Trip to Norway

[Saphire]

When we ordered the tickets this time, we decided to go for a later flight than we normally do. Our usual flight is at 6.25 in the morning. And we are always rushing to make it. So we left home at 11.15 the night before. Took the train in to Brighton to catch the National express up to Stanstead. We fly with Ryanair coz its cheaper for us. And its more convenient for my parents to pick us up since we land at a small airport closer to where they live.

Ok so we get off the train, and walk down to the bus station to wait for the bus which is due at 1.15 in the morning. Only to find when we get down there its turned into a building site!! Im already full of nerves (always get like that when Im travelling) and this isnt helping. Panic subsiding enough to have a closer look, and there are posters up explaing where the bus stops while they are building a new coach station. Phew, now we have to phatom out where this temp bus stop is. We walked over to where we think it is, and after walking up and down a bit, I ask someone waiting for a bus. Luckily they knew and pointed us in the right direction. So we wait, and smoke like there is no tomorrow, lmao.

Finally get on the bus, and we can now relax for the almost 4 hours it takes to get to Stanstead. This bus goes into Gatwick and Heathrow as well, so its usually quite full up.

We get to Stanstead about 4.45, and our flight is not until 10.50!!!! Like I said we did this so we wouldnt have to rush so much when we got there. But this turns out to be a big mistake. Because we cant check in yet. So we just have to wait around. Have you ever spent 5 hours at the airport just hanging around? It gets very boring after about half an hour, sigh. We did manage to get through it without dying of boredom, but we both agree we wont do it again, lol.

When we finally make it to Norway, mum and dad are there waiting for us. It was soooooooo good to see them again. Mum looked great. Last year she had a gastric bypass to help her loose weight. Shes been struggeling for years now, and this was her last option. But its worked wonders for her. Shes so happy, in the last year shes lost just over 40 kg, thats over 6 stone. Shes got diabetes, and have lots of problems connected with it, so loosing weight was essential to her health.

Main reason we went was to celebrate mums 60th birthday. She didnt want any fuss on her day, so she had arranged to have lunch with me and John, and their friends with the kids. The kidlets are are gorgous and we just love them to death. For mum and dad they are like grandchildren, and mum wouldnt have been happy if she couldnt have celebrated with them. We got some great pics when we went out. We went to this place high above the city and the view was fantastic. In the evening my sister and her hubby, and a couple of close friends of mum and dad came for a meal at the house. It was all very nice, but it gets a bit frustrating for John, he doesnt speak that much norwegian, and when several people talk at once he cant follow. I try to translate, but its difficult to translate everything thats being said. Were gonna have to try to speak a bit here at home.

The weather was lovely and warm all the time we were there, so we spent a lot of time outside in the garden, and we drove around a bit to look at sights. We went in to Oslo one day, and went up to see Holmenkollen skijump. They are going to demolish the old tower and build a new one, so it was our last chance to see it as its been for years. We also opted to go to Vigelandsparken this time since it was so hot. Lots and lots of sculptures. The most famous is a relativly small statue of an angry boy, whos almost hidden away. Considering how many statues and sculptures the park contains, most of them bigger than this boy, its strange to think how much attention he gets, lmao.

Its strange how quick time goes when your on holiday. We could have stayed much longer. But at the same time its nice to come back home. We had a lovely time, and its comforting thinking it wont be long before we see them again as we are going home again for xmas this year. And we might not go alone. Johns parents have said that they would like to come with us. Our parents have never met so that would be lovely if that could be arranged. Mums very excited about the prospect, so fingers crossed, lol.

Anyway, thats just a very shortned version. Might post more about it as I think of things :o)

[jan]

He lives in llistrom and works for the noweigan airforce on helicopters and f16 fixing them. He went to the heavy water factory last year and quite a few other places i'll have to ask him where else.

[Julia]

We have quite a few creaking gates in our family too....
I think I am very fortunate with my general health, thank god..all my problems are relatively minor apart from the fact that I do have some dyspraxia which affects my mechanical abilities (it looks like clumsiness but is more to do with poor hand/eye co-ordination and my brain not seeing how things are supposed to fit together). It also affects my thought processes to a certain degree as I tend to do things in straight lines and often struggle to multi-task..isnt that true of most men though???

Still...as my dad used to say...mustn't grumble and if you do no b*ggar listens!!

[Saphire]

Sorry to hear about your bad health Jan, but you seems to stay positive about it. I think thats quite important. Mum is the same :o)
So where in Norway does you hubby work? Would be interesting to hear. We would have liked to go west in Norway this time, but it was to early in the year, and the road was still closed. Must go over in summer at some point so we can do that. Last time we went up to Rjukan in Telemark to look at the heavy water factory. Very interesting.

[jan]

To be pretty honest ive got cr*p health, severe osteo arthritis ++, lypoma in my head thats made me deaf in left ear, fybromyalagia the list goes on and on i wont bore you with everthing lol bet you wish you hadnt asked now julia lol. But its like the saying goes creaking door last the longest !!! I always make the joke if i was a dog they would put me down, i say my saving grace is im NOT incontinent !! but then my charming best friend pipes up knowing you thats proberbaly on its way too !!! I do have some great friends lol

[Julia]

Dont apologise for being chatty hun. It is very interesting and good to find out that members who didnt know each other before have things in common. Are you not in good health then Jan?

[jan]

My hubby is working in Norway I went over for a week a year last october with the kids, but he prefers to come back here says it gives him a break. I going to try and go over this summer for a while on my own now the girls are nearly 18 and son and spare are 20. Because of my health it is hard for me, it took me three week to recover when i got back and i ended up on anti-biotics !!! But its a beautiful country and i really want to go over again. Hubby flew into Bristol this time he came back with SAS airlines direct from Oslo to Bristol and because he came back with three others they all hired a car and shared the cost saved me having to pick him up. He's sailing back from Newcastle today with his motorbike he wants to do some touring around Norway on his days off he did it last year to some of the views in his photos are breath taking. Sorry only ment to add a comment got carried away lol Thanks Saphire for the great write up and really glad you had a great time and congratulations to your mum she must be so pleased. speak soon love jan x x

[Julia]

Glad to see you back Saphy xxxxx
Looking forward to part two as always. As soon as I have finished my dissertation on the 22nd (!) I will be doing more blogging myself. We can make this our own chatty corner of the blogosphere and maybe some other members might feel inspired to begin sharing thoughts with us all .