So, one post a month isn’t really that bad, is it? And to all of you I keep promising I’ll post more, sorry again. I’m guessing that there are very few of you regularly checking it for posts anyways. Where do I start? I think I’ll recall the events from most recent backwards. So I have been mainly working at Carter’s Bar. It is owned by the same guy as Thistle St. but it is across town. It is a locals pub as well, but they do open mic nights and have live music. It is a lot of fun and I enjoy it. I do miss the regulars from across town. I am quickly getting to know the regulars here as well. On my days off I have been pretty busy. Earlier this week matt and I went just outside of town and hike the Pentlands. They are some small mountains that offer great views of the city. It wasn’t a super long hike but it was a lot of fun. After the hike though, the fun was just beginning to start. We decided to have our traditional post hike pint, but had to walk a ways in to town. We finally came to one called Bennet’s. It was a small dodgy place, but the beer was nice. From here we continued walking debating whether to catch a bus or walk, as we had just passed a sign stating that it was 5 miles to city centre. We then saw another pub matt’s girlfriend (yes, matt has a Scottish girlfriend) had told him was quite nice. It was called Canny Man’s and we stopped in. The sign upon entry states, no cameras, no credit cards, and no backpackers! Us in our hiking clothes decided to risk it. Sitting next to men in suits with their younger and very attractive dates, we decided we were out of place. It is very unique with nic-nacks everywhere and great little rooms to sit in. It would be a great place to take a date but certainly wasn’t for two smelly hikers. If you are in Edinburgh check it out. We continued towards town and eventually made it. We did stop at several other drinking holes along the way. When we reached the meadows I couldn’t believe it. It is park about 15 minutes from our flat. If the sign saying it was 5 miles to city centre was right, I must say the pints shortened the walk. From here we found a hidden gem called yes, Bennet’s Bar. No relation to the one we originally stopped at in Morningside. From here matt went to his girlfriends and I went home.
The week previous to this I hosted my first guest from the couch surfing network. (www.couchsurfing.com) I have surfed but never hosted as my flats are usually the size of cracker boxes. The network is a brilliant idea. Basically I have a profile online talking about me and my flat. Others can view it and if they are in Edinburgh can ask to stay on my couch for a couple nights. In return when I travel I can do the same on couches in the area. I have surfed in Washington DC, Norway, Edinburgh, and London. And my first surfer was a great girl from Slovenia. Matt and I showed her around a bit and hiked Arthur’s Seat, an old volcano in Edinburgh. And most importantly we showed her to the Sheep’s Heid, a pub that claims to be from the 1300’s and the oldest in Scotland. It was a lot of fun and nice to finally host. I had a great time and I think she did as well. As we speak I am waiting for two surfer to call so I can give them directions to the flat.
So back a week or two from this of pretty boring stuff I had an amazing week in London. My mate Marshall met me there and we toured the town and surrounding areas. We had our share of pints as the UK has a large pub culture and took in the sites. We toured parliament our first day. Saw the Towers Bridge, and West Minster Abbey. We went to a Shakespeare play at the re-created Globe Theatre. Went to an exhibition of Dali’s famous statues and paintings, as well as the Tate Modern Museum of Art. We kept busy and had plenty of time to relax as well. While there we couch surfed 3 nights and made some new friends. Some of my favorite moments came though when we left London.
We went to Salisbury so we could see Stone Henge. This is something I had always wanted to do. So I said, “Why don’t we camp and see the sunrise at the henge?” Marshall was all for it and we bought a tent and sleeping bag and were all ready. We got in to Salisbury about 12:30 and now had to find a place to throw up our tent. Some locals at a pub pointed us in the direction or a field/park that would be suitable. It would have been better if it wasn’t pissing rain and pitch black but we made the most of it. To say the least we didn’t wake in time for sunrise but it was a moot point as it was raining and there wasn’t really a sunrise. And sleeping in a puddle in the non-waterproof tent was great. We made it to Stone Henge with a little leg work and I really enjoyed it. I hope Marshall did too. From here we headed to Avebury.
Avebury is a village of maybe 10 houses, and 1 pub that is enclosed by a large stone circle. It is very impressive. Our plans were to camp here. Again a local at the pub told us just where to go. He said, I lived in a spot just about 100 yards down by the speed limit sign. Go straight into the woods there, hop the fence and you’ll be fine for a night or too. Locals always know the best and cheapest (free) places to camp. We sat at the pub until close and went to find our site. It was a great area and it could easily be seen that others had camped here. We set up our tent, applied a rain fly to help keep some of the water out only to have the wind kick up. It was one of the windiest nights I can recall while in the UK, and a perfect night for camping (sarcasm). Luckily the rain fly didn’t blow off the first time until about 6 am. I re-attached it a couple times before backing up and heading to Gloucestershire.
I had heard of a cheese rolling festival when I first arrived in Scotland and couldn’t believe it when Marshall was going to be in town to experience it with me. You may be asking yourself, what is a cheese rolling festival? Well it boils down to this. A farmer rolls a large wheel of cheese down a really steep hill and a bunch of idiots (me included) go chasing after it. And to make it even more fun, it was a completely muddy hill as it had been heavily raining all day. Marshall took one for the team and watched the gear as I hurled myself down a muddy hill. They were out of cheese by the time my race came about but it was great to get involved. I don’t think I have had mud in some many places in all my life. Check out this link to see the festival(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpzEF0D2xfE). It may not have been the most productive day but I am glad I experienced it. From here we hiked back to town and spent the rest of the day getting back to London. We went to Chinatown for a nice Chinese dinner and both prepared to head home the next morning. I had a blast and it was great to see a friend from back home.
Going back another couple weeks and you have Matt’s parents staying with us, but that is another story for the next post, when ever that may be. And oh yeah, I booked a ticket to fly home the 25th of June and will then come back to London the 7th of August to start my next leg of European travels.
Until next time, Cheers!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
sorry, again, wow time flies!
It is amazing how quickly time flies when you are having fun and working your tail off. Can’t believe it has been nearly 4 months since I added to my blog. Don’t even know where to start. Guess I’ll start with the most recent things and go backwards until I get caught up or feel like you all have had enough. So today is the first of May, I am sitting in my new flat, and getting a late start because of the festival that I went to last night. I had to move flats because the one on Thistle St. was sold and the new owners wanted to live in it themselves. Part of my responsibility while I was there was to show it to potential buyers and in return I received discounted rent. Everyone was happy it sold. So as a result I had to find a new flat. Luckily a fellow American I work with was heading back to the states and I was able to take over his lease. His flat was in a great location on Robertson’s close. I have moved from New Town to Old Town, a difference of about 300 years in architecture. It is and amazing city to say the least. I will stay here until my work visa runs out in June. Then who knows what is next. I want to make a trip home but the airfare right now is extremely high. We’ll cross that bridge when it comes. And what have I been doing to save up while I have been here? Lots of things to say the least.
From the time I got here I have been working for a temp agency. Working hospitality at night and tending bar at sports events etc. It is great because I set my own hours and am paid weekly without being taxed. As far as more stable work I have been selling men’s clothing at Ted Baker during the days and pouring pints at night at Thistle St. Bar. II put my final shift in at Ted last Saturday. I loved the people I worked with but I was easily bored as foot flow through our store during the week was a little slow. As for pub work, I am loving it. I work at Thistle St. Bar. It was exactly 11 doors down from my flat so the commute was easy to say the least. It is a very small but fun pub. There is a group of locals that you can count on seeing every night. And they aren’t afraid to take the mick out of you. (Essentially make fun of you) But it’s just there way of showing approval and the only thing you can do is laugh with them. I have been enjoying this job and always look forward to going in. I just hope I can get a few more hours there as I am done at Ted. I am looking forward to a relaxing a week or two as I have been working 50 to 60 hours a week. It is necessary as minimum is 5.52 pounds/hour. Enough to live on put tough to save up. I am comfortable now and am looking forward to seeing more of Scotland, which I started last night.
I had heard of a festival of fire from an old couch surfing friend and matt had heard about it as well. It is called the Beltane Festival (www.beltane.org) and it is a festival of fire to bring in spring/summer and leave winter behind. It involves a procession of fire, and ritual dances. It was a great experience to say the least. It takes place on Calton Hill where a large cluster of monuments are and is attended between 15 and 20,000 people. It was a great time and as expected in Edinburgh, it rained which only added to the experience. I look forward to attending more events like this. I’ll try and post soon, no guaranties. I miss you all and look to hearing comments from all of you!
From the time I got here I have been working for a temp agency. Working hospitality at night and tending bar at sports events etc. It is great because I set my own hours and am paid weekly without being taxed. As far as more stable work I have been selling men’s clothing at Ted Baker during the days and pouring pints at night at Thistle St. Bar. II put my final shift in at Ted last Saturday. I loved the people I worked with but I was easily bored as foot flow through our store during the week was a little slow. As for pub work, I am loving it. I work at Thistle St. Bar. It was exactly 11 doors down from my flat so the commute was easy to say the least. It is a very small but fun pub. There is a group of locals that you can count on seeing every night. And they aren’t afraid to take the mick out of you. (Essentially make fun of you) But it’s just there way of showing approval and the only thing you can do is laugh with them. I have been enjoying this job and always look forward to going in. I just hope I can get a few more hours there as I am done at Ted. I am looking forward to a relaxing a week or two as I have been working 50 to 60 hours a week. It is necessary as minimum is 5.52 pounds/hour. Enough to live on put tough to save up. I am comfortable now and am looking forward to seeing more of Scotland, which I started last night.
I had heard of a festival of fire from an old couch surfing friend and matt had heard about it as well. It is called the Beltane Festival (www.beltane.org) and it is a festival of fire to bring in spring/summer and leave winter behind. It involves a procession of fire, and ritual dances. It was a great experience to say the least. It takes place on Calton Hill where a large cluster of monuments are and is attended between 15 and 20,000 people. It was a great time and as expected in Edinburgh, it rained which only added to the experience. I look forward to attending more events like this. I’ll try and post soon, no guaranties. I miss you all and look to hearing comments from all of you!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Scotland
December 30-January 5, 2008
So getting out of Norway proved a little more difficult than we had planned. We woke up at the train station, wondered to the bus station and bought our tickets to the airport. Matt checked in without any problems but I on the other hand wasn’t so lucky. I tried the electronic kiosks, I went to the baggage check in, and finally the main Ryan Air desk and they had no record of a ticket in my name. Matt knew he had booked two so he jumped on line to see what the deal was. This was when he discovered that he had booked 2 tickets in his name and none in mine. So now we knew the problem and getting it corrected was the next step. Change a name on the ticket the day of the flight, no problem sir that will just be 820 Kroners! Yikes, the entire first ticket cost less than 500 Kroners. We tried to explain the error Matt had made but there was no budging, I paid the fee and off we went to a two and a half hour delayed flight.
When we landed in Glasgow, a.k.a. Prestwick, Ryan Air’s airport an hour away from Glasgow a taxi was our only option as the busses and trains had stopped running. We checked our options and Patricia’s Bed and Breakfast for 25 pounds was our best option and it was only a grumpy taxi’s 5 minute ride away. We went to the Red lion down the street and enjoyed our first pints in Scotland. We wondered around in and out of pubs in Prestwick realizing that they had a quite different feel than Ireland. No barstools at the bar, people don’t say hi as often, bright lights, and worst of all the Guinness wasn’t as tasty. It will take some getting used to but I am positive that Matt and I will adjust. We ended the night with Cantonese take-away and turned in. Breakfast was scheduled at nine and Patricia was a very gracious host. She gave us all kinds of pointers and had us on the road by 10. As the B+B’s are usually homes with the extra rooms rented out they want you out as early as possible so that they can go on with their daily routine as well. We took a quick walk through Prestwick and caught the train to Glasgow. It was about 45 minutes and no one ever came through to take our money so we lucked out and got a free ride.
Upon arrival to Glasgow we walked down the shop streets and headed to the bus station to make sure we got to Edinburgh in time to drop off our packs at our hosts and head to Hogmany (A Scottish festival to bring in the New Year). Busses were leaving every 15 minutes as it was estimated that over 500,000 people head to Edinburgh for the street party. We waited in line and off we went. We got there in about 45 minutes and the bus just dumped us on a side street as the driver said there was no way he was going to wait in all the traffic to get to the bus depot. No problem for us. We grabbed our packs and found a local pub called the Rutland to enjoy a pint and get a hold of our Couch Surfing host Alex for the night. The pub was in a perfect location at the foot of the castle and we got a table in a glass patio type area that had a perfect view we were told for the fireworks at midnight. We continued to drink and talk to the patrons who were coming and going before they headed to the street party. We had planned to go as well but didn’t realize you had to buy tickets in advance. No problem we decided we’d stay at the Rutland. We had a great night, met a lot of nice British and brought in the New Year with a perfect view of the fireworks over the castle. We then grabbed our packs and headed to find a place as we never did get a hold of Alex.
Finding a place knew was going to be impossible as I had tried to book a hostel three months ago only to find them full. We walked through the streets talking to the party goers and having a blast. We checked every hostel, B&B, and hotel along the way. Everything was full. No problem we decided we would sleep in the entry way to a hostel. It was about 4 am by this point and place was a good place to sleep. As we settled in to the West End Hostels entry way some guest came and insisted we at least move to the lounge for the rest of the night. We did and about a half hour later the receptionist asked what we needed. I said two beds and she said they were full and to move along. She then promptly went to bed. We continued to sleep there until two people left for an early flight to Paris. A friendly Brazilian guy then came and got us from the room and told us to crash there as no one else in the room would care. It was nice to have a bed and we then crashed until about 3 the next day. Not bad for not having to pay. We then went and got some coffee and got in touch with Alex, as his phone had died the night before. We went to stay at his place, knowing that the next day we had to start the fun process of immigrating to another country once again!
This process was delayed a day as the Bunac office was closed. Matt and I thus decided we would go get new shoes as ours had both developed distinctive odors lately. We checked every shoes store on Princes Street in Edinburgh. Hour after hour of no luck, I apparently have enormous feet as none of the stores had shoes in my size. Finally the last store of the day we both found pairs we liked and they were on sale for 20 pounds so we weren’t out much. Next we went back to Alex’s place packed up and headed to our next surfing hosts place. Debbi lived across the meadow which was about a 20 minute walk. She had an amazing place, with one downside, her heating was broke. It was never freezing but an extra layer of clothes was in order. By our second night though the heating and thus hot water for showers had been fixed. We cooked dinner and enjoyed wine the first three nights we were there. It was nice and I felt at home there. It is amazing what a brilliant idea couch surfing is, and I just can’t get over it. After our third night we packed up and headed to catch a bus towards the east Midland’s airport. We said our good byes and headed out to the bus station.
“How much for a ticket to New castle,” I asked? “15 pounds.” “And when does it leave?” “11 o’clock, tomorrow!” That was the beginning and end of our trying to catch a bus anywhere in the UK from Edinburgh that day. We headed to find an internet connection to see what our options were. Busses anywhere all left the next morning. Trains were all too expensive. We then tried to find hostels for the next night only to find that they were a minimum of 20 pounds. This is when Matt perked up and said, “Looks like we can catch a flight to Portugal for about 35 pounds.” We debated it and realized that cost of living was a lot cheaper and that we would pry be money ahead if we went there. I was skeptical and hesitant, but in the end booked the ticket. We called Debbi and asked if we could crash one more night and possibly leave our packs at her place for the 12 days we would be gone. She was more than glad to help out. It is people as willing to help travelers like us that make the Couch Surfing project is successful. And so as I write this I am lying in an apartment that I paid 15 Euros for last night. I am enjoying the mild climate and hoping that the Portuguese sun will peek through in the next couple days! Saudi (Portuguese cheers) until next time!
So getting out of Norway proved a little more difficult than we had planned. We woke up at the train station, wondered to the bus station and bought our tickets to the airport. Matt checked in without any problems but I on the other hand wasn’t so lucky. I tried the electronic kiosks, I went to the baggage check in, and finally the main Ryan Air desk and they had no record of a ticket in my name. Matt knew he had booked two so he jumped on line to see what the deal was. This was when he discovered that he had booked 2 tickets in his name and none in mine. So now we knew the problem and getting it corrected was the next step. Change a name on the ticket the day of the flight, no problem sir that will just be 820 Kroners! Yikes, the entire first ticket cost less than 500 Kroners. We tried to explain the error Matt had made but there was no budging, I paid the fee and off we went to a two and a half hour delayed flight.
When we landed in Glasgow, a.k.a. Prestwick, Ryan Air’s airport an hour away from Glasgow a taxi was our only option as the busses and trains had stopped running. We checked our options and Patricia’s Bed and Breakfast for 25 pounds was our best option and it was only a grumpy taxi’s 5 minute ride away. We went to the Red lion down the street and enjoyed our first pints in Scotland. We wondered around in and out of pubs in Prestwick realizing that they had a quite different feel than Ireland. No barstools at the bar, people don’t say hi as often, bright lights, and worst of all the Guinness wasn’t as tasty. It will take some getting used to but I am positive that Matt and I will adjust. We ended the night with Cantonese take-away and turned in. Breakfast was scheduled at nine and Patricia was a very gracious host. She gave us all kinds of pointers and had us on the road by 10. As the B+B’s are usually homes with the extra rooms rented out they want you out as early as possible so that they can go on with their daily routine as well. We took a quick walk through Prestwick and caught the train to Glasgow. It was about 45 minutes and no one ever came through to take our money so we lucked out and got a free ride.
Upon arrival to Glasgow we walked down the shop streets and headed to the bus station to make sure we got to Edinburgh in time to drop off our packs at our hosts and head to Hogmany (A Scottish festival to bring in the New Year). Busses were leaving every 15 minutes as it was estimated that over 500,000 people head to Edinburgh for the street party. We waited in line and off we went. We got there in about 45 minutes and the bus just dumped us on a side street as the driver said there was no way he was going to wait in all the traffic to get to the bus depot. No problem for us. We grabbed our packs and found a local pub called the Rutland to enjoy a pint and get a hold of our Couch Surfing host Alex for the night. The pub was in a perfect location at the foot of the castle and we got a table in a glass patio type area that had a perfect view we were told for the fireworks at midnight. We continued to drink and talk to the patrons who were coming and going before they headed to the street party. We had planned to go as well but didn’t realize you had to buy tickets in advance. No problem we decided we’d stay at the Rutland. We had a great night, met a lot of nice British and brought in the New Year with a perfect view of the fireworks over the castle. We then grabbed our packs and headed to find a place as we never did get a hold of Alex.
Finding a place knew was going to be impossible as I had tried to book a hostel three months ago only to find them full. We walked through the streets talking to the party goers and having a blast. We checked every hostel, B&B, and hotel along the way. Everything was full. No problem we decided we would sleep in the entry way to a hostel. It was about 4 am by this point and place was a good place to sleep. As we settled in to the West End Hostels entry way some guest came and insisted we at least move to the lounge for the rest of the night. We did and about a half hour later the receptionist asked what we needed. I said two beds and she said they were full and to move along. She then promptly went to bed. We continued to sleep there until two people left for an early flight to Paris. A friendly Brazilian guy then came and got us from the room and told us to crash there as no one else in the room would care. It was nice to have a bed and we then crashed until about 3 the next day. Not bad for not having to pay. We then went and got some coffee and got in touch with Alex, as his phone had died the night before. We went to stay at his place, knowing that the next day we had to start the fun process of immigrating to another country once again!
This process was delayed a day as the Bunac office was closed. Matt and I thus decided we would go get new shoes as ours had both developed distinctive odors lately. We checked every shoes store on Princes Street in Edinburgh. Hour after hour of no luck, I apparently have enormous feet as none of the stores had shoes in my size. Finally the last store of the day we both found pairs we liked and they were on sale for 20 pounds so we weren’t out much. Next we went back to Alex’s place packed up and headed to our next surfing hosts place. Debbi lived across the meadow which was about a 20 minute walk. She had an amazing place, with one downside, her heating was broke. It was never freezing but an extra layer of clothes was in order. By our second night though the heating and thus hot water for showers had been fixed. We cooked dinner and enjoyed wine the first three nights we were there. It was nice and I felt at home there. It is amazing what a brilliant idea couch surfing is, and I just can’t get over it. After our third night we packed up and headed to catch a bus towards the east Midland’s airport. We said our good byes and headed out to the bus station.
“How much for a ticket to New castle,” I asked? “15 pounds.” “And when does it leave?” “11 o’clock, tomorrow!” That was the beginning and end of our trying to catch a bus anywhere in the UK from Edinburgh that day. We headed to find an internet connection to see what our options were. Busses anywhere all left the next morning. Trains were all too expensive. We then tried to find hostels for the next night only to find that they were a minimum of 20 pounds. This is when Matt perked up and said, “Looks like we can catch a flight to Portugal for about 35 pounds.” We debated it and realized that cost of living was a lot cheaper and that we would pry be money ahead if we went there. I was skeptical and hesitant, but in the end booked the ticket. We called Debbi and asked if we could crash one more night and possibly leave our packs at her place for the 12 days we would be gone. She was more than glad to help out. It is people as willing to help travelers like us that make the Couch Surfing project is successful. And so as I write this I am lying in an apartment that I paid 15 Euros for last night. I am enjoying the mild climate and hoping that the Portuguese sun will peek through in the next couple days! Saudi (Portuguese cheers) until next time!
Norway
December 26-30 2007
So it is a realization that the when I hit the road traveling that I tend to neglect my blog. This is probably the worst time to do so as it is when the most exciting things are happening. So when I last signed on I was just getting ready to head to Galway for Christmas. It was a great time with all my friends. The cooking went great other than the turkey taking about three hours longer than anticipated. It is just one of those things you just half to deal with. As planned by a group of us we went to the diving peer and jumped into the Atlantic Ocean. The water couldn’t have been more than 3 or 4 degrees Celsius. It was freezing but another activity I can say I have done. Christmas night I hung out and said good bye to all my friends in the Galway area. I got about two hours sleep and then headed to the airport. Here Matt and I had our last pints of Guinness and shot of Irish whisky while in its home land. It had been an unforgettable 4 months and the time has flown by. 4 days in
Olso should be a good start to the travels again.
When we landed and exited the plain it was warmer than I thought it would be. It was about 1 degree C. We got our luggage and asked if it was possible to walk to city centre Oslo from the airport. The information desk laughed and said you must be flying Ryan Air. We indeed were and found out that the airport we were at was 2 hours south of Oslo by train. We had been duped as many before us by a cheap online flight. We caught the bus to the train station and bought our train tickets. This was the first of many Norwegian experiences that would hurt the bank account. The train ticket was about 300 Kroners. There are about 8 kroners to a euro. I’ll let you do the math as I hate thinking about it. Luckily some of the expense of Norway was to be offset by not having to pay for accommodation as we would be couch surfing in Jessheim. We made our way to our host flat and made several friends along the way. Our huge packs are always a dead giveaway. One group bought us beers and the other grabbed our phone and talked to our host to get the final directions to his house. The people are quite friendly. That night we went out to the local bars, danced it up and had a great night. I also bought a 300 gram hamburger and fries on the way home that I couldn’t finish on my own. I passed out early and slept in. By the time the apartment came to life most of the day’s daylight had passed. The sun rises around 9:30 and has pretty much set at 4. It is odd having so much darkness and it was fun, but not something I could get used to. We took it easy and got that night and got up early to catch the train to Oslo.
Our plan was to take the Oslo-Bergen route as it is touted as one of the most beautiful train rides in the world. Sadly on arrival to the depot we found out that the train was sold out. We would have to catch the next train at 2 and most of the 8 hour ride would be in the dark. We contemplated what our options were and before too long I had figured out a great day trip that would allow us to take in all the wonders of the country. We would embark on a Norway in a Nutshell tour the next morning. We started on an hour long bus ride through a curvy road, views not possible due to the snow and fog, took a 2 hour plus ferry ride through one of the narrowest fjords in the world, and take the Flamsbana train which rises just under 900 meters in 22 kilometers and has 22 tunnels as it zig zags up the mountain. With the amount of time we had it was our best option and the views we saw changed our opinion of Norway. The snow covered mountains you could see from the ferry ride were spectacular and the train ride had one beautiful landscape after another including a brief stop at a waterfall. I got a lot of great photos until I dropped my camera, ending it’s tenure on this trip. That night we ended up back in Oslo. To save money, we slept in the train station, only getting asked to move along once. It the end it was a lot more expensive trip than planned, but worth it due to the countries breath taking country side! Next stop…Scotland.
So it is a realization that the when I hit the road traveling that I tend to neglect my blog. This is probably the worst time to do so as it is when the most exciting things are happening. So when I last signed on I was just getting ready to head to Galway for Christmas. It was a great time with all my friends. The cooking went great other than the turkey taking about three hours longer than anticipated. It is just one of those things you just half to deal with. As planned by a group of us we went to the diving peer and jumped into the Atlantic Ocean. The water couldn’t have been more than 3 or 4 degrees Celsius. It was freezing but another activity I can say I have done. Christmas night I hung out and said good bye to all my friends in the Galway area. I got about two hours sleep and then headed to the airport. Here Matt and I had our last pints of Guinness and shot of Irish whisky while in its home land. It had been an unforgettable 4 months and the time has flown by. 4 days in
Olso should be a good start to the travels again.
When we landed and exited the plain it was warmer than I thought it would be. It was about 1 degree C. We got our luggage and asked if it was possible to walk to city centre Oslo from the airport. The information desk laughed and said you must be flying Ryan Air. We indeed were and found out that the airport we were at was 2 hours south of Oslo by train. We had been duped as many before us by a cheap online flight. We caught the bus to the train station and bought our train tickets. This was the first of many Norwegian experiences that would hurt the bank account. The train ticket was about 300 Kroners. There are about 8 kroners to a euro. I’ll let you do the math as I hate thinking about it. Luckily some of the expense of Norway was to be offset by not having to pay for accommodation as we would be couch surfing in Jessheim. We made our way to our host flat and made several friends along the way. Our huge packs are always a dead giveaway. One group bought us beers and the other grabbed our phone and talked to our host to get the final directions to his house. The people are quite friendly. That night we went out to the local bars, danced it up and had a great night. I also bought a 300 gram hamburger and fries on the way home that I couldn’t finish on my own. I passed out early and slept in. By the time the apartment came to life most of the day’s daylight had passed. The sun rises around 9:30 and has pretty much set at 4. It is odd having so much darkness and it was fun, but not something I could get used to. We took it easy and got that night and got up early to catch the train to Oslo.
Our plan was to take the Oslo-Bergen route as it is touted as one of the most beautiful train rides in the world. Sadly on arrival to the depot we found out that the train was sold out. We would have to catch the next train at 2 and most of the 8 hour ride would be in the dark. We contemplated what our options were and before too long I had figured out a great day trip that would allow us to take in all the wonders of the country. We would embark on a Norway in a Nutshell tour the next morning. We started on an hour long bus ride through a curvy road, views not possible due to the snow and fog, took a 2 hour plus ferry ride through one of the narrowest fjords in the world, and take the Flamsbana train which rises just under 900 meters in 22 kilometers and has 22 tunnels as it zig zags up the mountain. With the amount of time we had it was our best option and the views we saw changed our opinion of Norway. The snow covered mountains you could see from the ferry ride were spectacular and the train ride had one beautiful landscape after another including a brief stop at a waterfall. I got a lot of great photos until I dropped my camera, ending it’s tenure on this trip. That night we ended up back in Oslo. To save money, we slept in the train station, only getting asked to move along once. It the end it was a lot more expensive trip than planned, but worth it due to the countries breath taking country side! Next stop…Scotland.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Reality of leaving Delphi
23/12/2007
So it is my last night at the good ol’ Delphi Lodge. It is 1 am in the morning, I am lying in bed with my new dog YoYo asleep by the door, but I can’t seem to sleep. I think it is the excitement of what lies ahead and the sadness of leaving a place that reminds me of home. The last few nights I have been dining with the owner and his family, which grows daily as his parents, brothers, nieces, and nephews all arrive. The main entertainment is just what it would be at home, lots of good wine, food, and conversation. The mains the last 3 nights have been leg of lamb, mussels, and shepherd’s pie. All meals conclude with great desserts and for a first time in my life a cheese course. It seems a little strange to finish a meal with cheese but it was very nice. I must say I like this is one of the many reasons that I enjoy dining with the Irish. It is an experience in its self. We start out with drinks in the lounge, move to the dining room for starters, the main, dessert, and then the cheese course. All is filled with lots of fun and light conversations and a glass of wine or five. Couch surfing, how it works, and my experiences has been a big hit. Finally after dinner we move to the library for more conversations, a night cap, and coffee. They take their time and enjoy all the courses and time they have together. It is truly a dining experience I will never forget, and if I get the chance I will take it home with me. We agreed that I am adopting them as my interim family this holiday season. It is made even more official by my new dog. YoYo is a black lab that is about 10 months old. She’ll play fetch with you all day and bring every stick in the yard to your feet. She is energetic and an extremely lovable dog. She has been my shadow for the last week or so and Jane, the owner’s wife thinks the dog is going to have depression when I leave tomorrow. The dog even managed to open the gate, and come across the road to my cottage yesterday as I was doing laundry. I have taught her how to sit, and tried stay, rather unsuccessfully. Tonight she is sleeping by my door just as my lab at home would be if I were there. As is the case with my travels so far, I am excited to leave for the not knowing what will happen next thrills, but sad to leave a place that is so comforting and fun. My six weeks has flown by. I have netted hundreds of salmon, stripped 3, and had countless memories. Delphi Lodge is one place I will visit again. So next it is on to Galway to cook Christmas dinner for my friends. The turkey and ham is in the refridge. I have to get up early in the morning to finish my laundry, pack my bags, and clean the cottage I have made home. No doubt I will be rushed to catch my bus as I never finish early. I also have to buy Matt some oysters and Guinness to celebrate him turning 23 on Friday the 21st of December. I am excited, and as I drift off to sleep I can’t help but get excited about the days ahead, Norway, the UK, Spain, and all the unknowns that make it all worth it! G’night and Cheers!
So it is my last night at the good ol’ Delphi Lodge. It is 1 am in the morning, I am lying in bed with my new dog YoYo asleep by the door, but I can’t seem to sleep. I think it is the excitement of what lies ahead and the sadness of leaving a place that reminds me of home. The last few nights I have been dining with the owner and his family, which grows daily as his parents, brothers, nieces, and nephews all arrive. The main entertainment is just what it would be at home, lots of good wine, food, and conversation. The mains the last 3 nights have been leg of lamb, mussels, and shepherd’s pie. All meals conclude with great desserts and for a first time in my life a cheese course. It seems a little strange to finish a meal with cheese but it was very nice. I must say I like this is one of the many reasons that I enjoy dining with the Irish. It is an experience in its self. We start out with drinks in the lounge, move to the dining room for starters, the main, dessert, and then the cheese course. All is filled with lots of fun and light conversations and a glass of wine or five. Couch surfing, how it works, and my experiences has been a big hit. Finally after dinner we move to the library for more conversations, a night cap, and coffee. They take their time and enjoy all the courses and time they have together. It is truly a dining experience I will never forget, and if I get the chance I will take it home with me. We agreed that I am adopting them as my interim family this holiday season. It is made even more official by my new dog. YoYo is a black lab that is about 10 months old. She’ll play fetch with you all day and bring every stick in the yard to your feet. She is energetic and an extremely lovable dog. She has been my shadow for the last week or so and Jane, the owner’s wife thinks the dog is going to have depression when I leave tomorrow. The dog even managed to open the gate, and come across the road to my cottage yesterday as I was doing laundry. I have taught her how to sit, and tried stay, rather unsuccessfully. Tonight she is sleeping by my door just as my lab at home would be if I were there. As is the case with my travels so far, I am excited to leave for the not knowing what will happen next thrills, but sad to leave a place that is so comforting and fun. My six weeks has flown by. I have netted hundreds of salmon, stripped 3, and had countless memories. Delphi Lodge is one place I will visit again. So next it is on to Galway to cook Christmas dinner for my friends. The turkey and ham is in the refridge. I have to get up early in the morning to finish my laundry, pack my bags, and clean the cottage I have made home. No doubt I will be rushed to catch my bus as I never finish early. I also have to buy Matt some oysters and Guinness to celebrate him turning 23 on Friday the 21st of December. I am excited, and as I drift off to sleep I can’t help but get excited about the days ahead, Norway, the UK, Spain, and all the unknowns that make it all worth it! G’night and Cheers!
Update
20/12/2007
It’s been another week and not much is new. I have been enjoying my last few days and opted not to take any days off this week. We did the last of the netting on Wednesday for the year. I really enjoyed this part of my job but the majority of the salmon have run and so we must call it quits. The major focus has been sorting out the hens (female) salmon that are ready to spawn. You can tell because their stomachs are soft to the touch and when you hold them up they look like they have too much skin by their tail fins. It is amazing how simple it is to tell. We go through the tank about once a week to see how many are ready. As of now only about half have been stripped. For the males the only way to tell is to grab one and try milking it. Most of the males are mature by this time of year. We stripped about 70 hens on Monday and Tuesday. And yes I mean we, I stripped the last three. There is a simple technique, but getting the fish to hold still is the toughest part. I was quite excited they let me have a go and I thank Lawrence and Giles for their patience. I’ll go through the fish again on Sunday before I leave for good. I am sad to go. I can’t believe my six weeks is up already.
So this week my excitement came in the form of a pantomime. I went and saw Cinderella. David’s daughter was the lead, and all his kids and wife were a part of the performance. It was hilarious and very well put together. It was everything theatre should be in a small Irish town. I also got to go beating on my first shoot. The lodge host woodcock shootings. David had me crawling though thickets, and blackberry patches along with 7 others to scare the birds out. It was a lot of fun and I have plenty of scrapes from briars to prove it. The hunters only got 4 birds but they had a great weekend getting over 40. They stand on the outside of the timber, and brush and shoot the birds as they leave. It was a good time for everyone and lots fun seeing a few birds.
Today I helped hang some Christmas lights and painted the hatchery. The roof is now on and it is looking very nice. I would say that it will be up and running again in the first weeks of the New Year. That’s all for tonight, cheers!
It’s been another week and not much is new. I have been enjoying my last few days and opted not to take any days off this week. We did the last of the netting on Wednesday for the year. I really enjoyed this part of my job but the majority of the salmon have run and so we must call it quits. The major focus has been sorting out the hens (female) salmon that are ready to spawn. You can tell because their stomachs are soft to the touch and when you hold them up they look like they have too much skin by their tail fins. It is amazing how simple it is to tell. We go through the tank about once a week to see how many are ready. As of now only about half have been stripped. For the males the only way to tell is to grab one and try milking it. Most of the males are mature by this time of year. We stripped about 70 hens on Monday and Tuesday. And yes I mean we, I stripped the last three. There is a simple technique, but getting the fish to hold still is the toughest part. I was quite excited they let me have a go and I thank Lawrence and Giles for their patience. I’ll go through the fish again on Sunday before I leave for good. I am sad to go. I can’t believe my six weeks is up already.
So this week my excitement came in the form of a pantomime. I went and saw Cinderella. David’s daughter was the lead, and all his kids and wife were a part of the performance. It was hilarious and very well put together. It was everything theatre should be in a small Irish town. I also got to go beating on my first shoot. The lodge host woodcock shootings. David had me crawling though thickets, and blackberry patches along with 7 others to scare the birds out. It was a lot of fun and I have plenty of scrapes from briars to prove it. The hunters only got 4 birds but they had a great weekend getting over 40. They stand on the outside of the timber, and brush and shoot the birds as they leave. It was a good time for everyone and lots fun seeing a few birds.
Today I helped hang some Christmas lights and painted the hatchery. The roof is now on and it is looking very nice. I would say that it will be up and running again in the first weeks of the New Year. That’s all for tonight, cheers!
We are always on a journey
14/12/2007
My days off always fly by too quickly, and for the first time in a month I didn’t want to go back to work. I wanted to stay with my friends, but I knew I couldn’t. I caught a ride back with two coworkers and had to change a flat tire along the way. When we pulled in to the lane to the lodge and odd feeling came over me. I felt like I was at home. It wasn’t as strong as my own lane in Monticello, but it was similar and it felt great. It’s funny that as soon as I start to feel at home, my time is up and I’ll be moving on. I’m excited and anxious, and nervous all over again. And when I finally feel that I have traveled enough, I will have an extreme comfort of going home. And there will be no feeling like it when I pull in to my lane at home. But at that time I know it will only be the end of this journey and the begining of the next.
My days off always fly by too quickly, and for the first time in a month I didn’t want to go back to work. I wanted to stay with my friends, but I knew I couldn’t. I caught a ride back with two coworkers and had to change a flat tire along the way. When we pulled in to the lane to the lodge and odd feeling came over me. I felt like I was at home. It wasn’t as strong as my own lane in Monticello, but it was similar and it felt great. It’s funny that as soon as I start to feel at home, my time is up and I’ll be moving on. I’m excited and anxious, and nervous all over again. And when I finally feel that I have traveled enough, I will have an extreme comfort of going home. And there will be no feeling like it when I pull in to my lane at home. But at that time I know it will only be the end of this journey and the begining of the next.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
