visitors

We love visitors, and thankfully several friends have made us their destination over the past few months. Last week was no exception.

Originally another friend was going to come, and we had made an amazing plan for his time here. Then suddenly his work renegged his time off, and so he had to postpone until the fall. A few days later another friend said he and his girlfriend wanted to come same time-slot. They were thus able to slide right in and take on that awesome planned-out visit we'd put together. This would be their first time ever leaving Taiwan. Now that's what I call doing it right!

I have to say, they had extreme luck. Everything just worked out so perfectly, allowing them to have all of their wildest dreams and hopes for what they'd want to experience in Norway be fulfilled (I believe at least). Poor Terence who was originally supposed to come, seeing the pictures get posted one by one. HEARTACHE ;)


Day 1: Arrive in the afternoon to just beautifully sunny weather and completely snow-covered landscape; that evening see a good-strength Northern lights show

Day 2: Visit down town during day with both sun and snow-fall and visit the most interesting shops; in the evening use our cross-country skis to do their first forray into falling down with long sticks on ones feet

[The candle shop has some seriously kick-ass candles!]

Day 3: Again super sunny with sporradic snow-clouds - took a mountain-lift up for great view over Tromsø island and surrounding area and hiked partway up the slope towards the top of the mountain making the first footsteps in the new-fallen snow; afterwards visited the Iceberg Church and then went to have a fresh beer at the worlds most Northern brewery's pub and then hit the supermarket for some real culture shock

Day 4: Built a snowman in the morning, had afternoon-tea with some good friends of ours: Norwegian waffles and home-made egg tarts; then we had a simple, delicious hot-dog dinner and headed to the airport to fly to Oslo and take the night-bus to Innvik (the village of my roots in the fjords of western Norway)

[Waiting for night-bus at Oslo airport]

[The seat can be collapsed forward and it turns into a rear-facing baby seat]

 Day 5: Rest and walk around the village

[Busy having fun in the house my grandparents built]

[Walking around the village]

Day 6: Beautiful weather again - head up to the cabin on the mountain of the neighbor village; go sledding; try making a snow-angel; roll the snow-balls for a snowman; have a simple dinner; enjoy cabin life (melting snow for water and playing yatzee etc)

[Panorama from house - the mountain in the middle down the fjord is where the cabin is]

[View from cabin]

[The outhouse as seen from cabin]

[After an eventful day no energy to complete the snowman]

[Panorama inside the cabin]

Day 7: Head back to Innvik after completing the snowman and a short ski-spell in the morning by the cabin; have dinner and catch the night-bus to Oslo

Day 8: Wander around Oslo catching some sights
Day 9: Head to the airport and back to Taiwan

Now that I call a successfully eventful Norway trip! Who's next?


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