Hello Norway!

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We couldn't resist one last visit Norway before the big adventure, so this weekend we hopped across to see Bernie & Tez in Asker (20 mins south of Oslo). We did this trip back in 2008 for Dar's birthday but our flight then was a BA flight .... last April .... ringing any bells?! That's right, we had all the fuss and agro of Terminal 5 at Heathrow ... our flight was scheduled the day after the terminal opened! As it was, our flight was cancelled when we were en-route to the hotel the day before and it was left to Bernie's kind offer to sort a replacement ... we ended up flying from Stansted on the original day but with Ryanair. Hic-cup one over and done with. We flew into Sandefjord Lufthavn Torp Airport on time and rushed outside to find the bus that we needed to board to take us to Asker where Bernie lived. This bus waits for the scheduled flights and then leaves 30 minutes after, we paid, boarded and settled at the front. We didn't brush up on our Norwegian before this trip and didn't think about how many other stops there might be on the journey. When the driver announced "Asker" Darryl yelled "Yeup" (like you do!) and we waited for the bus to stop .... but we didn't know where the bus stop was and we didn't realise that you must press the bell in order for the bus to stop .... shouting "Yeup" in Norway is not in 'the rules'!! So anyway, that was hic-cup 2 - we missed the stop on the bus and when we did press the bell and got off we didn't know where we were so enticed Bernie and Tez on a goose chase to find us standing on the side of the road 'somewhere' which caused Bernie to swerve across 2 lanes of traffic at Tez's command of "There they are!" Hic-cup 3? Well that was on the return journey when thick, blanket fog impaired the arrival of the flight and it was cancelled twice until we eventually boarded at some unearthly hour having spent the whole entire day (Darryl's birthday!!) in the airport with the stupidly expensive bar prices! But we did have a laugh going through Customs 3 times and we had a fabulous time with Bernie & Tez!!

So, have we prepared any better for this trip in 2009?! The flight was from Birmingham with Ryanair going to Sandefjord Lufthavn Torp airport. I know that the journey time from the airport to Asker is about 1hr 17mins (according to Google!). I've looked at the bus timetable and I know that the stops are Oslo Bussterminal - Sjølyst - Lysaker - Høvik - Asker - Drammen - Torp ... so the reverse order for us as we're getting on at Torp ..... oh, and we know we must press the bell for the bus to stop! We also need to make sure we have 600 NOK as the price is 300 NOK each for a return ticket (about £30). We've got stock of Sultana's, Beef Oxo Cubes, Veggie Oxo Cubes, Glacier Cherries and Easy Blend Yeast, all of which are difficult to purchase in Norway so we help out with the supplies!
Google Map
Day 1 - The Flight!
So then, to this year's journey ... we flew from Birmingham with Ryanair using their priority 'loading' (as Dar calls it!) option which means we're first on the plane and choose seats right at the front by the door with loads of leg room. The flight is great and it's not long at all before we're watching the cabin crew push the button for the 'da da da da dah Another successful flight with Ryanair' declaration to ring out through the plane alerting everyone to the the fact that we're 15 minutes early etc etc! Next task now we've landed in Torp is to seek out THE bus! It's there, without a driver, but it's there. We know that we'll have to wait for about 30 minutes but a small huddle builds around the bus stop so we go out and join the shivering. It's fairly cold and there's LOADS of snow in piles around the airport! At about the time we feel the bus should be getting ready we notice one 'incoming' to the airport ... followed by a double-decker. The double-decker stops at our bus stop and the driver shouts 'Oslo' and signals for everyone to start boarding. We're not taking any chances and remain routed to the spot for a couple of seconds and then follow like sheep to the open door. I was joking with an older couple about missing the stop last time and how we must make sure that we don't do that again .... and how getting on the wrong bus would never do! Everyone in Norway speaks good English and the bus driver (lovely lady) ensures us that this is the right bus and we can get off at Asker ... but because it's a double decker she is unable to stop in the normal place because of the bridge. She'll drop us at the gas station and point us in the right direction to where Bernie & Tez will be expecting us!!! We pay our 600 NOK and take our seats, giggling that yet again our bus journey will not be straight forward! We got to Drammen and I text Bernie .... and throw in the comment about being on a double-decker etc which is read with much amusement as I've spelt GAS as HAS so Bernie & Tez now set about the interpretation of the message .... they think that I must mean BUS station and head down there!!!! A short time later I wonder if Bernie has got the message so I text another of his numbers, this time spelling GAS correctly!! This is read with more amusement, from the BUS station, as they now have to work out which of the 5 GAS stations I'm talking about!!!! Remarkably when the bus arrives in Asker at the gas station, Bernie is parked in the forecourt!!! PHEW!!! Safely back at their gorgeous house it's almost immediately time for bed after a hot drink and gorgeous flapjack as it's midnight and we're all knackered, especially Bernie who was in work this morning for a meeting and therefore up at 05:30!!!!

Day 2 - Short Fishing Rod!
We'd never tire of the view from our bedroom, it's like a fairy tale! The snow must bring it's challenges but it looks so pretty! We're in for a hearty breakfast this morning - bacon & egg rolls, just like at the track - and then we're off for the day. We're off to Hadeland Glassverk which has the tag line 'a melting pot of great activities and shopping'! En-route we spot people fishing in the middle of a Fjord so decide to go take a look. Walking onto a frozen Fjord is interesting! Sarah goes straight up to her knees in snow clambering down a short hill! There are small family groups on the Fjord who are trying their luck at catching fish. They've caught some tiddlers, nothing major but it's great watching them cutting the 6 inch holes into the ice and hanging their rods in hope. Onward to our destination of choice. Hadeland Glassverk is a gorgeous place at the side of the Fjord which is built around a glassworks. We've never seen glass blowing before and after a brief distraction of coffee and current buns followed by some shopping we happen across the glassworks where they are blowing today! It's fascinating to watch and despite us thinking that today they were making beautiful vases .... they're actually making beautiful plates which retail for around 2999.99 NOK! We sit and watch the team of 4 glassblowers working together in their small but perfect production line for about an hour! They made several plates in this time and only dropped one whilst it was still in the early stages so they managed to save it! Back in the museum we even found a BP glass sign for Bernie! We were hoping to visit the Honey House which is another experience within the complex and Tez was really disappointed to find it was shut, never mind, something for our next visit! We did visit The Candle and Pewter Workshop though and found something for a friends forthcoming wedding! In Norway most of the shops have wrapping facilities for free once you've made your purchase - great fun and really convenient - present wrapped ready for travel! We headed for home and spent a lovely evening cooking with Tez, chatting over wine, laughing a lot and eating lots of cheese...and more flapjack!!

Day 3 - James Bond!
It's snowing!! It's really coming down this morning and the trees have a fresh dusting of snow which is making everywhere look gorgeous. Perhaps we can use Bern's replacement drag car ... the Snow blower! Aspin, the pilot who lives next door to B&T beats us to it! There are 3 families which share the snow blower since it was fixed up and the boys love it!! It looks great and hopefully tomorrow when Aspin is safely at work we'll sneak a go!! Today we're off to HolemKollen for a bit of cross country skiing. We're borrowing Bernie & Tez's ski's but had we realised what fun we were in for then we would have hired some so that the 4 of us could go together. Another thing for next time! Nevertheless, what a laugh! Holemkollen is like Narnia, absolutely gorgeous and despite the fresh snow we manage to get on the ski's, make it to the first sign of a teeny weeny slope and fall over! Our instructor (Bernie) and coach (Tez) are on hand to calmly encourage their new recruits into bending the knees, leaning back on your heals and sliding forward with the ski's. Darryl, who from here on in shall be known as James Bond, took to it like 007 to Martini! He was great .... until he stopped and then he fell over!! There are miles and miles of prepared ski tracks here but B&T were walking with us through the snow which wasn't easy for either of them. We went off on our own for a bit and met a group who were marking out a route for a competition, one of them was carrying an axe so we thought it best not to join in the challenge in case we won and upset them!! ha ha!! Cross Country skiing definitely keeps you fit and the tracks were 25kms long in some cases - perhaps next time! Darryl would be very good with a bit more practice, Sarah would be fairly good with a rocket up her bum .... slow is the word!! On the way back along the track we saw a kindergarten class being taught to ski - how cute!! No wonder when we went up to the ski centre we saw nobody struggle with any of the basics, you're practically taught to ski as soon as you can walk! It was great watching the snowboarders and the tiny tots whizzing off the chair lifts then flying down the smaller slopes!! Back home for a warm up and then it was off out sledging! Oh yes, B&T have sledges! What a laugh! We went down to the local Fjord where a perfect sledging track had already been established. The fresh coating of snow slowed it down a bit but we were soon off and running with Tez as chief pusher!!! Arms, legs and snow everywhere!!! There were fishermen out on the Fjord so we started to walk out to them but where the snow had fallen the top of the ice was really slushy. We left the walk across and returned to the sledges for a bit more fun!! Back home we had Salmon for tea ... had we made the walk out on the Fjord we could have fooled you and said we'd caught it ourselves maybe!! Early night , we were whacked!

Day 4 - Raging River ... where?!
Last day but still time to get out and do things. We've yet to visit Kongsberg with it's raging river! Before we leave the house we hear a fierce roar - Bern & Darryl are outside clearing some more snow whilst Tez & myself are getting ready for the trip. We rush to the window to see the snow from the roof landing in the garden!! Whoops!! It's covered Ebie's (the lady who lives below) route to her front door. She's out at work but we'll clear it later before she gets home! Kongsberg is lovely and although B&T say that the river is not nearly as impressive as usual, we're impressed! The snow is melting fast so it won't be long before it swells and reaches it's normal proportions but considering the amount of snow and ice on the top of it, the water is still rampaging down and looks fantastic! We giggled at the bikes buried up to the tip of the saddles in snow ... they were in the town centre just past the sledge which was locked to a lamp post, like we would lock up a bike! We pop into a model shop which has a remote control power boat for sale, it's gorgeous and at a mere 3999.99 NOK it's surely a potential boys toy, a stand in for a drag car or a trike maybe?! Talking of boys toys, the snow blower! When we get back to the house we decide it's time for a bit of snow clearing! We fire up the beast and we're soon shooting snow away from the paths and onto the big pile...next to the house!! It's much easier than digging it out but we can't take the snow blower down the steps to Ebie's front door and since the roof slide earlier we really must clear that away. It doesn't take long but whilst we're doing it the snow from next doors roof comes crashing down! Luckily for them it falls onto the garden area and doesn't block any of the pathways! Back in the warm we settle down for a bit of travelblog and facebook training with Tez (where Tez comes up with our new Nickname for the Travelblog) only to spot activity on the roof of the house across the road. The owner has taken the snow spade up there and is clearing what looks like 4ft + of snow. We gasp each time he slips and Tez can't watch anymore so gets on with cooking tea...the rest of us are transfixed!!! It's really heard work so fair play to the amount he gets through before heading off down the ladder for a well earned break. Or so we thought! Nope, he's gone to get the large snow mover and hoists it back on to the roof then goes back up the ladder! Wise cracker Darryl suggests his wife isn't too hopefully that he'll be back in time for tea - she's only put one meal in the oven! Did we mention that none of the houses have curtains and nobody shuts the blinds until late. Anyway, we sneak onto the balcony to take some shots of this dedicated home owner while he's still on the roof. Norway is hard work at this time of year with this amount of snowfall especially for the 92 year old living the other side of 'roof man' whom we've seen out clearing his own driveway each day - no mean feat at any age but 92 is remarkable. Norway builds em tough! We've noticed that the fog has come down and it's not long before we're due to head off to the bus stop and then the airport. Fog is what held us up at the airport on our last visit so B&T are now concerned we're in for another long wait at the airport! We say goodbye to our fabulous hosts, we've had a great time and it's not long before we've flagged down no less than 4 buses before the getting the right one!! Buses are clearly not our thing! Arriving at the airport the fog is still quite thick and we wonder if we'll be flying tonight. When our flight appears on the board we're straight up to passport control where the lovely gentleman tells us how lucky we are as the London flight an hour ago was cancelled! It's only 20:10 but we're boarding for our 21:00 Ryanair flight and despite a small hold up near the runway for deicing we're soon on our bumpy flight home and land 5 minutes early to prompt the 'da da da da dah Another successful flight with Ryanair' declaration ringing out! Thanks so much to Bernie & Tez for a great time away, we'll see you in 2010!

Wallaby Wanderers
Visiting Bernie & Tez was a great release from the day to day routine that is ... organising! We spend hours on the internet, not just on facebook (!) but searching for a suitable 4WD vehicle and caravan. We've seen so many which 'look great' and even one 4WD which we got really excited about to then talk ourselves out of requiring a vehicle with an air compressor, outback radio/CB, multi terrain tyres and a safari snorkel! The Nissan Patrol looked fab and our blogger friends kangaroojack have one (albeit much newer than the 1997 model we were looking at!) but this particular one did seem a tad over the top for us and my youngest cousin Bert proclaimed it 'a gas guzzler' so that really killed it off! The search continues!

As I've been putting together our Travel Diary in the hope that it will help us remember some of the places where we wanted to go, you start to think about the time of year when you plan to get there .... for example, will the kids be off school - this link should help us ... it won't help you but it's here as a reminder to us!! School Hols . Knowing where to camp is another good piece of up front knowledge and made more helpful through books like Camp Australia Wide . Even getting down to thinking about eating whilst we're away on the road ... maybe that's because I'm wondering how we'll mimic Darryl's awesome Sunday Roast in the caravan?! One of the tips for travellers is to freeze meals in readiness for long driving days - makes sense, we could definitely freeze Darryl's Spag Bol for instance!!

It's not just us that's packing and planning, Mum and Dad are busy decorating and packing up their house ready to move into ours, all sorts of things have made their way out of the loft ... the wooden recovery truck I made at school along with the metal paint scraper! Oh and all my brownie and guide badges, which prove that I could cook when I was younger!! All in all the clear out from their house is going well, the decorating is getting the thumbs up and things are generally being moved up to our house so that when they move in sometime in April it will feel a bit more like a homely holiday home!!

Our house is being given a good overhaul, the wardrobes have been thoroughly cleared and we now have plenty of 'rags' for when we return to drag racing! All our CDs & DVDs have been stored away and replaced with Mum and Dad's .... we're now big fans of an Australian Culture CD that they have!

The cases are slowly but surely being filled with 'potential' items we want to take with us ... I question whether I will ever wear some of the stuff I've identified but we'll see!! I've been checking out www.exploreoz.com which has loads of suggestions regarding what clothing to take! We're really going to try NOT to pack everything!! One pair of jeans each, spray proof jacket each .... Ugg boots (surely I'll be able to sneak a purchase of a pair when we get going?!), T Shirts that travel well (don't need ironing and aren't white!), a weeks worth of underwear and socks. That's it surely?!! We'll wait to buy swimmers, walking boots, thongs (not the underwear type!), sunnies and hats when we get there. We're talking our beach towels with us (they will fit, they will, they will!).

We're determined to fill the Archos MP4 with episodes of Friends! We think they may come in handy on the dark nights when we've nothing much to do or just for when we want to chill out and relax in the caravan ... on the dark nights when we've nothing much to do! Anyway, sorting out a laptop has a big focus at the moment because I'm so keen to do the blogs on a near daily basis and worries a little that we'll lose it all if I don't have a laptop / hard drive / back up memory sticks / writable CDs copy of it!! Am I going too far??! My memory is so bad that re-reading the blogs when we're home is a sure way of bringing it all back to life .... you lot reading this ... don't delete it all - you're our backups!!

As I'm typing this I'm sitting next to Tiger our beloved 'little' kitty kat who we will be leaving at home for the year. She's not been the friendliest pussy cat in the world but over the last year she's really turned a corner and is very sociable (with us) and really loves a lot of fuss. I wonder what will go through her mind when, after a month we've not returned home. Lets hope she has too much of a good time with Mum and Dad to worry about what we're doing!! Oh yes, Mum and Dad are not 'just house sitting', they're also in charge of the cat!! DON'T STROKE HER TUMMY!!!

Thanks to everyone for the Good Luck messages thus far, we're getting nervously excited now and I must admit the temptation to press the cuddly kangaroo's tummy on a regular basis so that Waltzing Matilda rings out through the office is becoming harder and harder to resist!

Until March 20th ... the day after the Abba night ....

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Photos

Bedroom View
We'd never get bored of a view like this!

Bernie & Tez
Our Norway hosts

Fishing on the Fjord
Look at the size of the rod!

Glassworks
Lots to see!

Glassworks
Designing the pattern

Glassworks
The pattern is on!

Glassworks
Vase?

Glassworks
...nope it's a plate!

BP
We found a BP glass for Bernie!

Bernie going 'off piste'!
Bernie heads for the lower slopes!

Comments

[Clive AKA TOPLAD]

Fun Times Ahead!!
Loving the roof man thats must of been a laugh a minute! After reading this I just can't think what is going to happen over the next 12 months ...lol... This blog will be my regular read when i feel i need to smile haha!:o) All the best you nutters enjoy you road trip!!! Envious Toplad

[lynne and chris]

What to take
Clothes: we wear constantly, zip off trousers (lightweight), T shirts, shorts/ 3/4 pants for me. Dress in oz is very casual, 1 pr jeans each, but too hot to wear often. You need walking shoes, sandals, and we bought cheap crocks from Kmart for $7 ea and live in them around campsites, walking to beaches etc. Don't need much good stuff, never wear it! Need sweatshirts for evening, jackets for cooler nights in some places, we have about a weeks worth of undies, which is enough. Don't bring too much! We have just arrived back in NZ for a holiday with most of the better clothes we took with us and haven't worn! You don't need them in oz. Camps 4 book is our bible, with great Hema maps and numbered campsites that are cheap. Hope this is helpful. Cheers Lynne