Travel

Sun, fun and skiing the Scandinavian Alps‏

I just arrived from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. It’s the easter weekend and my memory goes back a few years to my Easter holiday in the Norwegian mountains and makes me think back to how much i miss skiing. In Norway Easter is the time of the year when most people head up to the mountain for a skiing holiday to enjoy some time with family and friends. Either they spend it in their own mountain cabin or they book a stay at some of the more popular hotels in famous skiing destinations in Norway.

As I was on a business trip in Oslo during this time and Chiara took some time off from work and traveled from Brazil to join me in Oslo we decided to booked a 5 days stay in Hemsedal. Or at least I believed i had booked a stay in Hemsedal. I rented a car, picked Chiara up at the airport and off we went. Driving on a winding mountain road with beautiful nature all around, enjoying the drive. Just after we passed Gol I saw a sign to Golsfjellet and in the back of my mind I remembered this name. I had been to Gol a few times before but many years ago so was assuming that this was the reason for me remembering the name, so we continued driving until we reached Hemsedal.

Hemsedal with a population of around 2000 people is small so easy to find your way around. I asked Chiara to check out the hotel name, so looking at the print out she told me it was Storefjell Resort Hotel and for some reason I remembered the sign golsfjellet that we had passed earlier, but we continued driving to see if we could find a sign with the hotel name. Passing through the small town and entering the ski resort area we had not found any sign with the hotel name, so we turned around and stopped at a petrol station to check. The guy at the petrol station was nice and told me I had to drive back to Gol and take to the left when I could see the sign to golsfjellet.

So finally a bell was ringing in my head that I had not booked hotel at hemsedal as I was planning. I usually book my hotel stay at booking.com and realised that when the hotels are fully booked in the area you search it suggest hotels close to the the place. But as I was in a hurry when booking i did not notice this. So we just had to turn back and find our way to golsfjellet and the hotel I had booked. A bit disappointed as we had been looking forward to be staying in Hemsedal and be close to the ski resort and the activities around, including after skiing.

We arrived at Storefjell Resort Hotel, checked in and found out there is a ski area just next to the hotel, so that made us feel a bit better. Still it was not Hemsedal, but the hotel was nice and location on the mountain was nice as well with a good view and the distance to drive to Hemsedal was not to far. So overall we ended up enjoying our stay at the Resort.

We enjoyed the evening with good food and drinks and decided to check out the ski lift next to the hotel the next day and then take a trip to Hemsedal the following day to check out the ski arena there. This would give us some time to practice a bit skiing before enter the more advanced ski slopes as well, with Chiara being quite new to skiing.

Even do we ended up staying at a different place than planned at least we had luck with the weather. We had sunny days and blue sky, so it could not be more perfect that that.

Hemsedal is considered a true heaven for ski lovers with snow from November to early May. You will find all from off-piste skiing to cross-country skiing where you can enjoy well prepped mountain tracks in beautiful wild surroundings.

With the car it was easy to drive to Hemsedal so we tried out the ski area there as well and it ended up being another fantastic sunny day with lots of fun in the ski slopes. Chiara was struggling a bit in the fist ski lift but she got a hang of it after a few time with falling off as the first part of the ski lift is the one you are standing and not the seated ski lift. So with the snowboard it is a bit more tricky.

No matter what your level is you will enjoy the slopes so it is just to choose the level of comfort. And if you feel like stopping for a refreshment along the way you have the options for that as well.

We tested out the slopes and had a fantastic time, enjoying the sunny weather.

After a long day trying out all the slopes our appetite was high so we headed over to the city center to find a place to eat.

We ended up at Hemsedal Cafe and had a fantastic meal follow by some coffee as we had to drive back to our hotel after.

Back at Storefjell Resort hotel we find our way to the after ski event.

Taking in the beautiful view of the mountain with a drink before dinner, it was a perfect end to our day.

Hemsedal is one of the largest ski resorts in Norway. A very popular resort, 3.5 hrs. drive from Oslo. The stable climate and the absolute guarantee of snow will ensure an unforgettable winter sport vacation. The season starts as early as November and runs until May.

We had a memorable time and looking forward to our next stay and maybe next time we would be lucky enough to book book a say in Hemsedal.

Maafushivaru

Arriving on Maafushivaru after a 25 min seaplane ride from Male we were dropped off in the middle of the sea on a pontoon. A Dhoni (traditional Maldivian boat) was ready to pick us up and at the Island we were surrounded by friendly staff handing out ice-cold face towels and a color-full refreshing Welcome drink.

Shoeless in the sand and with our snorkelling/diving equipment in our bags we were ready to celebrate Christmas.

Our new home was an overwater villa, modern and minimalistic, lots of natural light in the room with large windows overlooking the endless stretch of turquoise water.

A nice sundeck terrace, with stairs straight in to the water, large bathroom with a bathtub overlooking the balcony and the ocean and a shower was installed just in the entrance from the Balcony to the bathroom.

Maafushivaru means “The Flower Island” and on this small Island you will find 48 Villas, a wine cellar, a library / cafe, a restaurant Gallery Cuisine, a spa and yoga area, the Water bar, a big freshwater pool and a small stage for the different entertainment during the week. Furthermore there is the diving center, a small boutique, a water sports center, and the restaurant 135 Degrees East.

The Island also have a small sister-island, Lonubo, that is uninhabited and different trips can be arranged to the island.

Maafushivaru is located on the southern tip of the Ari atoll, so this makes it one of the best places to get the chance to swim with the whale shark. And as we wanted to see the life beyond the beach, we signed up for a few aquatic adventure. The Christmas snorkeling on Lonubo Island, Manta Ray snorkeling trip & not to be missed, Diving with the Whale shark.

We rented a Kayak and went paddling across the island’s lagoon, crossing over to the nearby Lonubo Island. It almost felt like being inside a picture perfect postcard of the Maldives.

We did not spend a long time at the Island before that relaxing feeling you get in the Maldives came sneaking up on us so before we knew, we were sitting at the Water bar sipping cocktails with same colors as the ocean admiring the amazing view.

The Island is surrounded by coral reef, that houses different fish, in all different color, small sharks and sea-turtles. Once you get in the water with your snorkel, there is a world beneath the surface inviting you to see thing from another perspective. We tried to get close up to the black tip sharks swimming in the lagoon, but they were too fast for us.

Snorkeling in the Maldives is a must try thing to do even if you have not done snorkeling before.

The underwater life is beyond amazing and what we saw during our snorkeling trips was all from Manta Ray, Sharks, Turtles, corals and fish in all kind of colors swimming around us. And not to forget the whale shark.

Early morning on the way to our dive site a school of dolphins decided to welcome us by swimming alongside the boat. At this time both my camera and my phone was downstairs and i had no time to get any of them to capture it on film, so I just enjoyed the view of watching them leaping up and down of the water. What i did get a photo of was the whale shark, but it was difficult to get a clear shot as we only saw it during snorkeling and not during diving. Same for the manta ray as it was difficult following them while snorkeling. You really need to swim fast to try to catch up with them.

One of the evening we got invited for a complementary dinner at The restaurant 135 degrees East. We were served a fantastic dinner with sushi and teppanyaki. The service was great and the location just amazing.

On reflection, the fluency of the Maldives is found not on the sun lounger but out at sea, surrounded by crystal blue water. We dived beneath the surface and the ocean and found a Maldives that is much more than just relaxing and eating and left with memories that will be cherished forever.

How to get there:

Direct flight from Singapore to Male with Singapore airlines.

As we arrived late we had to stay over at Male city so we booked one night at Somerset hotel. Hotel provided pick up service from/to Airport.

Check in for the seaplane is at the airport and transport is then provided to the seaplane terminal by bus.

Hiking Mt. Hallasan

Arriving at the entrance of the Seongpanak trail the temperature was quite nice to be early November and entering the trail, autumn colours where showing off everywhere. It was early morning so still quiet with a few other hikers in front of us and some Crows flying above our heads. It was almost a magical atmosphere with the trees still covered in mist from the morning rain.

In Norway we have a saying, there is no bad weather just bad clothing. So we were well prepared for a day of rain as weather forecast for the day was heavy rain. But the weather gods were on our side so the heavy rain ended up being a nice and sunny day.

The trail started with light uphill, winding its way through the forest. The first 4 km until we passed the Sokbat shelter, was quite pleasant and easy hiking.

From Sokbat shelter to Jindallaebat shelter the trail started to be more challenging due to the heavy rain the day before. So the next kilometres climbing uphill on wet rocks our focus was to keep a nice pace and put our feet in the right place to not slip on the wet rocks.

We had to pass the Jindallaebat shelter before noon to be able to continue to the summit. If you arrive after this time you will not be able to continue as they want to make sure people have time to get back down before the sun goes down. This timing changes depending on the seasons so good to check up front.

After a short rest at Jindallaebat shelter we continued uphill were we changed from walking in terrain of thick forest to enter out to more open landscape as we were getting above the tree limit. At this point we could see the summit at a distance. It looked so close but with a steep uphill it was the hardest part of the trek. The trail changed from slippery rocks to man made wooden stairs with a quite crowded trail at this point. Some going up and some coming down.

About 4.5 hours later, with backpacks much lighter due to a few stops along the way to fuel our body to get some energy, we were standing at the top of Mt Hallasan, South Korea’s tallest mountain with an altitude of 1950m above sea level.

The summit is known to spend most of the days surrounded by clouds and today was one of those days with only a few openings here and there.

The size and depth of the Baengnokdam crater lake varies according to the season and at this time it was almost dry. Baengnokdam means white deer lake. Its from the legend attributing the name of the lake to otherworldly men who descend from heaven to play with the white deer.

It was crowded at the summit and people were queuing up to take photos next to the stone with inscriptions in Korean. The wind was strong at the top so after taking in the view we found a place sheltered from the wind to enjoy our lunch and hot chocolate. We needed a good rest before our return down again.

Hallasan mountain have different trail and two of them are going to the summit. The Seongpanak trail that we went and the Gwaneumsa Trail that we were planning to return down from. Due to blockage of the Gwaneumsa Trail we had to return down the same trail as we came from. The Gwaneumsa trail supposed to be more strenuous with fantastic sceneries.

On our way down we stopped again at the Jindallaebat shelter for a rest as we were struggling on our way down to put our feet at the right place on the slippery rocks. So with one of us having problem with the knees we decided it was better to take it slow.

Back inside the forest the mist was quite thick so with water drops falling from the trees it almost felt like it was raining.

Happy to have made it back to the car park our plan was to find a bus to take us back to the resort, but when a free taxi turned in to the car park we change our decision and returned by taxi. Tired and hungry we were looking forward to getting back to the hotel.

Well back at the hotel, showered and sitting in the restaurant with a good meal and some wine, looking back at the day and the hike, we were thinking, it was tough, but we loved it.

Getting to the entrance of the trail you can take the bus, drive or take a taxi.

There are five hiking trails on Hallasan. They are:

Gwaneumsa Trail – 8.7 km
Eorimok Trail – 4.7 km
Seongpanak Trail – 9.6 km
Yeongsil Trail – 3.7 km
Donnaeko Trail – 9.1 km

Only the Gwaneumsa and Seongpanak trails lead to the summit.

We hiked Mt. Hallasan November 2015

New Year – New Adventures

It’s a new year and for most of us this is when we make plans. Some make plans to changes things to the better, start a journey to be more fit, eat more healthy, plan the big adventure of the year, Travel to a new country, spend more time with the family, Do great things at work and the list continues.

I was having a moment reflecting over life and thinking back to when I was young and how big the world seemed to be.

Africa, Asia, Amerika. Far away countries that looked so amazing and exotic. I had a dream to visit Rio de Janeiro and see the Carnival, Be among the wild animals in Africa, Hike the famous mountains of Himalayas, visit the land known as “Down Under” and not to forget a visit to New Zealand to see if it was as similar to Norway as I heard it would be.

I grew up on an Island connected with a bridge to a small town in Norway. I spent most of my holiday at my GrandParents place. Once in a while we would take a trip to Sweden or Denmark or even Germany and for me these were big adventures.

On my first trip to London I found myself learning so much about the world I before only had seen on TV. People off all kind. I suddenly saw them passing by me. People with mohawk coiffure in different colours, people with strange clothes, people singing in the street, everything so amazing and new to me.

At the age of 18, I was on my way for a 2 weeks holiday with my sister to the famous Party Island of Ibiza. Suddenly the world had become a bit smaller and before I knew I was visiting Asia for the first time. Experiencing eating with 2 wooden sticks, Sitting on the floor until I could not feel my legs anymore, and getting a surprise when I discovered the restaurant only had squat toilets.

Today I am back in Asia and live in Singapore. An Island, that is a big city and also a country, connected with a bridge to the bordering country, Malaysia. Along the way I have been in Rio to see the Carnival, I have visited the Amazon, been to Mexico diving the Cenotes, Hiked to Machu Picchu, Seen the wild animals in South Africa, visited the land “Down Under”, Hiked the famous mountains of Himalayas and motor-biked the North Island of New Zealand but still have not made it down to the south Island to see if it is as similar to Norway as Everyone is telling me.

In a way the world have become so much smaller but again so big as the more I travel the more new places I would like to see.

There’s a whole would out there and New Adventure Awaits

Let’s welcome the year of the Goat.

A week on ski at 78 Deg North, from East to West of Spitsbergen

Some reindeer were passing just in front of us as we were reaching Isfjord Radio. The wind was picking up, with a bit of snow in the air. We had completed 160 km on ski, across valleys & Glaciers, from East to West of Spitsbergen/Svalbard, in the Norwegian Arctic. It had been an adventurous week, learning new things along the way.

A week ago we arrived in Longyearbyen and found our way to the Trapper’s hotel where we spent our first night. Information meeting was held at the hotel, last check and packing of the equipment done, a few things to buy at the local shops and a get to know each other dinner at restaurant “Kroa” just next door.

I woke up early next morning, exited to get started on this week of adventure, not really knowing what to expect. It was my first time camping in a tent surrounded by snow, also knowing we had to play hide & seek with polar bears. We started our skiing from Agardhbukta, so transport by a vehicle was arranged to get us there. It was a Bandvagn 206 (BV 206), a tracked articulated, all-terrain carrier. 3 guides, 2 dogs and driver in the front and our group of 12 squeezed in to the back. Quite the interesting experience, but not very comfortable. Knowing it would take at least 6 hours to get to the east coast it was just to start thinking about something else and get used to the bumping up and down.

Arriving at the east coast I was happy to get out of the car and move my legs again. We organized our gear, got our skies on and were ready to start. It was windy and a bit snow in the air, so I was eager to get going.

It was my first time skiing with a sledge, but it went well the first day as there was not much up and down. Arriving at the campsite, the next step was to put up our tent. We got some tips from our guides, to use the ski to prepare the ground to be as flat as possible, make sure to secure the tent before starting to put it up for it not to be blown away with the wind, dig a hole inside the outer tent to have head room to stand and make a wall in front of the tent in the wind direction to avoid snow to blow and get stored on the tent. Quite a lot to think about but after a few days it got easier. We also learned the trick of using our ski and poles as tent plugs.

It was agreed that we would sit up during the night on shift to watch out for the polar bear, so with 2 groups we would have to sit for an hour each every 2nd night. An introduction how to use the signal gun was done. I think we were all exited about the fact that it could happen that we would spot a polar bear. We had to look out for something moving and in case a Polar Bear would come and we had to use the signal gun to scare the Bear and wake up the guides. Sitting up for an hour during the night was like being out during the day as the midnight sun makes the night as bright as day.

I shared the tent with my 2 friends, Arne and Eva. Arriving at the campsite with wind and cold, we spent the evening inside the tent, eating our dinner, a snaps glass with cognac to make a toast for the day and get our sleeping bags ready for a good night of sleep after a long day skiing.

The wind was blowing quite strong during the night. We had our breakfast, Rice porridge with Cinnamon and Sugar and some raisins or nuts added to it. Then it was down with the tent, packing the sledge and get ready for a new day. We crossed over the glacier, Passbreen, down Kjellsromsdalen, passing the mining town, Sveagruva, and put up our 3rd campsite at the end of Gustavdalen. The days continued with wind and not much to see as it was all white around us. We kept walking, with a 10 min break every 50 min, to fuel up on some chocolate and snacks.

At lunch we had our daily supply of “drytech Real turmat”. Just put hot water, shake the pack and wait for 5 min and it was ready to eat.

Being all white around me and not much to see, I just keep skiing, following the group, most of the time in my own thoughts, thinking about everything and nothing. I got a sense of peace being surrounded by nature. Just skiing listening to the poles touching the snow. Like a kind of meditation.

At day 4, Arriving at Stormyra the wind stopped. It had been a hard day as most of the day had been skied with a slight slope down on one side as we where skiing along the mountain side. It was difficult to control the sledge not tipping over as it was sliding on the side of me, so I had to try to get a pace that would allow the sledge to follow but not slide down and stop as then it would tip. As we where turning around the mountain we where facing a quite steep uphill followed by a steep downhill before entering down at Stormyra. One of the guide fell and cut his hand on a stone so urgent attention was put to that to see that he was fine to continue. Then it was the challenge to ski down with the sledge as it was sloping both down and to the side, so I chose as some of the others to take the ski off and carry them down. Better be on the safe side to avoid ending up in the fjord and the ice cold water.

The first part of Stormyra went quite easy and as the wind had stopped and the sun started to show itself between the clouds, so I enjoyed it and just kept walking. Around half way across the ice it became more difficult as the snow started to be more wet and it was like the snow was sucking me down. Every step was heavy, so when we finally stopped at the other side having a break and the guides decided we would camp, it was the best message I could have had. We still had to put up the tent and get organized with our things so when that was done I just sat down in my sledge, found my coffee, having a moment of rest. Totally exhausted.

Being in the middle of a dream, I heard the words, breakfast in 5 min. Opening my eyes I realized i must have dozed off after my watch during the night. I heard people talking outside in a joy full tone, enjoying the nice weather. I could see when I was up during the night that the weather would be good as it was no wind, just a few clouds on the sky and cold. Showing -9 Deg C on the Thermometer. I had experienced and learned a few things during the first days. Keep everything you want to not be frozen inside your sleeping bag during the night. So wet napkins, my bottle of milk for my coffee (Had to bring a bottle of milk as they where sold out for milk powder in Longyearbyen), my clothes to change for next day, and any other things I wanted to stay warm.

We all enjoyed the beautiful weather, skiing along the fjord. A few uphill parts but mostly flat until we where turning around the mountain side and was facing the side way slope again. My sledge was not very cooperative and kept turning over. The luggage kept shifting to the side so I had a few stops along the way to re-organize and try to get the weight to the right side.

We found a nice spot for lunch and where surprised by the guides serving us Cheese and cured meats. During lunch we could hear some birds in the background. Getting up on the hill we saw some rock ptarmigan walking up the hill.

We continued in the nice weather, passing some reindeer along the way, enjoying the sun and the nice view as we were skiing along the fjord and entering fridtjovhamna. From here we could see Akseloya that is almost crossing from one side of the fjord to the other. just leaving a small pass for the boats to enter.

It was a beautiful day and even with my sledge not being on my side, this day could not have been more perfect. Entering Fridtjovbreen we put up our camp for the night. Some went with a few of the guides up on the glacier before dinner and some of us just stayed at the tent and relaxed. This evening the guides prepared dinner for us, Salmon with mashed potatoes and vegetables. Being Saturday we had a few shot glasses of whiskey cheering for a fantastic day. Chatting and laughter from the other tents where a sign that they where enjoying the evening as much as us.

I woke up early next morning and stepping outside the tent all was quiet. The 2 dogs was sleeping. One of them had made himself comfortable in one of the sledge. It was cloudy and a bit of snow in the air, but looked like it might clear up during the day.

We started off with a few steep uphill parts when entering up on the glacier, Fridtjovbreen, and this morning my sledge was not one with me. I wanted to get up and the sledge wanted to stay down. Looking at the others getting up the slopes without problems I was wondering what they had eaten for breakfast that I did not eat. Maybe it was just that I was tired from the other days of skiing, but with a little support and some push on my sledge from the others i managed to get up the first part. After the first part struggling it became easier. During lunchtime some took the opportunity to have a nap and get some rest for the next part up the glacier.

The weather kept changing from cloudy to sunny so It was difficult to dress correct to not get cold and not get to hot and sweet, so I kept putting my jacket on and off.

Arriving at the top of the glacier the weather gods where on our side and the sun where shining. We where facing a stunning view on both side of the glacier and the feeling standing on the top, enjoying the view, felt amazing.

To ski uphill was quite hard but the downhill with the sledge for me was more challenging. I had to find a techniques to ski with the sledge on the side so it would not overtake me. It took a lot of energy to keep control of the sledge and myself with the ski at the same time.

We all managed to get down. Some easier than others and some tried the option on sitting on the sledge down. With blue sky and no wind we decided to continue out the valley before setting up the camp. The distance did not seam far and we continued ski, with 50 min ski, 10 min break. Just keep going. It felt like there was no end to the valley. We where on day 6 and the following day we would reach Isfjord Radio, so we all agreed to continue until reaching the sea to get a shorter leg the next day.

Reaching the sea the sky started to be cloudy and we had a nice light. Almost like a sunset.

Our last evening sleeping in tent. We had become quite good at setting up and packing down the tent and it felt a bit strange to know that this would be the last time on this trip that we would have to put it up and take it down. I was looking forward to sleeping in a bed again, but still would miss this atmosphere you get when sleeping in tent out in the wild nature.

Getting organized inside the tent we heard some snowmobile arriving outside. The guides asked us to come outside and again we where surprised with the cook and worker from Isfjord Radio showing up with waffles. What a fantastic surprise. We where all happy, eating and enjoying, until there where no more left. The guides had called them to get some supply of food for the dogs and had not mention anything about waffles. Waffles and Norwegian goat cheese and as Eva still had some crackers left we enjoyed Crackers and cheese for our coffee. And with a shot of whiskey we all forgot that we where exhausted after a long day of skiing. We had done 30 km on ski that day, up Fridtjovbreen, down on the other side and out the valley reaching the sea, enjoying the beautiful weather making us able to enjoy the scenic landscape surrounding us from all angles.

The Arctic region of Svalbard is incredible and a fantastic location for seeking out wildlife and we where lucky to see a group of bloated walrus laying on the beach. One of them more gray and pale, so we where sure he had seen his last days, but there was still some life in him as he was moving his head.

Continuing along the coast with the view of Isfjord Radio in front of us.

Arriving, it was a group of blissful, tired but happy, tanned faces toasting with hot wine, beer and champagne. It was an emotional moment shared with friends and people I got to know during this week that went by way to fast.

We spent the afternoon enjoying and toasting over some beer and wine, having a well earned shower and was served a 4 course dinner that tasted heavenly. A good night sleep in a bed and then our transport, the sailboat, Noorderlicht, was ready to take us back to Longyearbyen.

A week together with a fantastic group of people, learning new things along the way was over.

The trip was booked via Hvitserk: http://www.hvitserk.no/

Guides where from Basecamp Spitsbergen: http://www.basecampspitsbergen.com/

Our hotel in Longyearbyen was the Basecamp Trapper’s hotel

Escape to sandy beaches, crystal waters and Mouth watering cuisine

Parador La Huella, A restaurant located at the Beach, just outside the small town of José Ignacio, brings back memory of my visit to Uruguay. The restaurant is located on the outskirt of Punta del Este, also known as the St. Tropez of Uruguay. La Huella is known as one of Uruguay’s number one restaurants with it’s laid back atmosphere, it’s well known sushi dishes and wood-grilled platters and not to mention the location right on the beach front, perfect for a barefoot walk along the sand.

A year ago just before ester I was visiting Rio Grande Do Sul in Brazil. It is not a town you would spend your ester weekend as most things would be closed and not much happening, so we planned a trip to Uruguay. As Rio Grande is located close to the border of Uruguay we decided to rent a car and drive down. Trying to book a car we realized it was not that easy as all the car rental companies don’t allow you to drive the car outside of Brazil. So we started to look at option of other places to visit in Brazil, but we did not give up on the idea of Uruguay and at the end we found a local company that would rent us a car with the papers needed to cross the border. Then It was the hotel booking. Again, we got a surprise as we would never imagine most hotels would be fully booked at this time of the year. Punta del Este is known for being busy during the summer months from December to March. All hotels in the center of the City was fully booked so we ended up booking a room in a B&B outside of the town. And it ended up being a perfect location for our stay.

Hitting the road late afternoon on Thursday evening we planned to spend a night on the bordering town, Chui, to split up the journey. Arriving in Chui and checking at the few hotels on both side of the border we realized that it was not only us that had that Idea, so no room available anywhere. We decided to drive to the next town so drove down to La Coronilla. After a few stops and no room available we ended up asking some local people that pointed us in the direction of the beach as they said there would be a hotel there we could check, so we ended up at a rundown hotel that probably was our only option and decided to take it.

The hotel was in need of some painting and an makeover in my eyes, but well it was a room and a bed to sleep inn. The room had a padlock on the outside of the door and one of these easy locks you just push to the side on the inside. We had to lift the door up a bit to be able to get the lock in place and after shaking some dust out of the woolen blankets it was time to get some sleep.

We got up early, took a shower in a bathroom that also was in need of some touch up. Looking at the bathroom, It seamed like it probably had been installed with a bathtub before and when they decided to change they put a shower head up in the middle of the wall pointing out where the mid of the bathtub probably had been, so not in the direction you logical would have put it, so with the shower head fixed on the wall pointing out to the bathroom floor and no way to adjust it, it was an interesting project to get some water drops on the body. As we where leaving early we missed the breakfast, but considering the standard of the hotel, we where fine with having our breakfast a place along the way.

We found a bakery in a town on the way where we stopped for some supply and had our breakfast in the car. It was the only shop we could find that was open this early in the morning. The streets where empty and quiet and only a few person out shopping for some bread.

We made our check in at the B&B. The house was located just across the road from the beach so it could not have been a more perfect location. It was a small house, nice room and a outside area with a swimming pool and tables where they would serve us breakfast. The host was friendly but only Spanish speaking. With a mix of Spanish, Portuguese and English we all managed to communicate in some way and got some information about the area and the city.

We took the car and went in to the city center to have a stroll around the town. We walked around in the streets and headed down to the seaside and the beaches that was crowded with people enjoying the sunny day. We tried out some local seafood on the seaside restaurants and had a walk around the more upscale area of the town.

We found out that a great way to spend our days would be to bike around as we where staying outside of the city center but again not to far out. So with a bicycle it was easy to get to most places that was worth seeing during our stay. So when back at the B&B we managed to organize some bikes being delivered early next morning and we rented them for the rest of our stay and the company would come pick them up at the B&B. It could not be more easy than that.

Our B&B was located in La Barra. An area with great restaurants and beaches. La Barra is connected to Punta del Este with a Curvy Bridge, so you will get some up and down hill and the most of the road around the area has small curves up and down with small side roads taking you down to the different beaches. A popular activity in the town is fishing and you see it all over. On the pier and down on the beaches. And what could be better than some fresh catch of the day on the grill.

At the popular seaside playground of Punta del Este, there’s a unique beach vibe for all kind of traveler.

From the fashionable Bikini beach, where you’ll find sun-kissed, bronzed bodies to more relaxed beaches and not to mention the Playa Brava Beach with Punta del Este’s famous landmark, the monster-sized hand emerging from the sand.

La Mano en la Arena, sculpted in iron and cement by Chilean artist Mario Irarrazabal in 1982, won first prize in a monumental art contest that year and has been a Punta fixture ever since.

Breakfast by the Pool served with ester bunny chocolates, biking around in the city, visit to some of the areas hip beaches, Watching the sunrise early morning walking in the untouched sand, dining at top notch restaurants and time relaxing on the beach was just what we where looking for.

Punta del Este is well worth a visit. I did not know much about Punta del Este before visiting. I will for sure go back when i have the opportunity. Arriving from outside of Uruguay the best option is to fly in to Montevideo. From Montevideo you can rent a car or take a bus. You can also do like we did and drive from Rio Grande in Brazil and the roads are in good conditions and straight froward easy driving.

Hiking Galdhøpiggen

I was happy and tired after hiking the Besseggen Ridge and my next plan was to hike to the top of Galdhøpiggen the following day. I had checked options for the hike and I had 2 choices. One was to start at Juvasshytta and do the hiking crossing the Styggebreen glacier or I could start the hike at Spiterstulen lodge in Visdalen. My original plan was to stay at Juvasshytta but it was fully booked, but I still decided to start the hike from here as It was shorter and I had to drive back to Oslo the same day. So I had to be at Juvasshytta in good time before the first guided tour over the glacier that was 10am in the morning.

I was driving to my hotel and made a stop in Lom on the way. I needed a coffee and wanted to make a visit to Lom Stave Church to see it from inside as last time I passed by here It was closed and I could only see the outside.

View from outside the Church.

Lom is a municipality in Oppland county in Norway and is considered as the gateway to the Jotunheimen Mountains and the Jotunheim National Park. The municipality contains the two highest peaks in Norway, Galdhøpiggen at 2,469 metres (8,100 ft) and Glittertind at 2,464 metres (8,084 ft), which lie within the park.

Lom Stave Church, which is located at Lom center, is believed to have been built in 1158. It was extended in 1634, with further addition of two naves in 1667. A few Runic inscriptions can still be seen in the church. The church also contains numerous paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries with religious motifs. Many of the paintings were made by local artist Eggert Munch, a distant relation of the famous Edvard Munch. The church also contains numerous examples of local woodcarving, as seen in the elaborate acanthus scrolls adorning the pulpit. Carved dragon figures on the roof are old symbols of protection against evil. It is still in use as the local church.

After a long day of hiking and a visit to the local Church I was happy to reach the hotel. I had booked a room at Elveseter Culture and Art Hotel that is an old farm situated in Bøverdalen valley just outside of Lom. Elveseter’s history is linked to a family of gifted craftsmen of Norwegian folk art and pioneers in the hotel and leisure industry. They dared to think differently and succeeded.

One of the characteristics of Elveseter, is the use of names and symbols from the ancient Norse Mythology. Names such as Midgard, Utgard, Tor and Odin, makes history come alive at the hotel and creates a bridge to modern times.

I spent the evening having dinner and drinks in the hotel restaurant and a visit to the hotel bar before i headed to my Viking room for a good night sleep.

I woke up early so I had time to enjoy my breakfast before I had to drive to Juvasshytta for my day of hiking to Norway’s highest peak. I bought my ticket for the Glacier hiking and went outside to wait. But as the day before It was rain in the air and foggy and at this elevation with some wind as well, I could feel the cold. I was prepared for the rain but not the cold as it was in June, so I did not bring any gloves. Who need gloves in June, well I realized I would be very cold if i did not have it so I rushed in to the small store as I earlier saw they was selling some clothes. Looking at the watch I had to hurry and tried to get contact with the girl behind the counter to serve me before the others and get the right size of gloves. She came with different type as well, so I just took a pair that was made of wool and was fitting, paid and went out. I arrived outside and everyone was lining up listening to the guide. We needed to walk for some kilometers to arrive at the glacier so they handed out the equipment needed and some had to help out carry the ropes. Arriving at the start of the glacier we had to wait for the guides to organize the ropes and the groups so this took some time. The best decision I had made today was to buy my gloves. As we where all ready the wind got more heavy and it started snowing. The first group went off and we had to wait until they where on a distance before we could go. The wind got heavier and same with the snow. Galdhøpiggen was surrounded by a white cloud.

We crossed the glacier and left the ropes ready for the return. Then it was to hike up to the top. It is not a very challenging hike but still some snow so some parts took a lot of the energy. Reaching the top there is a small hut where they sell some snack, coffee and some souvenirs. They also sell stamps that can only be bought up here for the ones who wish to send some postcard home. The weather did not change as i hoped and still with a cold wind, it was quite comfortable to sit inside to eat my lunch.

So here I was on the top of Norway. Event with the fog, the rain and the snow it felt fantastic and I was happy I got the weekend free to be out exploring this fantastic nature.

Now it was back in the car and a long drive back to Oslo.

At Juvasshytta there is an alpine ski resort with lift on a glacier, with top on 2200 m.a.sl, the highest in Scandinavia. It is called Galdhøpiggen summer ski center and is open from June and all the summer, when the road is open.

Some additional information about hiking to Galdhøpiggen:

Galdhøpiggen (English: Galdhø Peak) is the highest mountain in Norway, Scandinavia and Northern Europe, at 2,469 m (8,100 ft) above sea level.

“Galdhøpiggen” means “the peak/spike (piggen) of the mountain “Galdhø”. The first registered ascent was done In 1850 by three local men from Lom, the guide Steinar Sulheim, the local teacher L. Arnesen and the church warden S. Flaatten.

Access to the top of Galdhøpiggen is not especially hard: from Juvasshytta (1850 metres above sea level, 5 km from the summit) it takes about three hours up (including about 45 minute to prepare for crossing the Styggebreen glacier), an hour at the top and about two hours back. Some days in the summer, a few hundred people reach the summit each day. Guides are needed to cross the glacier, but are available every summer morning.

Galdhøpiggen can also be hiked from the Spiterstulen lodge in Visdalen, with a technically very easy, but still somewhat strenuous climb of 1300 m — nearly 4000 ft. It takes four hours walk up, two hours down. From Spiterstulen, hikers do not have to cross the Styggebreen glacier, and hence a guide is not required. Ardent peak-baggers may count three summits on the route from Spiterstulen: Svellnose, Keilhaus topp and the summit itself.

Hiking Besseggen – A part of the Norwegian National park Jotunheimen

I had my hiking boots ready, woke up early and was looking outside, it was raining, just as the forecast had promised but not what I was hoping for.

I took my time eating my breakfast, hoping for the weather to clear up in the next hour. But with the dripping rain and the fog in the air I did not have much hope. I glimpsed out of the window to check the queue for the first boat leaving and as expected It was just a few persons standing there. I had to make up my mind if I i should gamble with the weather and go for this boat or wait it out for the next and hope for better weather. Quickly checking the forecast again it looked like it might clear up around mid-day, so calculating the time for when I would be at Lake Bessvatnet that should be about half way of the hike, I decided to wait for the next boat. I spent the time reading my book, looking out hoping for the rain to stop. I made my lunch pack ready during breakfast but checking my backpack I would need some more water. I went to the store and as the rain was still poring down I just stayed in here until people started to queue up for the boat.

So here I was, just getting off the Ferry from Gjendesheim to Memurubu, ready to hike the Besseggen Ridge, one of the most famous hiking destinations in Norway and a part of the Jotunheimen national park. Hiking Besseggen you have the option to start at Gjendesheim and do the hike to Memurubu and catch the boat back or do as I did, take the boat to Memurubu and hike back to Gjendesheim. I had been wanted to do this hiking for years so I had checked it out and was sure that the only option for me having fare of heights would be to hike it this way. The drawback hiking it this way is the crowd, as most people prefer hiking it this way. The ferry was crowded but as it was a rainy day and still early in the season, it still had capacity to take more people. The first part is uphill and quite steep so I stopped a few places on the way up to let the crowd pass me and took the the opportunity to take some nice photos and get a photo taken of myself.

It was June so still snow on the mountain tops.

It was clearing up a bit but the fog kept coming and going. The marking of the trail is quite good but as I was hiking alone in this weather I was letting the crowd in front of me but stayed just behind them for the first part uphill. As most of the crowd was making a good effort of walking fast the first part they needed a break at the first top, so I passed them and walked for a long time by myself. I love walking in the mountains just surrounded by the beauty of the nature. So quiet and peaceful, so I kept walking for about an hour almost by myself. Then I could see some people far in front of me. They might have been walking in front of me without me notice it as it was still foggy and it was only when the fog cleared I could see them.

The group in front of me looked like being 2 couples so I just kept going in this tempo and stayed at a distance, but close enough to see them. It felt more comfortable as I know the Norwegian mountains and how fast the weather can change.

The snow had been melting so the level of the water was quite high, something I would experience later on the trail as well, so at edge of the lake I had to balance on the stones for a part and managed quite well without getting wet on my shoes. I was enjoying the beauty of the nature around me and the amazing view.

Arriving at Lake Bessvatnet it was still foggy but the rain had stopped. It is quite a challenge to get down this part but I just took it easy and tried to follow the people in front of me and when down there was a track in the snow to follow so it got easier.

I reached the point of the trail where I had Bessvatnet at one side and Lake Gjende at the other side. So then I new I was about half way. Looking at the watch I had kept a good pace. And now was the time where the most challenging part start. At least for me it was. Just looking up seeing people climbing made me dizzy and I started considering if I would be able to make it. Options would be going back and well that was not an option. Other option could be to follow the Bessvatnet and see if i could get up at some other point to avoid the steep climbing, but sitting having my lunch break and evaluating it I ended up with the challenging option to just follow the track and hope for the best.

I was still a step behind the 2 couples that had been in front of me for the most of the trip. and at this stage I was consider this as being quite clever as now I could follow where they where climbing and hopefully they would choose the best route and make it easier for me. So I was thinking if they can do it then I can do it. And as long as i don’t look down before I feel i am on safe ground this will go well. One step at a time. Finding my grip, the right place to put my feet and push myself up. At one point I passed a couple climbing down. They where asking me if it was far and well for me it was difficult to say as I was not looking behind, at least trying my best not to, so looking up I told them that they where probably half way. The women almost started crying telling me she would never do this again. It was the most scary thing she had done and she was not sure she would make it. I tried my best to tell her that the part until here was not so bad and she seamed more relaxed. I continued climbing up, trying not to look down but at some parts I was just at the edge so difficult not to look down. I just took a deep breath and continued. So far so good. I even challenged myself to turn around a few times to take some photos.

The 2 couples was still in front of me and I could see that one of them started to have some problems with the height as well. I was just next to them now and one of the girl told me she had problems with fare of height but had overcome it, but now it came back. But we all managed to reach the top and could finally look back en enjoy the beautiful view. They made a break at this point as one of the guy was not in the best shape and he told me this part was more challenging that he had imagined.

I took some photos and enjoyed the view and continued my way back to the starting point where I had taken the boat this morning. The rest of the trip was easy walking as most was flat or downhill.

As I kept walking I started to get the view down to the Gjendeheim where I had slept the night before. I stopped took some photos and just enjoyed the view.

At a few places going down I had to watch out. At one point the waterfall was quite heavy and had taken away a part of the trail so was difficult to cross and I was trying not to get my shoes under the water. I was close to Gjendesheim and could see it at a short distance and I was thinking wow I did it and now I could understand why it is one of the most popular hiking destinations in Norway. I got down, picked up my car, feeling tired but in a good way and was happy I did the hike even if the weather was not the best. Looking at the watch I had spent about 5 hours from I got of the boat and reaching back to Gjendesheim. Not bad at all and now being tired and hungry I was looking forward to reaching my next destination that would be the Elveseter hotel, enjoying a good dinner with some good wine before my next hiking adventure the next day before heading back to Oslo.

To get to Gjendeheim I rented a car in Oslo. I stayed over at Gjendesheim so a good thing is to book in front to make sure to get a room. It can be quite busy during the peak season.

When to go:
The main summer season in the Norwegian mountains is July and August. These months will be your best bet for sunny, warm days, but be prepared for all kind of weather.

Getting there:
The start or finish of the Besseggen ridge is located at Gjendesheim, on the eastern end of lake Gjende and Jotunheimen national park itself. Here you’ll find a full service DNT hut, a small shop/cafe, toilets, the ferry boat, and parking area.

By Bus:
Several busses travel to Gjendesheim daily. The two options are to travel via Fagernes (to/from Oslo) in the south. To the north the bus travels to Vagamo where one can transfer east to Otta and the train, or continue west through the fjords.

By Train:
There is no direct train link to Jotunheimen national park. If traveling by train, say from Trondheim in the north, exit at Otta, where you will have to take the bus to Vagamo, then on to Gjendesheim. The bus/train does not always meet at a convenient time, so be sure to check schedules.

Transportation links:
https://www.nsb.no/ – Train info
http://www.nor-way.no/ – Bus info
http://www.ruteinfo.no/ – Local bus info
http://gjende.no/ – Ferry boat info

Other Useful links:
http://www.turistforeningen.no/ – The Norwegian trekking association
http://www.yr.no/ – Norwegian weather

Singapore Air show

Asia’s Biggest For Aviation’s Finest

I spent my Saturday morning watching the Singapore Air show and what a great show. It was crowded with people and the weather was hot and a bit cloudy, so sun block was a must and I had my camera ready to try got get some nice shots so here is some of the photos taken during the show.

RSAF Black Knights, Singapore Team Aerobatics performing in F-16C Fighting Falcon jets with a new design having a crescent moon and five stars against its red and white body.

Amazing Aerobatics performed by the team.

Then some Aerobatics from the TNI-AU Jupiter Aerobatic Team from Indonesia.

Followed by this amazing aircraft from MV-22B Osprey, United States Solo Aerobatics.

The Marine Corps’ MV-22B Osprey is the world’s first production tilt-rotor aircraft, combining the best capabilities of a helicopter with range, airspeed and payload of fixed-wing airplanes. With vertical takeoff/landing ability, runways are not necessary, making it the perfect aircraft to respond to crisis and to move people and cargo quickly.

And then the show with the performance from the RAAF F18-F, Australia. The F/A-18F Super Hornets are larger than the classic model with many detail improvements.

It was a fantastic show full of action, music and high speed performance.

For more info about Singapore Air show you can check out the official site: http://www.singaporeairshow.com/

Travel Plans for 2014:

The land of the Polar Bear

One of the trips I have planned this year is a skiing expedition to the island of Spitsbergen and I am very excited about it. The Island of Spitsbergen is the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago, which lies halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole.

We will spend 10 days skiing across Svalbard and will be camping 7 of the nights in tents. Can you imagine the beauty of true untouched arctic wilderness all covered in white, miles after miles, and can you imagine the pain in your body after a few days when you have not done skiing for years, well I can.
So as I live in Singapore where there is no snow, I am doing my best to prepare for the trip in alternative ways, so here is my Roller Ski Ready to be used.

We will start our expedition in Longyearbyen, the capital and the largest town with a population just over 2000 people. we will get a taste of the magnificent nature of Svalbard- spend the nights in solid mountain tents and pull our own sled with equipment. The Island is also home to around 3000 polar bear so can it be more adventurous than this?

	Catherine Adams on A City, a river, a kirkyard…
	Judy on Hiking Mt. Hallasan
	Marta Macias aragone… on Seokbulsa Temple
	Green Corridor (Rail… on The Green Corridor of Sin…
	Chiara on A Sunday stroll around Bangsar…

Where is my next adventure?

come and explore