Great Ocean Road

It is not easy to get around in Australia without a car, and if it had not been for Silje, I probably would not have been able to show my parents the famous 'Great Ocean Road'. She drove us all the way down to Lorne, so we got to see some of the beautiful surf coast. Did not see any good surfers though, the surf was not the best that day. And the several hundred kangaroos that usually stay at Anglesea Golf course did not want to be seen that day either. Luckily, we caugth a glimse of one, at least.

Julebrus!

It's just a soda like any other soda, full of sugar and preservatives. But it's no Christmas without Dahls Julebrus (Christmas soda). My parents brought me two bottles. Not sure when to drink the last one.

Christmas Eve

Norwegians celebrate Christmas Eve. That is the big day back home, not Christmas Day, like here in Australia. While Aussies go to the pub and get drunk with friends on Christmas Eve, we stay home with family and open our presents. But as a friend of mine pointed out, because of the time difference we probably open the presents at the same time anyway.

This Christmas Eve was a bit different. We went out to have dinner at a restaurant just around the corner, 'Ushers'. An amazing three course meal with really good wine. What more can a girl like me want?

The present I would like to open

My nephew, Sebastian.

Christmas with my parents

I just found this picture and I got convinced that it will be a fantastic Christmas this year too. I was worried that because it will be so different, I will not feel like it's Christmas.

But, on Thursday my parents will be here, and that is really all it takes to make it Christmas time. Back in Norway it was all about the presents, the decorations and the food.

When you need to create Christmas without your normal traditions, you really understand what it's all about. It is not about how many different types of cookies you can bake, or how many decorations with angels and Santa Clauses you can fit into the living room. It is all about who you share it with. And I'm going to share this Christmas with the people that have traveled all the way to the other side of the Earth, just because they love me. And that is the best present a person can get.

Mum and dad, I love you

Countdown to Christmas: Nellikappelsin

Nellikappelsin = Orange with cloves

This is something we used to do when I was a little girl. We took an orange and put in 24 cloves. And starting on the 1th of December we took out one clove each day. Nowadays all the kids get Christmas calenders with small presents, and the presents seem to get bigger and bigger each year. No, back in my days, we were happy with a simple orange. Haha

I made my own 'Nellikappelsin' today, and it made me happy.

Project Christmas spirit

The last days I've realized that I did not have the feeling of Christmas approaching at all. We're halfway into December, and I feel like it's June. This is probably the downside of living on the other side of the Earth. When you are used to the weather getting colder as Christmas getting closer, it is kind of strange that it is getting warmer. For me, snow is a very natural part of Christmas, and I just realized it is a big part of my Christmas feeling.

Having realized that, and the fact that there will not be any snow this Christmas, I decided to start project Christmas spirit. If the snow can not do it for me, I would have to do it myself.

Today I bought cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and a Christmas stocking at the store. The spices I will use to make 'gløgg', a traditional Norwegian Christmas drink made out of warm red wine and spices. It's not Christmas without it.

In the Christmas stocking I will put things and words that I associate with Christmas. Today I put in the lyrics of 'Deilig er Jorden, my favorite Norwegian Christmas carol and the recipe for homemade 'gløgg'.

I've spent this day in my room, sniffing the spices, lighting candles, listening to Christmas music and browsing the internet for Christmas spirit. Outside the rain is poring down, and inside it's warm and cozy. And, within a week, my parents will be here. Yeah, I feel it creeping in on me now. This Christmas will be different, but after all, it's all about the cozy feeling.

The joy of running in the rain

At the beginning of this year I told my self that I would make working out a part of my daily life. That was one of my goals for this year. As I previously have written, I actually have managed to do that. I have really started to enjoy working out.

Today I had my first run for a month. I've just been busy with exams, moving to town and traveling to Fiji. Yeah, you know the normal excuses. I don't get why we always end up postponing that work out, when we know how good it really feels when we manage to get into the running shoes.

Today it has been raining all day in Geelong, but I decided I needed to go for a run anyway. At first I was not sure how much my poor neglected body would take. And it was painful, the first run after a break always is. You just got to keep on running. Bring some good angry music and some built up frustration, and you can go on forever. And god, how good it feels. The rain is soaking you and you just don't care. It feels refreshing running in the rain. You just feel your mind clearing up. I love it.

And afterwards, get a quick shower and just jump into bed with a movie on the computer. All refreshed and feeling a lot better.

New Soul - Yael Naim

I love Yael Naim, I really feel like I can relate to what she is singing.

I'm a new soul I came to this strange world hoping I could learn a bit about how to give and take.
But since I came here
Felt the joy and the fear
Finding myself making every possible mistake

I think we all feel like this sometimes when we are operating in new territories and feel insecure. We just don't seem to get it right. But after all, it is a good feeling, because we must eventually get it right and learn 'a bit about how to give and take'.

Fiji 5: A trip to the village

I nice way to see how the locals live. And you can buy some souvenirs.

Fiji 4: Shuffling cards with giant arms

An Irishman asks:
'Has every Norwegian worked in a casino?'

Let's just say, we played a lot of cards on the trip. We did not have much else to do.

Fiji 3: The culture

On all the islands the locals presented dances and songs.






A bit commercialized, but yet, a piece of Fijian culture.

Fiji 2: Paradise?

You go to Fiji and expect paradise and luxury. You expect cocktails served in coconuts and just a lazy life on the beach.

It is not like the pictures. Even though the nature is absolutely stunning, Fiji is not like in the pictures. You get beds with bedbugs, because they never change the sheets and you get ceiling that leaks rain water down in your bed. You only get cold showers, if a shower at all. Most of the day they turn of the electricity and water, because of a shortage of resources. And if you want something done you have to ask at least two times. And it is a lot of poverty there, it is especially visible on the mainland in the cities.

Fiji was not like we expected. It was rain season, so we had three whole days of heavy rain, the resorts were not the standard we expected and it was a lot more expensive than you'd think.

But, once you get over the fact that you have to take cold shower and sleep in a bed far less comfortable than the one you got home, Fiji is wonderful. It is different, and it is beautiful. I don't mind living backpacker style, but not when I expect something totally different.