Day Six in Kristiansand

This morning, I woke semi early, I had set an alarm so as I could Skype home to a mates son's Baptism. Alas, it was not to be as the hotels internet was down, what ended up all day! This was ok, in that I had a bit of a headache, so I had breakfast, cereal, eggs, bacon, yoghurt and a fruit platter! It was yumm!

After a bit of a rest, and talking via Facebook, I got dressed (again) and headed into downtown Kristiansand - which was all closed! Apparently, the shops in Norway are all closed of a Sunday! Now, here is where I will make a confession... I wished I had bought with me my Swans Jacket! It is very cool here, and whilst my normal packing mode is to pack the night before I go, I do not count this as a 'forgotten' item! It is suppose to be summer here, but instead, it has been 10-14c tops, and wet!

Kristiansand Shops

Kristiansand Shops

Kristiansand Shops

Kristiansand Shops

Anyway, I walked around town, swapping sides of the street so as to stay under cover, and I have noticed a few stores selling ski jackets, that aren't too badly priced either, so tomorrow, I will go and purchase one, as we are on a field trip tomorrow afternoon!

I have just finished the registration and welcome reception. The girls on the reception desk were aghast and amazed that I have come such a long way for the conference! I outlined as to why I am here, and they smiled and gave me my bag of goodies before heading in for some champagne and something to eat.

It is an early morning, with the conference due to start at 8.15am SHARP!!

Hoo roo for now...

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Day Five in Oslo - Kristiansand

Today was my last day in Oslo, and whilst I had a bad experience yesterday, I am leaving with very fond memories, both of Oslo itself, but of also the friends I have made whilst here. I stayed in my apartment until the very last second of the very last minute of the very last hour, that is, 11am! I was going to make them PAY! I headed downtown, to the station where I would catch the train from later in the afternoon. I found I could leave my bag and camera bag in a locker for 40krones, so my back had a light day!

I hit the shopping strip, one of many, and I grabbed some stuff for friends at home. I also got to see some more of the shopping precinct, which is very pleasant! BUT, there were some weird people around town, dressed up in fancy dress in a sci-fi mood! Some were weirder than others I must say!

I went into a shopping center similar to a Westfield back home. There was a camera store there and I looked at a new lens I was thinking about. My primary lens, 18-55, is getting a little loose in the outer ring, and I don’t think it will last much longer. But, it will have to make it a little longer indeed now after seeing the prices! Even after getting the tax back, they’re cheaper back home!

I started to head back to the station, and stepping outside, it was now raining, a lot!! Oh well, I am leaving here now anyways! I got to the station, and went upstairs to the lounge and had something small to eat and a coffee. When I saw my train listing to ‘two lights’ I headed down, got my bags and went to my platform where my train is positioned ready and waiting for its departure in 30 minutes.

My ride to Kristiansand

As I type, we are winding our way through some lovely countryside, through valleys with some rivers along side. I only realized when it was too late, I should’ve gotten some pictures, but I was in such awe of the experience, I forgot! Had I know what to expect, I would’ve, so I am sorry for that… It would look spectacular in winter, with all the snow on the pine trees… Perhaps a visit in the winter is a maybe!?!?!

Hoo roo for now...

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Day Four in Oslo

Ok, today was yet another FULL on day. 

After getting ready, I headed into town to do the same thing that many tourists do in any major city in the world... The 'Hop On Hop Off' bus tour! It was a good tour, I got to see and hear of the heritage and culture of Oslo. At the conclusion of the tour, I was going to go around again but on the opposite side of the bus for more photos, but I heard a 'Marching Band' and remembered that the Changing of the Guard Ceremony was at 1.30pm... After looking at my phone, it was 1.15pm, so I jumped OFF at the first available spot, and with a brisk walk I managed to get some photos of the Guards marching past. I then followed up to the Kings Palace, and watched the more formal ceremony. Formal, yeah right, it was somewhat comical at some points, which I thought was brilliant! Sure, it had its formal parts, and these were simply fantastic, but at one point, when swinging their riffles around, one of the guards 'accidentally' drop his, the ceremony paused, whist a Chief Guard came down, handed him his riffle, mimicked a smack across the face (twice), and after this, he picked up the riffle on the ground glanced back, and marched away!! So you can see what I mean by its comical attributes! 

There was also some marching to the music, and I thought at one point there may've even been some Lady Gaga in there as well!! And, when they fired, well that woke up the crowd!!! 

Oslo Opera House

Changing of the Guard

You looking at me??

I then headed back to my apartment, and I was HORRIFIED to find that I could hear people in my apartment!! When I went back up stairs to the office, I was told that my belongings were safe (they'd better be) and I was being moved to another location. WELL, to say I was livid is an understatement, I made my thoughts VERY clear on the matter, and informed anyone coming in to 'watch out'! The acting manager wasn't at all pleased, but neither was I! I was taxied out, and when I was asked by the cab driver if I knew where to go, well my blood pressure went through the roof! BUT, the creme de la creme was when arriving at what he thought was the place, suggested I go over and see, and leaving my belongings in a cab, yeah, hell will freeze over before such an event like that happens! In the end, I called the acting manager, and confirmed it was the place. It was a slightly larger apartment, but the whole experience left me with a very bitter taste of Oslo! I wrote an email to both Agoda (booking agent) and the Manager, outlining what I thought of the whole affair, and it wasn't at all pretty!! 

After I was settled in, I had a call from Mr C asking if I would like to be take up to Holmenkollen, which is Oslo's Ski Jump. It was amazing to see JUST how big these things are! AND, whist I had always thought they ski jumpers were mad, after seeing this, it simply confirmed my beliefs they are!

Holmenkollen

Holmenkollen Ski Jump

Holmenkollen Ski Jump

We headed back into downtown Oslo, and whilst I am not going to say to much on this matter, last year an event in Oslo followed by a larger event nearby, changed the lives of many people. We visited the site of the bomb event, where many of the glass windows nearby are still boarded up, including in the nearby church... Is was sad yet humbling to be standing where I had seen on the news. RIP to those involved.

We then headed onto a cafe for some dinner - it was the LEAST I could do for all of the running around and hospitality from Mr C!

Mr C

Hoo roo for now...

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Day Three in Oslo

Today, was to be a visit to both the Botanical Gardens and to the Vigeland Sculpture Park. After my shower, Skype back home, I headed out to get some breakfast and to get a train ticket. Oslo have a great system, a 24 hour ticket gets you on ALL public transport, Train, Tram, Bus and Ferry! Something that Sydney can learn from really... AND, its cheap as chips as well!!

The Botanical Garden was simply quaint, it wasn't to large, yet the collection was stunning both in its large trees down to its colourful garden beds. I spoke with some of the staff there, and I got the impression that they loved what they were doing as well!

Boston Ivy over building

Glass House

Willow Tree

Peonies

I then headed back through the centre of town on the train through to the other end of town. IT is easily accessible without any problems! The short walk to the park, is easy, and passes some nice shops along the way.

Sculptures

Sculpture Park

Fountain

Sun Dial Spire

Daschund

 Once IN the park, the amount of sculptures was simply stunning! There was SO many bronze ones, stone ones, some young and some old (subjects). Also, scattered through the park, people enjoying the sun on a blanket or a towel, some wearing less than I would think would be allowed, but, still modest... I had such a great day, and after a long day, a Skype call to friends back home, I turned in for the night...

Hoo roo for now...

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Day Two in Oslo

Well, I woke early, it was the suns fault rising at such an un-godly time!!! We had arranged to meet at 10am, allowing me to get a little 'sleep-in' (yeah right!). But instead, we got away at around 9am, and headed for some more spotting - but this time, it was some 'Ship Spotting'!

Mr C drove me around, he offered for me to drive, but NO WAY was I going to, as I wanted to see what there was to see, and I didn't want to crash his car!!!

We went to a spot that looks up the harbour and offers a nice view of the city centre and its surrounds. Luckily, there was a ferry coming upstream from Denmark, so I managed to snap it! I must say, the 'thrill' of ship spotting with me, isn't going to take I'm afraid...

Pearl Seaways

After this, we drove to collect Mr T. He was flying later in the day back home to Bergen. But, we had another full day of spotting to do, and first up, it was to the top of the ATC tower, some 94m high!

OSL Spotters

It was a great view from up there, and I am grateful for the experience. I managed to get a couple of good shots!

Icelandair

Korean Air Cargo

We then went to a total of about 6 different spotting locations around OSL airport! And this isn't all of them either!!! Throughout the day, we shot the usual suspects, SAS and Norwegian, but I also got a few of the bigger stuff we just don't get at home, Qatar and PIA!

Lupinus

Mr T

Fungi

PIA

It was another FULL on day, and after saying goodbye to Mr T, we headed back out for a little bit, before the fading light (clouds) gave in and we headed back to the apartment. I said my goodbyes to Mr C and thanked him for his hospitality, and I showered, changed and headed out for some city sights and dinner! I have found a little cafe bar nearby, good food and reasonably priced, so I headed back there. Afterwards, back to my apartment and after a quick Skype call home, I found some well earned sleep.

Hoo roo for now...

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Hello from Oslo!!

Yes, I know, I've been slack lately with my blogging, but I've not had much to really post about... Not that THAT is an excuse either, I've just been slack!

Anyways, as I write, I am on a train from Oslo to Kristiansand in Norway. My trip began many weeks ago, when I signed up to go to a conference. It morphed (over time) to include both a visit to the Prague Botanic Gardens in the Czech Republic, and also to the World Horticultural Expo in Venlo in The Netherlands!

It was a booking of sorts, that whilst fragmented, was a great routing... Let me give you the highlights...

Monday 18th June 2012

This saw me fly out of Sydney aboard one of the newest airliners SCOOT. They are a LCC of Singapore Airlines, and are using a B772; which is an ex SQ plane. There are NO bells and whistles at all with them, and this for me is OK, but I only wished that they had the moving map on monitors on the bulkhead walls. This would give me the situational awareness of where I am!

Anyway, I had a 'FlyBagEat' ticket in economy, which is pretty much that, I can fly, with a bag, and I can eat! The later of course you pay for! The flight was good, the crew were friendly ex SQ girls, and in just a shade over 8 hours, I was in Singapore. I had a 3 hour transit here, but due to a delay getting out of Sydney, it meant it was a 2 hour layover.

From Singapore, I flew with Finnair, which for me, was the second time I have flown with them. This flight was over 11 hours, and after a long laborious take off, I quickly nodded off, and only woke up for the breakfast some 2 hours short of Helsinki! I must've been tired!

Arrival into Helsinki was great, and it bought to a close the end of my long haul flights from Sydney - I just had a short, 90 minute, flight, to Oslo. Helsinki airport is very easy to get around, its clean and in typical Nordic blonde timber and lots of glass. I found my departure gate, and I was off again, this time on a smaller regional plane.

Tuesday 19th June 2012

My short flight across from Helsinki to Oslo was pretty much uneventful. The crew again were very polite and served me a coffee ex Helsinki. Our arrival into Oslo, as I had not been here before, was difficult in that I didn't know where the airport was! Soon enough, we were turning for finals, and I had it in sight. I was to be meeting up with some friends in Oslo, and even though I could not see them from my aircraft, I was actually sitting on the right side too, they got a photo of my arrival into Oslo!

I cleared immigration, there was no-one there, and before long, I was outside shaking hands with my Norwegian friends! I was asked IF I wanted to be taken to my apartment, but as I had slept almost the entire journey SIN-HEL, I was fine and we went straight out to meet up with some more local spotters and spot for the rest of the day.

Soon after, Mr C got a text message asking if the 'Kangaroo' had arrived, and not long after that, a van with two more people (and a dog) came out to welcome me!! Such nice people!! Anyway, we spotted and here are a couple from the day...

Estonian Air

Lupinus

Dandelion

I was driven into town to my apartment, and once I had my keys, headed downstairs and had a nice long HOT shower; it was SO refreshing. Soon, I headed outside in a much more respectful manner, to a cafe nearby, where I had dinner, a Norwegian beer, before heading home for a sleep. Oh, and I forgot about the Norwegian light, it was still DAYLIGHT at 11pm, and the sun was up from 3.30am!!!

So that is, basically, how I got here...

Hoo roo for now...

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Photo a Day Challenge - Day 146 Something Sweet

Every morning, I head over to the coffee shop, to get a coffee and a bit of morning tea. Sometimes, its savoury be it a Ham, Cheese and Tomato toasted sandwich, or a Ham & Cheese Croissant, but sometimes, I want something sweet... The order of the day - a Rhubarb and Apple Crumble

Hoo roo for now...

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Photo a Day Challenge - Day 145 12 O'clock

Cheers

Hoo roo for now...

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Photo a Day Challenge - Day 144 Unusual

Kinda says it all really...

Hoo roo for now...

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Photo a Day Challenge - Day 143 Something New

In some ways, carrying on from the last post (Technology) this is a 'New' and 'Old' photo and it shows just how the technology has changed over the (many) years! To the left, we see the new South Coast Daylight Express train, whilst on the right, we have the old railmotors that use to service the NSW Railroads. I've not yet been on the new models, but if they are anythin like those in the UK that I have been on, they would appear to be pretty comfy. As opposed to the older Railmotor, which bounced its way along the railrs from Central down to Bombaderry (Nowra) on the tour we did back in Janruary 2011.

Hoo roo for now...

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