Top of the World

We spent a fair amount of time in the kitchen this week drying edibles and preparing food for upcoming trips. I can’t say these times we’re highlights, but when we did get away from the ovens, we made it worthwhile! One day consisted of a trip to Jotenheim, Olof and I, being the foreign students, were unclear as to whether we were hiking, canoeing, or biking. As it turned out, we were mountain biking and filming. Conditions were perfect: a recent fall of light snow, standing water everywhere, and the temperature, barely above freezing. This did not suit Olof, who, unaware that we were traveling to Jotenheim, had come prepared for a much milder trip “just across the lake”. The filming started off slowly, with five of us “biking towards the camera in a nice straight line”. This lasted until we got halfway through a swamp, into which, all five of us fell. Once we started biking, though, the extremities started to thaw and good humours returned.

Climbing in my spare time with Helge and Tor Olav.

The zoom on my camera was not sufficient to capture the reindeer at the base of the mountain, but you may be able to make out a faint dark line in the middle of the picture. They were being herded by numerous helicopters. I am told that they are privately owned and that twice a year, over 7000 caribou are rounded up for butchery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a grocery chain here which guarantees that none of its products will be past date. If they are, you can get them for free, and if they can’t replace the product, they actually have to pay you money. We “purchased” a few kilos of ready-to-cook salmon the other day, not that we don’t get enough fish around here… It makes a very nice midnight snack.

Norge er Fantastisk!

I have finally dragged myself from the common room where I sat fascinated by 30 or 40 knitting needles clicking and moving methodically. Such is the Norwegian way of life.
Last week, we did a one day hiking trip to Bessegen. The first couple of hours were along a nice mountain lake. Fed from each side by high ridges, the west end of the lake is damned only by a small land bridge. We hiked along the shoreline of the lake to the right, and, it was only when we finally reached the end of the lake that we discovered the second, stunning panorama of pristine, blue water hidden by the narrow stretch of rock damming the end of the lake. It was the most beautiful hike I have ever experienced, not only because of the scenery, but because such an amazing view came so suddenly. I was not expecting it at all.
To crest the ridge in the middle of the photograph, and look out over a 200m cliff at the above landscape was breathtaking.

I took the picture  to the left on the same trip in Jotenheim. I like to call it Crossing Paths. The one on the right was taken during a mountain biking excursion with my Dutch friend, Olof. It`s called Gaffel, Norwegian for fork. National Geographic and Time are still bidding.

Saturday`s trek through the hills was quite interesting. A particular tree along the trail is missing a few branches, and the boys took a bit of a beating, but Olof and I had a good time. That was the second fall. A half hour bike ride uphill along the road, a few geitost sandwiches while enjoying a view of Liera, and a very technical hiking path back down to the school made for a good afternoon.

The most exciting trip so far, though, was in Jostedalsbreen National Park, on the Nigardsbreen arm of the glacier. The five hour drive was well worth it for three days of glacier walking and climbing. Fully equipped with crampons, ice axes, harnesses and ropes, we saw a fair amount of the glacier. Whether stuck down a crevice for 35 minutes during a practice rescue (my team was not very fast the first time), or top-roping a 12 metre face of vertical ice, it was a good time.

You should know that the above picture is upside down… Ya, I know, amazing. 
  

It was an amazing trip, but it was also nice to get `home` and have a hot   shower and a comfortable bed again.
The trips have kept me quite busy since my last blog so there isn`t too much new around the school. Each Saturday night, a different class is supposed to organize a social gathering. Last week, the golf class entertained us with a blind-date bingo and karaoke night! Random couples were selected for some unknown reason. I happened to be one of them. As it turned out, we were to be interviewed about matters concerning our date, in front of the rest of the school. I was first asked for my date`s name. Bad memory and worse pronunciation made my blind-date a last date… But like they say, there are lots of fish in the sea.
Snakkes.

Settling In

The routines are beginning to establish themselves. The potato and fish theory still stands. We even made mashed potatoes to go with our pulsar while camping last night! It is hard to believe that it has already been ten days but at the same time, there is a feeling that it has been a matter of weeks or even months. On the other hand, home is still in Canada. It is a new place, there are new things, and there are new friends. Even after ten days, Sindre and I have just discovered some pegs in our room for hanging coats. I also spent the first seven nights in my sleeping bag, and only got around to purchasing bedding on Monday. While I expect many surprises to come (haha), things are starting to feel a little bit more familiar.

We have just returned from a three day hike to the school cabin. As it turns out, it was only a two day hike, and weren’t staying in a cabin. Something must have been lost in translation. It was a good time in beautiful Norwegian wilderness, but the hiking paths have me impatiently awaiting the arrival of my mountain bike. I borrowed Nils’ bike the other day for a ride with my class.

 

 

As you can see, the scenery is striking. I am very lucky to be hiking and skiing here.

 

  

I have acquired a significant Norwegian vocabulary. Hiking the land of my forefathers seems to accelerate my ability to learn the language. To date, I can list over two hundred words. Understanding what they say though? With all of their dialects, they can hardly understand each other!

Bye for now.