Norway

Norway in a nutshell...


What's expensive: Absolutely everything - worst of all a 25% sales tax on beer.
What's strange: Discovering that the blackened meat at the fish market is in fact whale.
What's long: Everything, including 200km fjords (that prevent travelling anywhere in a straight line), 25km tunnels and massive fillets of salmon sold in the supermarkets.
What's hot: Blonde's in Lycra (That seem to travel in packs!).
What modes of transport does a holiday there involve: Plane, taxi, cable car, walking, train, bicycle, ferry, bus, kayak.
What's the price of a Big Mac: NOK40 (£4)
What's the best chocolate bar (and we are certainly qualified to know): Daim (technically Swedish but who cares) or Hobby's (a delicate mix of caramel, marshmallow, biscuit and chocolate).


Stop #1 - Bergen

Highlights of our two days in Bergen included walking in the endless trails in the hills overlooking the town and the surrounding fjords, being well looked after by Hanna - our eccentric landlady at Hanna's place and buying fresh salmon at the fish markets to cook for dinner.





Stop #2 - Finse

We departed Bergen on the much hyped train to Oslo. Hyped due to the picturesque scenery along the way. We were not disappointed and jumped off a couple of hours into the journey at the highest point of the trip - Finse at 1,222m above Sea level. We stayed in a great hostel where we were fully catered for by super friendly staff and dined with all the other hikers who were staying there. The next day, we pulled on all our clothes (including socks on our hands - now termed "sottens") and braved the snow and rain at the altitude to cycle 5 hours / 60km over some fairly rugged terrain down to Flam at the head of Sognefjord. The ride was pretty spectacular and, given we seemed to be the only ones foolish enough to do it that day, was quite eerie.

Views of Finse on arrival at sunset:




Stop #3 - Sogndal


Our accommodation at Sogndal was fantastic with a porch that was in sun most of the day (and it was sunny) and a view over the fjord to the town - it was tough to get out and do anything. But we did climb a couple of hills - in doing so ticked off one of Gabrielle's 30 things to do before she turns 30 when we ascended the 640m to overlook the fjord.









Stop #4 Geiranger

Last stop was Geiranger and, after a bit of a palaver to get there (a 4km walk with our packs on, 3 separate buses, a ferry and then another 3km walk in the rain) we were well and truly broken. But, fuelled on 2 minute noodles and cheese buns we managed a couple of good outings to investigate the waterfalls and views of the area both on foot and in a double kayak.

Kayaking on the fjord. Just us, the ferry's and the waterfalls.

I thought I'd done well by letting my hygiene standards slip and not taking a razor for the week - but this was balanced out by having to endure a mud mask. Not impressed!

The Proms at Royal Albert Hall

Artichokes

Some of you may know that I have a list of 30 things to achieve before I turn 30. Kind of geeky I know, but a good way of getting things done!

Actually, my list has about 45 things on it, just in case some of the others prove impossible! But, one of the items is to learn how to cook an artichoke.

So, last night I did it! Proof attached, care of photography from Hamish. I probably need to take off a few more outer layers of the artichoke (it was a little tough), but for a first attempt I think it went ok. Yummy roasted tomatoes with parsley oil to accompany :)

Tea with Liz, Phil, Charlie and Caz

The Lord Chamberlain was commanded by Her Majesty to invite Hamish and Gabrielle to Buckingham Palace for tea on the 22nd of July. So we thought we had better go.

A great afternoon. Champers in Green Park pre and post Queenie, a lovely afternoon tea (Fraser managed 4 plates of it), a stroll around the gardens and some fantastic music from the military bands. HRH, Prince Philip, Charles and Camilla did a bit of a walk through the crowd and we managed to get a couple of metres away from them. We were all surprised by how much makeup the Queen was wearing, but liked her suit, and agreed that she looked pretty amazing for a woman of 82 years.

No cameras allowed, but we sneaked a few on our phone on the way out.

Sara, Chris, Kelley, Gabs and Fraser - our shoes got the better of us:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jk2-OkD8ps

o2 Wireless Festival - Hyde Park

On a cold and rainy Sunday I ventured to Hyde Park for the o2 Wireless Festival. I mainly went because Aussie rockers, Powderfinger, were playing. It was their first ever London festival appearance. Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals put on a really good show too. The headliners were Counting Crows, which I found a little surprising, seeing as they have been around for about 15 years. It was quite incredible how many hits they have managed to rake up in that time. The lead singer was a little OTT for my liking, but I suppose that's what some people pay to see!

Sunset over Richmond Bridge & Ham House

The Merry Wives of Windsor

The Merry Wives of Windsor under the thatch roof of the Globe theatre on the banks of the Thames with Rowland and Wendy.

Kent Cricket Club

We enjoyed a great Sunday outing to County Kent to visit James and Soph and even the sun made an appearance for once and provided a bit of colour in my freckles. Fanks for having us folks: a shuper bbq and stroll in the country - so close and so far from London.

The BYC was superb but the fierce attack of Elliott and Bendall failed to penetrate Geekie's front pad. Geekie played without confidence and it's plain to see the mental scars are still there from the ten nil hallway cricket walloping Roberts and I gave him and Piripi 6 years ago!

And by the way, if you think you've seen this rump before, you have!

Radiohead live in Victoria Park

A far sunnier and happier evening for the Radiohead concert at our old stomping ground in the East end. The music quality was absolutely top notch - a great night after 15 years of faith, it was nice to finally see them, even if they were only specs in red pants.

A brief review from the local paper...

“Did the cat get your tongue…?” Seemingly not as Victoria Park erupts as one to the opening salvo of ‘15 Step’, an obvious (but not unwelcome) first offering given its lead position on the band’s latest LP, In Rainbows. The first three songs aired this evening – you can’t really say ‘tonight’ given the sun’s some time from setting – are taken from Radiohead’s pay-what-you-will seventh album, ‘Bodysnatchers’’ savage basslines and insistent percussion rightfully stealing away onlookers’ reservations, its players the puppet masters orchestrating an undulating sea of revelry beneath them (and from their lofty perch everyone is below them). ‘All I Need’ slows the pace marginally, and from here it’s evident those coming for ‘Creep’, for ‘Fake Plastic Trees’ and ‘Paranoid Android’, are going to leave disappointed.

While it may seem churlish of a band to neglect their most-successful single to date – ‘Paranoid Android’ peaked at number three in 1997 – such omissions are meant as statements of intent. Radiohead have never stood still, never rested on their laurels; they’re the only band in the UK, maybe the world, playing shows of this scale but still absolutely of contemporary relevance in an artistic capacity. Bon Jovi, The Rolling Stones: they can play stadiums, but when was the last time a new record of theirs was worth your money over a greatest hits set? Muse? Come on – they’ve been riding Radiohead’s coattails ever since ‘Uno’ broke the 75 in ’99. Radiohead continue to inspire, and those seeing them for the first time here, now, will never forget the experience.

Eric Clapton visits Dublin

A wet weekend in Dublin for the Eric Clapton concert. We didn't quite have the rub of the green this weekend due to flight delays at both ends of the weekend, average weather and a failed speaker system in the instrumental of Layla.

That said, we had good accommodation and the trip to the Guinness factory was a real highlight - so all was not lost!

G modelling the latest in rubbish bag fashion:

Trinity College:

Twenty 20 cricket

Friday night and a sell out crowd at theTwenty-20 cricket game between Sussex and Hampshire at the quaint little ground at Hove.