winter time rambling

I love winter. Last weekend I went snowmobiling in -25 (-35 with the windchill). Even though it was freezing it was great. I had a hundred layers on. It did prove a problem when nature called. But theres nothing better than campfire tea, roasting weiners, and marshmellows on a cold winter day. This weekend I also went to a baby shower. This was the first baby shower I was invited to. It was just like any regular baby shower. It was very nice to be invited. I know the mothers other children very well. They live across the street. And during the summer they are often knocking at the door for popsicles. I also swim with them in the lake (in the summer of course). Not very many adults swim up here. But who said I'm an adult? The kids up here don't seem to think so. An 8 year old once asked me what I was going to "be" when I great up. I told her I was a nurse. And she said "but when you grow up". That made me laugh. Ok well thats enough rambling today. If you do take the time to read this, make a comment!!!

The winter road

Here I am blogging two days in a row. Now that I finally learned how to do it on my own!!! (Last night Tricia taught me by MSN). I find the sign pointing to Oxford House really funny. I haven't had the pleasure yet on driving very far on the winter road. But there's something humorous about a sign posted on a tree. Especially when it's for a swampy path that magically becomes a "road" when it is frozen enough to drive on. It's actually more pathetic than it is humorous. The lifeline of these isolated communities relies on the winter road being open. With global warming the time frame for this opening is shortening. People are so happy when it gets cold. They will drive 12 hours on the winter road (to and from Thompson) in one weekend. But more importantly, it means the years supply of gas, construction supplies, and luxuries like new vehicles/snow-mobiles/ATV's/boats and motors and other such things that are impossible/difficult to fly in. It has finally become cold this week. So hopefully the road will be open for the month of February at least. But it is just one example of the great inequalities these isolated reserves face.

Finally a post

Well after 7 months here is a post not by my crazy sister. She must have felt so bad for this abandoned blog that she decided to help it out (if thats what you can call it). It was hilarious. Everytime I posted a comment on anyones blog the picture of my butt came up. Pretty funny. My sister has done such a great job on her blog that it inspired me to put a post on my own. Originally the purpose of my blog was simply for trips.But most of the time I do live up north away from everybody, so maybe i will try to make updates. We will see. Today I am going to post some of my favourite pictures from up north. They are from the last two years.

Well we made it to Prague this afternoon. It was a long journey and we are both exhausted. We were on night trains through Poland that were just packed with people. Makes it difficult to get any sleep. If you can pray especially for Tricia, she has been quite sick with a cold and tonsillitis as I think she has mentioned. However her knees have also been bothering her. They are both big but the one is extremely swollen as is her whole leg. It´s difficult for her when most sightseeing involves walking, not to mention long walks with a backpack on!!! We will only be here two nights then heading to Vienna on Monday (only a four hour train ride so at least the gruelling part of travelling is done).Tomorrow I think we will do a bus tour of Prague.

Oh and Jodi sorry I didn´t respond to you earlier. Did you buy a kayak yet (can´t figure out where the question mark is on this keyboard). I am flying to Wpg on Tuesday and get back to work June 11th. Will you be there (no question mark again). And of course you can use my kayak. OK see you soon.

That is it for now. Will be home soon.

ATTN Aunt Noreen, Jenn, or Dad

I think the internet hates me. Having trouble getting ahold of you Aunt Noreen. What is your email address? Anyways went to emmigration center and need more info if you can get it to me before 2 or 3 am on May 30th Ont time. Eg. what was great grandpas full DOB, did he immigrate with a brother and what was his name (or did we just make that up in our minds?), if his family lived any where other than Oslo, if they intially landed somewhere other than Alberta (eg. someone with same year of birth landed in Colorado), if he changes his name on arrival to Canada (eg. from Johannes). Anways this is all for fun so no big deal if don't have the info or don't get to it in time. Also what the names of other contacts? thanks

Well I finally brought my camera so I could pictures on the blog. Running out of time so only could put a few on. One of them (the castle one) is from Budapest. I love Budapest so beautiful. Two of them are from hiking in Slovakia (the mountain and goat and ladders in the gorge). That was a great day. And the other two are form the Romanian country side. Wehad taken a taxi about 1 hour out of town to a village and I made the driver stop so I could take the picture of a horse and buggy. It's a very common method of transportation still, even in the city. The taxi ride only cost about 10 bucks CDN and I'm sure it was inflated because we are tourists. Well went to pulpit rock yesterday but it was raining and foggy. The pictures aren't to amazing. but it was a good hike. Unfortunately Tricia is still sick but she did a great job on the hike. Now I think she is paying for it. Well have to go for now. Heading back to Oslo tomorrow.

cool pictures

Oslo

Of all the places I have visited Oslo (and perhaps somewhere else in Norway) is the only place I would consider moving outside of Canada. I wanted to move here last year after I was here. I don't know quite what it is!! I love this city.

We went to some museums and ended up shopping (oh no more stuff to carry on our backs). There are water fountains everywhere and a park in almost every second block. Kind of excessive but nice. There's also naked statues everywhere. The most extreme is frognerparken which I think most of you saw pictures of last year. But really there are naked statues everywhere. It's very bizarre. But the streets are clean and it's just a pretty city. The architecture isn't anything amazing (not like Budapest or what I expect Prague to be like). But it is on the water with fjords.

Well heading onto Flam tomorrow. It costs as much to make train reservations in this country as what it did to buy a 5 or 6 hour train tickets in most of the Eastern European countries (roughly 20.00 CDN). But lots of things are comparable to Canada with the exception of food. We saw a restaurant advertising a special of french fries, hamburger and coke to what would be 15.00 CDN!!! Crazy!! We have been buying bread and other cheap food from the grocery store. OK have to go. Having an awesome time!!!

Pam's side of the Story

Well up to this point everyone has been hearing about the trip from Tricia's perspective. This is because I have just been too lazy to make a blog. However we are presently stuck in the Malmo Sweeden train station for 5 hours and I have nothing better to do. Don't count on me being as faithful as Tricia in updating it. Who know this may be a one time entry!!!

Ok to start the reason for the name of my blog. If you have been reading Tricia's you know that we have had several eventful days, where we end up in the wrong country, in a hick town in Bulgaria or can't find accomodations during a rain wind storm in Poland. So when these things happen I usually say "it's all part of the adventure" to try to calm myself down. It drives Tricia crazy.

We have been having an amazing time. One of my favourite places was hiking in Slovakia through these gorges with ladders and platforms. When I am able to I will post pictures. It was really amazing. I also saw a black mountain goat which was kind of cool. We have seen many cool castles....much better than the castles in Western Europe. I enjoy the stone ruins...they are much better for exploring and climbing. I don't think they would appreciate it if I tried climbing the walls of furnished castles. The salt mines were also amazing. There was a whole church made out of salt. With several copies of famous artwork made out of salt (such as The Last Supper). We didn't have much time in Krakow so we decided on that over going to Auschweitz. I know it seems odd to go to Krakow and not go to Auschweitz but I'm happy with our decision. I had already seen Dauchau concentration camp when I was in Munich last year. Very powerful experience. I'm sure we will have opportunity again on a future Europe trip.

So dad if you still think we are supposed to backpack Europe it definately has to be Eastern Europe. After being in Eastern Europe I don't know what all the hype is about Western Europe. Sure it's easier because most people speak English. But once you get over the intial frustration of the language barrier it's actually quite fun communicating with people who don't speak your language. Slovakia was the best, because they would speak in Slovak and I would speak in English and eventually we would figure out whatever needed to be figured out. Secondly it's much more affordable. And I think it's cool, with stone castle ruins and better outdoors stuff. The exception is Norway of course. Which is stupidly expensive but beautiful.

And Aunt Noreen is there anything else you can tell us about Great Grandpa? When we go to Stavanger there is an emmigration office where you can trace your Norwegian family's roots. We know his name but do you know what year he was born? You probably already know alot about his family but it would be interesting for us to see what they can find.

Ok enough rambling. Will see if I do this again.