I am not a sport fan at all, but yesterday the Norwegian National Women’s Handball team played Russia in a tournament in Bodø. We got tickets to a full stadium and enjoyed a match where Norway won by 3 goals.
Friday, November 26, 2004
Norway vs Russia 34-31
I am not a sport fan at all, but yesterday the Norwegian National Women’s Handball team played Russia in a tournament in Bodø. We got tickets to a full stadium and enjoyed a match where Norway won by 3 goals.
The Next Week
We had a nice time and we stayed at several different beaches. We went snorkeling every day and we saw beautiful fish and corals. We also got to meet many wonderful people from Thailand and other places of the world. Thank you all!!!
We ate plenty of good food and basically had a wonderful vacation.
Because we visited the water several times a day the camera mainly stayed indoors. But below are some of the few photos we took:
We ate plenty of good food and basically had a wonderful vacation.
Because we visited the water several times a day the camera mainly stayed indoors. But below are some of the few photos we took:
Thursday, November 11, 2004
When we woke up we decided to skip breakfast at the hotel and go straight for the bus stop and get something to eat there.
We checked out and got a taxi to drive us the 10 min drive to the bus stop. It was a nice new Toyota with AC and safety belts. The thought of getting out in the heat and start looking for a bus, maybe having to wait for an hour, did not seem too compelling. I bargained with the driver and got him to drive us all the way to Ban Phe, from where we would take a ferry out to Koh Samed. (Koh = Island)
The drive took about 2 ½ hours. Nice and easy. When we got there we went to the pier and jumped on the first boat to Koh Samed. The fare is 50B one way, but they will always try to sell you roundtrip fares with their company. Children are free.
Ban Phe Pier
The trip to the main pier at Koh Samed took about 30 minutes.
Having gotten our things well on land and looking around the pier I saw a familiar face. It was a good friend of mine from work. She, her sister and her sister’s boyfriend had just arrived.
They had been travelling Vietnam for a month and this was their first stop in Thailand. It is truly a small world. We arranged to meet later.
We checked out and got a taxi to drive us the 10 min drive to the bus stop. It was a nice new Toyota with AC and safety belts. The thought of getting out in the heat and start looking for a bus, maybe having to wait for an hour, did not seem too compelling. I bargained with the driver and got him to drive us all the way to Ban Phe, from where we would take a ferry out to Koh Samed. (Koh = Island)
The drive took about 2 ½ hours. Nice and easy. When we got there we went to the pier and jumped on the first boat to Koh Samed. The fare is 50B one way, but they will always try to sell you roundtrip fares with their company. Children are free.
Ban Phe Pier
The trip to the main pier at Koh Samed took about 30 minutes.
Having gotten our things well on land and looking around the pier I saw a familiar face. It was a good friend of mine from work. She, her sister and her sister’s boyfriend had just arrived.
They had been travelling Vietnam for a month and this was their first stop in Thailand. It is truly a small world. We arranged to meet later.
We ended up at Ao Vong Duan Beach where we got a nice new bungalow with air-condition and hot/cold water for 1500 bath.
We quickly changed into bathing suits and headed for the water. So incredibly nice and warm. One could stay in forever. And everything framed by green jungle and blue sky and ocean.
Vong Deuan
We quickly changed into bathing suits and headed for the water. So incredibly nice and warm. One could stay in forever. And everything framed by green jungle and blue sky and ocean.
Vong Deuan
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Arrived at the airport in BKK at 6 am. After passing the immigration where we got our 30 day visa, we continued to the baggage claim only to find a man with my name on a paper. They had forgotten to load our luggage in Stockholm, and it would arrive on the next plane later the same day.
Only having the clothes we had on it did not seem to tempting to continue out in 30C+ without changing, so I phoned our crew hotel in BKK – the Rembrandt Hotel - and got a room there to wait for our luggage to arrive.
Then we grabbed a taxi outside the terminal that brought us straight to the hotel. It was a young male driver. He spoke some English, but not enough to make any long conversations. At one time I believe he thought that I wanted to marry him, so after clearing that up I figured that I better not ask any more questions. However I did learn from him that the taxis carry a price list of destinations outside of BKK (where they don’t use their meters). The price to Koh Samed was listed at 1800 Bath.
At the hotel I quickly fell asleep. Not having slept for 24 hours it felt quite nice.
I woke up in the late afternoon, and one our later our bag arrived. Now, I was ready to explore the city, but K, being 8 years old, had quite different plans. She insisted of going swimming in the hotel pool instead. Having this a father daughter vacation – I had to give in.
The next two hours we spent swimming, while the sun settled and the city lights came on.
Only having the clothes we had on it did not seem to tempting to continue out in 30C+ without changing, so I phoned our crew hotel in BKK – the Rembrandt Hotel - and got a room there to wait for our luggage to arrive.
Then we grabbed a taxi outside the terminal that brought us straight to the hotel. It was a young male driver. He spoke some English, but not enough to make any long conversations. At one time I believe he thought that I wanted to marry him, so after clearing that up I figured that I better not ask any more questions. However I did learn from him that the taxis carry a price list of destinations outside of BKK (where they don’t use their meters). The price to Koh Samed was listed at 1800 Bath.
At the hotel I quickly fell asleep. Not having slept for 24 hours it felt quite nice.
I woke up in the late afternoon, and one our later our bag arrived. Now, I was ready to explore the city, but K, being 8 years old, had quite different plans. She insisted of going swimming in the hotel pool instead. Having this a father daughter vacation – I had to give in.
The next two hours we spent swimming, while the sun settled and the city lights came on.
The girls had left when I arrived.
Later we took the Skytrain towards the PanTipPlaza which I just had to visit. PanTip is one of the world’s largest electronic shopping malls. The shops just started closing when we arrived so I did not get to spend much time there this time. I guess K was happy though.
We then walked the BKK streets for some time. Incredible how cheap things are over here.
K became very hot and tired of all the smells and pollution. I was thinking about staying one more day in the city, but seeing her made me change my mind, and I decided that we were going to the Island tomorrow.
We ended up late at our hotel where we had a late dinner at a Mexican restaurant.
Friday, November 12, 2004
Bangkok
We were lucky and got the last two seats out of Stockholm. Have arrived at Koh Samed and I am sitting in the seabreeze writing this. Lovely.
Monday, November 08, 2004
Thailand - again
K and I are leaving for Thailand early tomorrow. It will be a long day (and night). We leave at 7.25 in the morning, traveling via Oslo and Stockholm. Hopefully we will get on the first flight which will take us to Bangkok at midnight Norwegian time. Otherwise we shall have to travel on via Copenhagen and arrive 10 hours later.
We might stay for one night in Bangkok - or we travel directly to Kho Samed. Time will show.
We might stay for one night in Bangkok - or we travel directly to Kho Samed. Time will show.
Doom
Doom III
For the last three days I have been playing Doom 3 on my PC. The first hour I sat on the front of my chair and jumped up every time a new creature or loud noise appeared. Now, I have achieved the more relaxed attitude of a veteran. Actually the whole thing has started to bore me a bit, but I have to finish it.
Astronomy
Saturn
The other day K and I went to a 90 min lecture in Astronomy at the Norwegian Aviation Museum.
It was held by Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard. He has been a lot in the Norwegian media the last two years due to an unusual amount of “space happenings”
It was fun and interesting for both K and me. Knut Ødegaard has a childish enthusiasm when he talks. He even made an attempt on the chicken dance as he explained how storms got started at Mars.
The auditorium was fully booked. I actually had to stand in the doorway to watch – and several people were rejected at the entry.
In my earlier days I attended a 48 hour evening course in astronomy.
Monday, November 01, 2004
Dear Americans
When you go out to vote tomorrow - please vote to bring the US back into the world!
Remember: If you are not paying attention - shit happens!
Best of luck with your elections!
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