On Saturday 22th of July I took part in the bachelor party of Christian Aasebø. Christian was collected by a small plane in Førde, and he was actually lucky enough to be a copilot(!) on the way to Vigra airport where he was received by a group of friends. First we went playing reball en Godøyhallen. Afterwards we went to the centre of Ålesund, where Christian had to jump from the bridge Hellebrua with a mask and a snorkel. After a while we met another bachelor party, where they actually threw the bride into the water and Christian had to save her. We proceeded to Metz and Toldboden where we drank beer outside in the sunny weather. Afterwards we went to Mølla to sing karaoke. In the evening, we went to a cabin for boy scouts in Brusdal, where we made a barbecue and continued the party.
[See the photos]

Videos: [Bride's jump from Hellebroa] [Christian saves the bride]

On Saturday July 1st we went on a spontaneous camping trip to Fosen. We arrived to Åfjord, where we got ourself a cabin. After making barbecue for dinner, we went to the local pub to see the world cup quarter finals. Despite of a closed arrangement going on ("Ladies night"), they allowed us in to watch football, but we had to agree to entertain the girls with Singstar 80's after the game. Later we went to a sawmill licensed to serve beer and finally we found ourself in a local birthday party. The day after we went to Stokkøya, which is a beautiful island in the coast with a long, sandy beach. We spent the day sunbathing, barbecuing and relaxing in a scenic environment.
[Watch our photos]

I spent Easter of 2006 in Spain and Portugal. I went first to Madrid to visit a Mexican friend who studies there. From Madrid I did two excursions to Toledo and Segovia. Both of them are packed with castles, churches, forts and monuments and they have played an important role in Spain's history. After a short visit to Sevilla, I caught a bus to Lagos and the Algarve coast in Portugal. I spent some tranquil days at the many beaches hidden between cliffs and spectacular towers of sandstone. In the nights I went to party together with the many backpackers from Australia, Canada and USA. I spent the last weekend in Lisboa, a really beautiful city with 7 hills, each with a spectacular view to the river, the statue of the Christ and one of the world's longest bridges (17.2km).

[See the photos from Spain and Portugal 2006] [Highlights on MSN Spaces]

I spent my last days in Mexico in Zacatecas. This is a cozy colonial town which has a large silver mine and a cable car that takes you to the top of the nearby mountain. I got to know several people in my hostal from various european countries and also a guy from Argentina who is travelling from Alaska to Argentina on his motorbike.
[See my photos here]

I have know uploaded some more photos from Mexico. This includes images from León (where I stayed 5 months in 2005), from the colonial town Morelia in Michoacán and from the fishing village Zihuatanejo by the pacific coast

[See all my images from Mexico 2006 here] [Slideshow México 2006]

I am at the moment on a 1-month vacation trip to Mexico. Thursday I went together with 4 mexican friends to Acapulco in the southern coast of Mexico. Even though it is the middle of the winter, it is 35 degrees here. We have bought an all-inclusive package, which means that we can eat all that we want in the hotel's restaurants and we are enjoying a free bar since 11 in the mornings. Life is good!

[See my photos from Acapulco here]

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

[See my Christmas card for 2005]

Monday 5th of September Rodrigo and I went sightseeing with a "Norway In A Nutshell" ticket. This trip goes from Bergen to Myrland by train, then with the famous Flåm railway from Myrland to Flåm, a 2.5 hour cruise on the Aurland and Nærøy fjord, bus from Gudvangen to Voss and finally a train back to bergen. The Nærøy fjord is on the UNESCO World Heritage list and is a beatiful piece of Norwegian nature.[See the photos here]

Interrail 2005 contains the photos from the trip that I did with Øystein to 8 countries. We started on the 12th of August and we returned on the 4th of September. What I remember from Barcelona were the bullfight, the Gaudí cathedral and the lolitas in the beach. We got lost in the dark alleys of Marseille. Nice was our base for exploring the Côte d'Azur. In Cannes we were walking amongst Ferraris, Lamborghinis and french ladies with poodles in their purses. Afterwards in Monaco (famous for its Casino) a japanese old man collapsed various times and we had to call an ambulance; Firenze was very spectacular. I enjoyed it for two more days as Øystein spent some time with his friend Giulia in Padova. Sunny Buda and rainy Pest had its techno discos and taxi drivers that fool the tourists. Wien has an impressive museum of music, and we went to a disco with reggae music and black people wearing necklaces with embedded gold rings. Praha offers its castle, its disco with 5 floors and its jazz clubs. In Bergen we were welcomed by Tone and her future husband Øystein. We ascended the mountain only to get lost in the fog and for buying some souvenirs. In general it was a long and exciting trip. We got to know loads of nice places and interesting people, a grand variety of food, beer and wine and something that I will remember for sure for a long time... [See all the photos here]

I went to Prague on Tuesday 28th of June together with my family. My mother invited all of us to Czech Republic to celebrate her 50th birthday. We strolled along the old town and the Charles Bridge where we enjoyed foamy czech beer and delicious dinners for moderate prices. We celebrated the 50th birthday of my mother in Restaurant Reykjavik, where they surprised us with a birtyday cake for the occation. [See the photos here]

I have uploaded a series of images of my friends in Mexico and also some highlights from some of my travels around the world onto my MSN Space
[My travel highlights]   [My Mexican Friends]

Wednesday 4th of May 2005 I went together with two mexican friends to Puerto Vallarta on the west coast of Mexico. During a little less than a week, we stayed at a 4 star hotel with all meals included and open bar. During the days we enjoyed frozen daiquirís and piña coladas on the beach or in the jacuzzi. During the nights we strolled along the discos in Vallartas Malecón[See the photos]

Wednesday March 30 I went with some mexican friends to Cueramaro, which is a village in the surroundings of León. This village has various swimming pools. We went there to swim and to enjoy some cool drinks in the sun. Also we had the pleasure of having some nice chicas mexicanas in our company.

[See my photos]

During easter 2005 four friends of me from Norway visited me for two weeks in Mexico. We travelled together along the pacific coast of Mexico. We rented motorbikes and travelled from one beach to the next. We also visited the zapotecan town Oaxaca. Definitely something else than skiing in the Norwegian mountains. [See my photos]

February 14-18 2005 I participated at the conference Laser Metrology 2005 in Mérida on the Yucatan peninsula near the caribbean coast of Mexico. I spent the following weekend on vacation together with Aurora from Mérida, Joaquín from Colombia and César from Veracruz, Mexico, all of whom I met at the conference. We visited Uxmal and we traveled along the road "Ruta Puuc" where several ruins from the Maya empire can be seen.
See photos: [LM2005] [Uxmal] [Merida] [Ruta Puuc]

Sunday 30th of january my friend María Elena Enríquez and I went to San Miguel de Allende, which is a very beautiful and pleasant town in Guanajuato. A lot of foreigners have settled here to live a quiet life.

[See our photos]

January 5 2005 I went to Mexico, this time with the intentions to stay for 5 months. I am now living in Leon, which is approximately 3 hours northwest of Mexico City. I am sharing a 60² department with Arturo, who is a very good friend of mine frome Mexico. I have posted various photos, among those are photos from the mountains of Guanajuato where we went to repel. [See my photos from Mexico]

I wish you all a nice and pleasant Christmas time together with your family and friends. I will celebrate Christmas this year with my family in Engesetdal

[Christmas card 2004]

 

Saturday October 30 Lars and Ingunn invited me and my friends from the spanish course to a party in their house. They prepared for us a variety of snacks and tapas. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was most pleasant. After the supper, we had some wine, talked about our vacations to exotic places and danced a little salsa. Thanks to Lars and Ingunn for a very pleasant night.

[See photos here]

In late summer of 2004 Øystein, Kurt and Bjørn went together to Italy. Øystein was going to participate in a conference in Bari in southern Italy in the end of august, but invited Kurt and Bjørn to travel in Italy some days before the conference. We visited Venezia, Firenze, Roma, Napoli, Pompeii and Bari. I have written a travelogue and I have also posted a lot of photos from our trip

[Read my travelogue] [See our photos]

Friday the 13th of August María Elena Enríquez from Mexico visited me in Norway. We went together in my car to Trondheim, Ålesund, Hellesylt, Geiranger and Oslo before we had to say goodbye to each other on the 19th of August. Malena is a very nice and sympathic girl who I am going to miss.

Read my travelogue from our trip.

[See photos from our trip] [Read travelogue]

Øystein and Bjørn decided to go to Scotland the summer of 2004. Øystein is a passionate fan of whisky and wanted to visit its country of origin. We visited Glasgow, Edinburgh and Isle of Islay, which is a small island between Scotland and Ireland. (This island houses 7 of the best whisky destilleries in Scotland).
I have written a travelogue from this trip, and there are also loads of images in the photo album.
[Read the travelogue] [See my photos]

We decided to spend Whitsun 2004 in the mountains of Jotunheimen. The group consisted of Øystein, John Arild, Kurt, Christian, Kent, Tom Arne and Vegard. We went by car to Årdal, and we visited among other destinations the Vettisfossen waterfall. The weather was shining and the atmosphere was stunning!
[See our photos]

Saturday 22th of May I invited the group from my spanish classes to my department. The menu consisted of tortillas de maís, picadillo, frijoles refritos, salsa rojo caliente and guacamole. After the supper we had rounds of tequila and prepared cuban frozen daiquirís. All in all successful evening with friendly guests and a nice atmosphere!
[See the photos][Discussion forum]

4th of April we decided to have a Gokart contest at Heggstadmoen. We had 3 intense heats before spinning back along highway E6 to Trondheim in the Kurtmobile. In total John Arild won this time by some scarce seconds. Øystein disappointed with lap times 2 seconds worse than last time, but blamed it on the queue of drivers ahead. Daniel impressed with his efforts as a complete beginner

Departure 24.01.04, Return 01.02.2004

Øystein, Bjørn and I departured on a saturday for southern europe. After a cold taxi trip along the icy roads of Norway we finally boarded the plane. The breakfast consisted of cognac, even though the plane left at 0700. After a couple of cognacs we finally could stroll along the streets of Malaga in sunny weather and 20 degrees of temperature...

Elias celebrated his 1 year birthday on February 13 2004. This day Tor Arne and Vigdis invited us to their new department in Vikåsen [See the photos]

The 21 of september 2004 Øystein had a Mexican Party in his department where he served homemade tacos. The menu consisted of: Tortillas de maíz, Picadillo, Frijoles refritos, Salsa rojo caliente, Guacamole, Tostadas. After the supper we went on drinking tequila, cold coronas and playing salsa music.

See the photos

Øystein, Kurt and Bjørn decided to spend the summer of 2003 in Latin America. Øystein and Bjørn had almost spent a week at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark before they hooked up with Kurt in Amsterdam and traveled further to Mexico City. The trip proceeded to Guanajuato, Guadalajara and Tequila before we went by plane to the caribbean beaches of the Yucatán peninsula. After spending some hot days in Cancún, Mérida and Playa del Carmen, we went to Havana to explore a little bit of Cuba... [Visit this page for itinerary, photos and travelogue]

March 7-16 2003 the International Student Festival in Trondheim (ISFiT 2003) took place. During these days I functioned as a host for two students, namely Arturo from Mexico and Akilan from Sri Lanka. These students stayed in my department for 10 days. During these days a lot of events were organized: discussion meetings, concerts, skiing day and a lot of parties. The last weekend we organized a party in my department for more than 30 students from almost the same amount of different countries. Arturo from Mexico, Maria from Venezuela and Juan from spain prepared homemade quesadillas for everyone
[See the photos]