Some general observations

As you very well know, this summer I went on InterRail with my best friend Ingrid. During this month we visited 13 European countries, stayed at 19 different hostels, saw 17 cities, went to about a 1000 museums and never stayed anywhere for more than 5 days. I kept a diary all through this immense journey and now I want to share some of my experiences with you. I am, of course, not planning to re-write my whole diary on my blog (I mean, come on...I need to preserve at least a bit of privacy), however I will summarise the days in "some general observations" for each country. So here goes the first one:

Some general observations about Amsterdam:

- The city has a very distinctive smell. A kind of interesting blend of weed and piss.
- The alleys are filled with some dodgy shops
- It's an island
- People live in houses built on the river
- There are far more bicycles than cars, hence you are more likely to get hit by a biker
- You are expected to know the art of walking through walls as various signs point directly into one
- No real concept of winning and loosing (we were there the day after Holland lost in the World Cup and there were a 1000 fans all in orange celebrating the team's homecoming)
- Getting lost between the channels is a piece of cake as everywhere looks the same
- Awesome parks

A Few Words About New Years

Grossly overdue, but still. For New years I visited my best friend and her family. I was there for a total of 5 days.

This time there wasn't alot happening. The trip took longer then it should because of various delays (specially on the way back, it was due to our bus hitting another car. No one got hurt but the car driver wouldn't let it go even though it was his fault), but I got there and back safely.

The coming of the new decade was celebrated with our youth group "Gnisten", and the only eventful thing was the traditional "running like the wind and diving into the snow because the fireworks have fallen are are shooting in your direction".

Other than that, we played a few board games (which I lost at....all of them). And we did a bit more planning for our Interrail xD It's going to be the best thing ever!

After coming home it was back to work for me - gotta earn some money for my big trip!

Grey clouds in the sky

No wonder, since I'm in Bergen (it's generally considered as the rainiest city in Norway). I came here on sunday to visit Ingrid and I was supposed to leave earlier today, but I missed my train so now I'm pretty much stuck here till about 23:00. It's not too bad of course, cause I get to take the train with Ingrid, but my mother wasn't particularly happy that I had to spend more money to buy a new ticket. She also wasn't too thrilled over the fact that she'll have to wake up at 5 am to get me from the train station.

Today would've really sucked, if it weren't for the fact that I finally got my results back! I passed with a very good mark, so there was really no need to worry the way I did (had nightmares and couldn't fall asleep. Didn't eat alot cause I had a knot in my stomick and generally just worried the hell out of myself). So, despite my horrific incident with the train, loss of alot of money and nerves, I am actually pretty happy. Can't wait to move into the new house with the rest of my friends. It'll be perfect, I just know it.

But before that I still have to catch the next train home, work, go to a Dream Theater concert on saturday (SO looking forward to it!!), pack my stuff and avoid irritating my mother for 10 more days...a task not easily accomplished after todays fiasco.

There and back again

Six hours, sitting in a bus and looking at trees and mountains as they fly by. Six hours of complete and utter boredom, of staring out the window and wishing the time would go faster...or that the bus would. Six hours of bus, and then an hour and a half by car, over the narrowest road across the mountains EVER. That is the journey I had to make to get to Ingrid (my best friend). I only went for the weekend and spent most of the time sitting on a bus there and back again, but it was totally worth it! Not because I happened to catch the latest Harry Potter film while I was there (because it sucked awfully, so don't waste your money on it), but because I had so much fun while I was there.

I got to see and play cards with Ingrid and her family (who've been like my second family for 10 years), and a couple of people I hadn't seen for nearly 2 years, I had time to participate in the making of a movie (I played the boss of the Russian mafia in Norway, wooohooo), AND Ingrid and I finally had time to organise and plan our interrail trip for next summer. It's gonna be so awsome :D

Sadly I had to leave all too soon, but I had to get back to work to earn money for our trip. But I love visiting Sauda, so I'm probably going to head down there again sometime before the term starts. Either that, or I'll visit her in her new appartment in Bergen ;D She's planning to live there and study maths (CRAZY girl :P)


Here are some pictures from the set of our film: