Having planning issues! And general updates from Danielle

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So we resolved to take some trips. Little did we know how stressful it would be. Honestly. Worrying about money and school and timetables and destinations is too much for me. I know we need to JUST GO (as my friend Sam pointed out--lucky for him this is his general life philosophy, and it doesn't come so easy for others among us). It was particularly frustrating last night when we managed to decide on going to Stavanger, found really cheap tickets for next week, and then couldn't buy them online for a mysterious reason. I thought maybe it was the American credit cards, but that wouldn't make sense for a travel company, right?? Who knows, but I hope we can still get the inexpensive fares.

Of course it is hard when you're on a budget--especially one that involves 2.5-ish weeks of pure Euro city-hopping after the semester's over. That will probably be pretty expensive, but hopefully not too bad. I think we'll get a membership to Hosteling International, which gets you a discount on rooms/beds. We can also take night trains and sleep while we're traveling sometimes. And of course we will be visiting all the free sites and parks, that these places have to offer. But I hope we will be able to cut loose a bit with food and drink. We've been cooking so much that it will be nice to let someone else do the work, especially if it means tasting a bunch of new food.

Speaking of food I have started a food blog, and I'm working on the first entry tonight. This way I won't bore you will all my kitchen-related rambling.

In other news...today we went to a few flea markets (loppemarkeder, which actually literally translates) with Norwegians Camilla and Ingrid. Scored some pretty good stuff for cheap, including a desk lamp (really nice as the winter drear begins to set in), three forks (because our kitchen has a strange fork scarcity), two skirts and a shirt (for $8), and rainboots (desperately needed them, only $2!). Dan also got a pair of corduroys and a pair of Levi's 501s (for $8 as well). God bless Norwegians for being tall and slim--Dan can hardly ever find long enough pants that look good and these ones fit him great!

Still am lacking a good in-between jacket. I brought a few light jackets and my superheavy duty winter coat. For some reason my red wool coat didn't make it and I need it! The general temperature has been hovering around 45, so I am feeling it in my thin cotton zip-ups. I was hoping to find a good jacket today but alas. Maybe next weekend if we're not out somewhere. I have been informed by Camilla that it's not really socially appropriate to wear my big winter coat until November or so. Such is life.

What else? Tomorrow a picnic at Vigelandsparken with people from our buddy group. Hopefully the weather will be good enough for some nice pictures.

Speaking of, the weather is a drag! I hope I can get used to it. It's been so gray and dreary for the past few weeks, even when it doesn't rain. Yuck. Overcast days really put a damper on my motivation to do ANYTHING. And today the weather tricked me! When I got up it was all sunny and cheerful outside...but only until we got to National Theatret (we met Camilla & Ingrid at the funky fountain). Then it immediately clouded over. Of course the sun came back out right as we got back all tired and wanting to take a nap (stayed up so late last night trying to make travel plans). Luckily we managed to make something for a late lunch before snoozing, so we enjoyed the afternoon sun in the kitchen.

Well that's all I've got for now. Miss you all.

-Danielle

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Photos

where we live
snapped a kind of bad photo of where we live because the light was at least good. one of these days i will give you a photo tour.

goofing off at loppemarkedet
most of the markets are held at schools to benefit the marching bands, etc., which is why we had a playground to play on. here we were trying to make the kid hogging the swing jealous of us on the jungle gym.

see saw!
this thing was bumping me around like crazy. i was squealing like a 3 year old. it was embarrassing. :) (please ignore rude drawings on the left seal.)