Norway

Last weekend we had Thursday and Friday off so we decided to jet off to Norway. We landed in Oslo and had an evening to relax and acquaint ourselves with local culture (TGI Fridays). We didn't have much time to see anything but we did stroll around the centre of town and find the best bakery ever! It had a conveyer belt running from the ovens downstairs around the roof of the cafe to the counters above. They had the most delicious pastries and hot chocolates.

The next morning we picked up our hire car and hit the road.

Positions:

Cassie- Driver

Michael- Navigator

Peter- DJ

Mosquitoes (the name of our bike gang), roll out.

10 hours later we had crossed the mountains, driven through the mines of Moria (one tunnel was 11 km long), skirted the fjords, and we arrived in Bergen.

The mountain pass.

Fjords!

More fjords.

Bergen is the city by the sea. It has cathedrals and buildings from the 12th century, a fish market that Peter dragged us to and then didn't go into, and awesome shopping. We also hit up a CD shop just near our hostel. We were recommended Norway's top boy band- Donkeyboy. We rocked out to "Stereolife" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzOckCcpKzA all the way back to Oslo. Saturday night was our Norwegian food night (after we had Thai on Friday). We were recommended a bar/pub in the middle of town where we had Norwegian meatballs, Vass (a local town) sausage and pork schnitzel with aioli.

Dinner in the pub- note my awesome hand knitted Norwegian jumper.

On the way home with took the ultimate route via ferry (we were on a boat). We powered through the fjords before climbing up through the mountains and across the mountain pass (Antarctica). 10 hours later we were back in Oslo and running for our flight to Stockholm and on to Lulea. Our own beds had never been so inviting.

More fjords.

Just a regular view as we were driving along.

We're on a boat! It was quite windy.

The mountain pass on the way home. It was just white in all directions.

You can see lots more of our photos from Norway here:

http://gallery.me.com/perkinsgroup#100233

Snow Bathroom

On the weekend, Peter took the 14 hour train to Stockholm all on his lonesome. He made the rookie error of leaving his spare key with his super trustworthy (and awesome) friends. We turned his heater off on Sunday night, and got up extra early on Monday for mission snow bathroom.

Using our engineering skills, we hoisted the snow up to the third level.



After half an hour of filling buckets and avoiding the lulebo (our landlords) workers who were giving us really dirty looks we had results.

"Mamma mia!"

Northern Lights

When we arrived in Lulea, the exchange coordinator Frederic (El Capitano) told us that we probably wouldn't see the Northern Lights in Lulea.

T'was the eve of Peter's birthday. 9:30pm. Cassie and I were returning to our rooms to get some much needed sleep (we are so cool). A hooded semi-stranger (Cassie sort of knew him) approaches. The tip: Northern Lights bitches! This is what we saw from our apartments and then a hill half way to uni.


Northern Lights!


Those are our apartment blocks. Cassie and I live in the one in the middle and Peter lives in the one on the left. Note the northern lights.


The exchange students gathered on the hill in the middle of the night. Oh wait, and there are northern lights there too.

The rest of these are photos that Peter took on a 25 second exposure with the camera mounted to the handle bars of his bike, which he carried through the snow to the top of the hill.

Skiing

Having been here for a month, I thought it was time I went skiing. So last Thursday night Matt (our American friend) and I went to uni and caught the bus to a nearby ski field. After waiting ages in the line to hire skis, something I won't have to do again as i bought skiis and boots for $20, we hit the slopes.




It was a nice little hill that kept us thoroughly entertained for the three hours we were there. There were even some jumps (which we did) and grinding poles (which we weren't crazy enough to try).


Aurelius- our Lithuanian (?) strongman friend grinding!

Mandatory photo riding the lift

We had an awesome night and are already planning a proper ski trip somewhere in the mountains. I just hope it isn't as cold as seen with the drink that froze in my backpack in the three hours we were out there...

Peter's Food Diaries

A typical afternoon snack for Peter as he strives to become ripped in Sweden. Watch out John!

Peter's Video Diaries- Darts

We put a dart board up in Peter's room- the poor wall.

Peter's Video Diaries- Ice Hockey

Peter and Michael attempting to skid sideways to a stop like the pros.

Peter's Video Diaries- Snow Sports

Since arriving in Lulea we have found ourselves participating in nothing but extreme sports. Here are some examples:

Tobogganing -

Snow diving -

Snow climbing -

Snow diving (again) ft. Random! -

Introducing Peter's Video Diaries

Jokkmokk

Yesterday we went north to Jokkmokk for a winter market they hold there every year. And when I say north, I mean inside the Arctic circle north!

It was both really cold and really beautiful. The last hour of the trip to Jokkmokk was through rolling forests of snow covered trees. It was worth the drive just to see them.

Who is the idiot walking into the snow to take a photo- Oh wait, its me.

We ended up having about 5 hours in Jokkmokk which would have been fine it it wasn't so cold. As we got off the bus it was supposedly -23 degrees but it felt colder! We spent most of the day trying to find warm places to hide but when we did venture out there was some interesting things to see.

Sami people who are local to the area in their traditional clothes

Reindeer!

The market stalls themselves were a bit disappointing. Like any market, most of what was being sold was cheap stuff you wouldn't want. If you wanted things from the local area, your choices seemed to mainly be knives, reindeer furs, reindeer hats and reindeer meat. That said we did find a few things to buy so it wasn't all for nothing.

We also had lunch in a teepee which consisted of stewed reindeer meat with potatoes and cranberries which was both new and delicious. For all those wondering- reindeer meat doesn't taste all that different to beef.

Enjoying a well earned lunch

Ice Hockey (Extreme)

Last night was our first night of ice hockey. Some Swedish PHD students rent a rink twice a week for the exchange students to learn to play ice hockey so we thought we would give it a go. The first problem had been that we didn't have any gear. But by asking around we were able to find helmets, pants and sticks abandoned in various corridors that we took. We also brought some ice skates and were ready to go. The second problem was that the rink is a half hour ride from where we live, and training starts at 10pm. Oh and it had been snowing all day so the track was covered in 10cm of fresh powder. Hardcore riding was in order.

Despite all this we loaded up our bikes and were ready to go.


Exhibit A: The loaded bikes- try riding behind me

We laced up our skates and were ready to hit the ice:


Sup Christophe giving thumbs up at the back


Peter in his sexy pants


The cage on the front of my helmet is tied on with string- very safe


Ice hockey!


Cassie and Peter coming off the ice after our first training. Peter was clearly born to skate- note the angle of his skate...