Friday 13 December 2013

Off for a bit of r and r in London

Well i have decided to have a mini break and am at the present moment on a very empty train down to London.....



I am off to spend some quality time with my daughter's godparents who i have known for 25 years....they were our next door neighbours when we lived in South Africa and i met them when i was in my final year of my BA degree at Wits University.

I was thinking the other day of the places in the world i have been lucky enough to see and in some cases live in and where my next priorities are....

The trip from Moscow to Beijing via the Trans-Mongolian express has to be one highlight to look forward to and Vietnam and Cambodia are the countries i am particularly excited about....oh and Phi Phi in Thailand....

There seems to be so much world to see and hopefully in the New Year more concrete plans will materialise...

Watch this space as they say!

Tuesday 10 December 2013

Not long to go now....

Well after nearly 12 weeks in Norway my husband is nearly due home....another 10 days or so. There is even more snow and he has tried (unsucessfully) to build a snowman! The snow is too powdery though so he didnt have sucess. Not bad really for a guy who really doesnt like snow...

I have been playing around with Polyvore creating all sorts of pretty sets....travel isnt far from my mind. I have a few orders to get out for my business and then i am shutting shop for Christmas. These seem to have been shared on my blog....I really do need to learn how to run a blog in the. New Year...I think that is a resolution!!!!

My daughter has an interview at Oxford University next week which is very exciting.....So all in all a good month!



House decorations have started with avengeance. 

And plans are starting on our trip to South-East Asia.... Well a map is on my dining room wall!


On another note....The World lost the most amazing leader and man this week - 


Its snowing in Norway and you must see these pictures




L






How beautiful is this.....

Wednesday 4 December 2013

Must do better

Having had a look at some amazing blogs this morning I have realised i need to improve this one as it is too basic...so a trip to the local library is in order...Blogging for Dummies is on the list in the hope. I can revamp my blog!
 
Wouldn't it be lovely to join the band of people who just travel...forever...There seem to be loads of people in their 20's travelling and 20 years ago i was one of them. I remember the excitement of arriving in Paris in December 1989 after having just completed my first degree at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa....freedom to now do what i wanted.

Now over 24 years later and i feel the same way...on the verge of a big adventure...a scary one! After all i am 46 shouldn't i be settled now? But you know what I have no desire for materials things..for the big house and the posh cars...that does not appeal...not if it means i am stuck...My main belief is that THERE ARE MANY LIVES TO LEAD...why just pick one? Your life and view of the world is only one view and I want to live many...

My favourite quote.....The World is like a book....and those who do not travel read only one page....and you know what i want to read the entire book from cover to cover....that is my goal in life...

And this is an awful picture...lol! 


Saturday 9 November 2013

My trip to Switzerland in August!

OJust realised there were no pictures of my trip to Switzerland in the summer - probably because it was a solo trip! Anyway here are a few pics!

Another walk and more houses

I seriously cannot get enough of the houses here in Laerdal - I think they are absolutely stunning - today we walked along the river then back into town so I could take more pictures of them. Today is my last full day here as tomorrow we head for Voss and Bergen for the weekend.



Friday 8 November 2013

Back home

Well what a bad blogger am I!! The last 3 days in Norway still not accounted for!

We decided to get the train from Voss to Bergen mainly because my husband loves trains! I had packed up all my things in a backpack and abandoned my suitcase with Doug so that made things easier!

My last trip to Voss was on a school ski trip when I was 12 so it was quite nice to go back! Voss is huge (population 10000) compared to laerdal (population 1000)

Here are a few of my Voss pics 
Again I had to take a picture of a house! I love them they have south character!

We caught the train to Bergen and that's where we spent the next two days (and after a little moan and change of room - twice-  we were upgraded to a business class room!) Bergen is pretty and we enjoyed walking around the streets stopping for a hot chocolate in a gorgeous quant cafe - all books and comfy chairs. 

The weather was glorious on our last day and we climbed the hill which overlooks Bergen (with most of the population of Bergen it seemed) and enjoyed the views. 

At 3.15 Doug left to catch a train back to Voss and I waited in the hotel lobby before catching an airport shuttle bus.

Bergen airport has to be the most confusing in the world but I did eventually find my departure gate! It was beside the duty free and it was amusing to watch arriving Norwegians descend on the shop like locusts - they just about stripped it of alcohol and left with as much as they could carry!!

Anyway a smooth flight later I landed at Heathrow where it was raining - like a monsoon!!!

It was a fantastic week with the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen so I would highly recommend a visit there if you get the chance (just take food!!!)

And the fish market too -
That was the ugliest fish ever!!!!

Thursday 31 October 2013

A day on the fjords with a train ride in for good measure


A boat trip through the fjords - had to be done and that was our day out yesterday! We caught the bus to Gudvangen which went through the long tunnel (again!) followed by more tunnels and got off at our destination 2 hours before the boat was due. Luckily the sustantial shop and coffee shop opened at ten so after a quick perusal of the gift shop (seal fur?? Awful) we had a hot chocolate and a hot waffle. 

The scenery is spectacular and I took quite a lot of pics before the boat arrived:
We all rushed to get tickets and our seats  on the boat. Lots of people took the chairs outside but since it was a little chilly we grabbed a table and made ourselves comfortable...

Then off we went!! And there is no need for any more words.... 
After 2 hours the boat arrived in Flam where we then caught the train to Myrdal.
When we got up to Myrdal it was snowing which was lovely - this is on the main Bergen to Oslo line but as we were going back to laerdal we headed back to Flam and a coach back through THAT tunnel again!!