croissants are heavenly. In my opinion, they're even better than crepes. If you can find the croissants filled with apricots and custard, those are the very best. Although, now that thinking about it, the basic chocolate ones are amazing too.

Macaroons are also incredible. They're expensive for being so small, but if you go to the Louvre, the cafe there has larger ones so you get the divine taste for a better deal. The lemon ones are best. Well, the salted caramel ones are great too. Wait, no, definitely get the pistachio. Or the orange blossom. Okay, just buy a whole box and don't share.

As for other food, Brunost (brown cheese) from Norway is fantastic, Belgian chocolate is deservedly legendary, Belgian waffles are outstanding (especially if you buy them from Wally in Amsterdam), and goat cheese anything is always the absolute perfect thing to order for a main course. As you probably already figured, London is not known for impressive cuisine. But if you're into baby food peas and fried fish, the British metropolis has some pretty good food, too.

I could seriously go on and on for hours about the food. It was so good. For some of it, like the apricot custard croissants, I barely have words. Promise me that if you ever go to Europe, you will embrace and taste anything that comes from a patesserie, brasserie, pub, cafe, bakkerij, chocolate shop, crepe vendor, or waffle stand. You will never ever, in a million years, regret it.

3. Airbnb is fantastic. It's so much better than staying in a hotel. You can get the real feel of a city by staying in an actual person's authentic house/apartment. In Paris, I felt like I was staying in a girl friend's apartment. In Amsterdam, our room was twice as big as a hotel room would have been and the location couldn't have been better. Airbnb is one of the best travel tips I could ever give.

4. It's a huge timesaver if you order tickets ahead of time. We were spared from a two hour wait at the Anne Frank House and zipped ahead of a huge crowd of people at the Van Gogh Museum all because Mom was smart and booked our tickets before the trip.

5. Each major city that I visited can be summed up in one word. Here goes:
Paris-Grand
Amsterdam-Eclectic
London-Regal
Luxembourg City-Cute
Brussels-Delicious
Sogndal-Relaxed

6. If you only have limited time in Europe, definitely visit Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam. These cities are fairly close to each other and the combination of all three is perfect. The grandiose, impressive, and stunning architecture and sites of Paris blended with the chocolates, frites, moules, waffles, and beer of Brussels and the laid-back atmosphere of Amsterdam makes for a perfect European vacation.

7. Talk to the person sitting next to you. While traveling, you're inevitably going to be seated next to someone, be it on a plane, train, or double decker bus. Strike up a conversation. Learn something new. Make a friend.

8. Traveling solo is not as glamourous as I thought it would be. I definitely envisioned myself finding a cozy spot next to my gate in the Oslo airport and waking up before the crowds to get coffee and greet the day as a well-rested and well-seasoned traveller. This was not the case. Airports are noisy at all hours of the night and if you ever meet someone who is well-rested after spending the night in an airport, introduce me to them. When traveling solo, there's no one to watch your belongings. There's no one to reassure you that there really is light at the end of the tunnel. Or in my case, morning after a night sleeping upright.



9. Pictures and journals are the best souvenirs. Europe is expensive so it's not always possible to buy every single awesome dress, box of chocolates, and set of Luxembourg Royal Family figurines. Take lots of pictures and videos and keep a journal. Keep tickets and brochures, collect flower petals and random things found on the ground (a Heineken bottle cap from outside the brewery in Amsterdam and a pick from the guitarist in Vik). I realize that the dress I bought in Paris probably won't fit years from now and the red pumps I got in Norway will lose their shine, but I will always have the pictures I took and the stories I wrote to remind me of one of the best times in my life.

10. Do one thing every day that scares you. Eleanor Roosevelt was a wise lady...she was right. I can't say that I exactly "scare" myself every day, but I attempt to challenge and test my personal limits. I was nervous as I approached Owen Wilson in Shakespeare and Company and I was apprehensive about making six flights all alone. Riding draft horses along a curvy mountain road with tractors and trucks so close they nearly grazed my leg was scary and exploring an old insane asylum was even more so. Watching my father illegally enter a cemetery in Luxembourg was nerve-wracking. Oh, and keeping up with a bunch of tipsy teenagers was certainly a task. But the truth is, all of these experiences, the good, the bad, and the awkward, have made me a better person and I am thankful. I am immensely thankful.

Home at last

Home at last! I'm back in North Carolina where it's about fifty degrees warmer and darker four hours earlier.
I am so glad to be home!
My trip back home was tiring. Between the four flights, spending the night hiding in the restaurant, multiple customs and immigration checks, and the mother who yelled at her children the whole way to Philadelphia, I could not wait to get home.

In Philadelphia, I sat next to an older woman while waiting for the flight. We started talking and I knew immediately that she was from the South. She talked to me like she'd known me for years, sharing her life story and everything else I never knew I needed to know. I love Southerners.

I couldn't wait to off of the plane in Greensboro, knowing that I'd see one of my favorite people and be back at home so soon. Little did I know, John wasn't the only one waiting at the airport. I got a great surprise as we descended the escalators. My parents and grandparents were waiting in baggage claim! I'm a lucky girl.

At home, I gave out gifts and souvenirs. I really hope Will doesn't hurt himself with the knife I got him in Flam. And I hope Dad decides to share the raspberry juice I brought him from Sogndal.

I am so grateful to be home. It's somewhat unbelievable how life can change in a month but it is remarkably comforting to know that some things stay the same. The weather is warmer, the garden is denser, and my inbox is full with unread messages of summer commitments and plans that lie ahead. Daniel is still questioning and philosophizing, Will's hair is still growing into an afro, my horses still race to me from across the pond, and my parents are just as endearing as ever.

It is so good to be back home. I am loving the warm weather and the fact that I went out to the garden to get my breakfast, lunch, and supper. I love home, but I miss the times I had on the Europe trip. I miss exploring cities and countrysides with my parents, spending time with Jennifer and Nick and doing crafts at 7am with my sweet little cousin, laughing and celebrating with Anne and her friends, and knowing each morning that every day would be an adventure. The trip was more than I could have ever imagined.

If I had to pick one lesson to take away from the experience, it is that time goes by very quickly, therefore, it's important to make each day last. Life is about living with a purpose and making every moment matter. Because of this trip, I am challenging myself to wake up in the morning with a purpose, a goal, and a vision. I may not be traveling the globe all of the time, but I have the capability to create adventures wherever I find myself. Everyone has this choice and this capability.

Thank you for reading and thank you for humoring my late night ramblings, random thoughts, and long-winded narratives.
I appreciate it and I appreciate you!

Last night...

I hope I never have to spend the night in an airport again but I've decided that I might as well get used to it... it's just a part of the traveling experience.

Last night was the most uncomfortable sleep I've ever had in my life. And I've slept in some pretty uncomfortable places.
When the restaurant cleared out around 12am, I found a big chair and tried sleeping upright with my legs over my suitcase.
Around 2am, I woke up surrounded by people who were crashed in the other chairs. When I woke up again at 4am, the other people had already left and I was just about fed up with tossing and re-positioning myself every five minutes. I got up, grabbed two chairs and pulled them towards each other (making a ridiculously loud scraping sound) and climbed in the middle.
I slept decently that way until 5am when it was time to get up and get the day started!

Besides spending my first night in an airport, another first happened today! I got my first random check in security. Lovely. It was awkward and weird. I'm so glad that's over with.

I'm now sitting waiting for my flight to Munich. I realize this is just about the most mundane blog post you will ever read and I'm sorry. I'm bored. And broke. Sadly I can't go shopping like all of the Norwegians here. Most everyone is going crazy over the "cheap" prices at the duty free shop.

Thanks for reading, everyone. I heard from my sources (i.e., my parents) that people are actually reading the blog! That makes my day. Tusen takk! A thousand thanks!

Saying goodbye

Actually, Anne and I didn't say "goodbye." Instead, we said, "see you in three weeks!"

I left Sogndal today after a fun day at school with Andrea, last minute shopping with Anne (I found some great vintage finds at a second hand shop!) and sweet rice porridge for supper.

Today it got up to 50 degrees fahrenheit in Sogndal! I can't believe it! The day I decide to leave the sun decides to shine. Oh well.

Anne, Andrea, and Anne's mom Randi all came to the airport to see me on my way. Anne and Andrea surprised me with a gift-a Norwegian troll figurine. It's going to look so great on my nightstand at Peace... :-) Tusen takk, AK and Andrea!

I am incredibly grateful for the time I was able to spend in Norway. It was a spectacular adventure and I am thankful for good friends like Anne and good people that turn into good friends like Andrea, Kaia, Ingvild, and Kristine. Two weeks ago, I was stepping off the plane in Sogndal and getting ready for my introduction to Norway at my first Norwegian party. I've gotten to know all of those people at the party, and it's so nice to look back and see how our relationships evolved.

Anne Kjersti, even though your second name is hard to pronounce and you drop things a lot, I love you so much and I am so glad we are friends. It's crazy to think that just two years ago, I didn't even know who you were! I can't wait for you and your mom to come to North Carolina. It's going to be fantastic!

Even though I nearly froze to death at times, Norway is a lovely place to visit. Everyone is so kind and helpful and if you like bread and cheese, you will love the cuisine. I'm sure that spring is the most beautiful time to visit, but I'm hoping I'll get to go back in the summer. I have this vision that someday I'll swim in a fjord.

Saying goodbye to Sogndal was sad. I have a friend who has lived her whole life in the mountains and now she goes to college in Raleigh. She misses the mountains because they're a part of who she is. For the first time, I feel like I can understand where she's coming from. I'll always love the mountains of Sogndal. Even though they gave me bruises on my legs, a tear in my jacket, and mud on my shoes, I'll still love the Sogndal and her mountains.

I'm currently sitting where I'll probably be sitting for the next ten hours. I snuck into a restaurant, snagged a couch in the back corner, and planted all of my belongings around me. After lots of confusion and a mini panic attack, I have been informed that I can't check in until 6am tomorrow morning. I was also informed that the free WiFi only lasts an hour, so don't be expecting anything else from me for a while.

My home for the night:

I've got a long night and an even longer trip ahead of me but the thought of warm, pond-swimming, horseback riding weather, my mom's cooking, surprising my brothers with their epic souvenirs, and a certain person waiting for me in Greensboro are thoughts that keeping me moving forwards.

Fjærland and Jostedalsbreen

Fjaerland is a town of about three hundred people and thousands and thousands of books. Yes, it's really cool.

We drove to Fjaerland today and had a nice visit with Anne's great aunt and uncle. After driving to see where Anne's grandmother grew up and went to school, Anne and I explored the many book stores of Fjaerland.
The bookstores have tons of second hand books and most of them operate on an honesty basis... customers just leave the money in a box or are instructed to go to the ferry dock to pay.

We didn't see many people in Fjaerland, just a tremendous amount of books. All kinds of books in many languages. Barns and houses have been converted into the shops. The buildings are drafty and cold and have that infectious old book smell. Scouring the shelves and piles of novels, encyclopedias and journals was kind of like exploring an old attic. The booktown was a neat part of Norway to experience and I highly suggest seeking out booktowns when you travel.

After the booktown, we went to the Bre Museum.
Okay, so there's a little story that goes along with this...
When Anne first told me about her plans for my trip, she said we'd be going to a "Bree Museum." I assumed she meant "Brie Museum" and I got really excited because I love cheese and I thought we'd be tasting all kind of delicious samples. Turns out, "Bre" means "glacier" in Norwegian. Oh well.

But the Bre Museum was interesting! The largest glacier in continental Europe is partially in Fjaerland. Jostefalsbreen has a fresh water equivalent of three hundred thousand millions bathtubs of water. Crazy, right?

The museum also taught us about "The Iceman" who was found in 1991 and how he was preserved by glaciers, wooly mammoths and other prehistoric animals, and the human effect on glaciers. There was a whole exhibit on climate change and energy use. It was clear on all of the charts, plaques, and brochures that the United States is the leader in energy consumption. Regardless of how you feel about global warming, the fact that the United States only makes up 5% of the world's population but consumes 20% of the energy is staggering (Population Reference Bureau; 2007 World Population Data Sheet.)

Anne's uncle drove us out to the see part of the actual glacier. It's huge! As we approached it, the air got colder and colder.



On the way home, we had salted chocolate popsicles (surprisingly delicious!)

We got back home, had supper, then Andrea and Kaia came over to hang out one last time before I leave. Anne made smoothies (she needs to be a chef!) and Norwegian style waffles with raspberry jam and brown cheese. I'm going to miss my new friends and having brown cheese at every meal!

I'm almost finished packing. I'm trying to psyche myself up for extremely long trip back home, but I can't seem to make spending thirteen hours in the Oslo airport sound fun at all. At least there's free WiFi!

Flåm

Yesterday, we went on a boat ride through Aurlandsfjord to Flåm.
Anne's aunt and uncle have a very nice boat and we all enjoyed the two hour ride.
On the way, we played games with Anne's cousins, Hanna and Kaia. They're so cute!


Anne's uncle pointed out houses in the mountains where people actually live. It seems crazy to me that someone would live that far away from civilization. The only way you can get to these places is by boat. In addition to the houses, we also mountain goats standing on cliffs. eating moss and grass. It was like something off of the discovery channel!
Once we made it to Flåm, we met up with Torgier, a friend of Anne's from school. He works at "FjordSafari"...apparently you can ride on a little boat through the Fjord and get an up close view of the wildlife and the waterfalls.

We had lunch in Flam and enjoyed walking around (even though it was freezing cold!), visiting the shops, and looking at the cruise ships.







Anne's mom and grandmother picked us up and we rode home through the mountains with them. On the way back to Sogndal, we went through the world's longest road tunnel-Laerdal Tunnel . It's 24.5 km long and it took us about twenty minutes to get through the whole thing! There are stops with big blue lights along the way so drivers will "wake up," according to Anne's mom.




Anne and I ended the day curled up on the couch with a good movie and good Norwegian chocolate.

We have another neat adventure today...can't wait to experience it then write about it for you!