The flight from Singapore to Adelaide was just so lucious! I don't think I've ever enjoyed a flight so much in my life! Singapore Airlines is the BEST!!! There was a little screen in front of me and it offered me games - tv shows - and films, all in my control! There was also a phone there so I could call other seats on the plane for free! It was hard to resist the temptation!! Hehe! So basically I hardly slept - which I was supposed to do since we were flying at night!
So meating up with the Australia branch of my family felt very much like a dream, because I was so sleep deprived. But it was fun. We had our own little Christmas here and it was such a joy seeing the excitement in my nephew's eyes! I haven't seen them in 5 years! Can you imagine? Needless to say, we played loads of Wii!!!
The day after we went to a wildlife park. For a Norwegian, it was really bizarre hearing things like "Oh, we have better parrots at home!" and "Yeah! We had a kuala bear in our garden one time!". You know, they actually put nets in the middle of the highway so that kuala bears can climb over the divide?
The creatures around the house are weird. The birds have strange noises - one sounds like an annoying alarm clock. And my sister and brother-in-law keep turning on the WoW so virtual creatures are all around as well!!!
Yesterday we went to a hotel for lunch - apparently not what it sounds like. A bar, a pub, a restaurant and slot machines (pokies) - no rooms!
This morning we went to the beach, which was lovely!!! And now we're off to see the town!!!
I've completely fallen head over heals for my nephews and the family dog, Buzz!!! I really wanna take them with me in my suitcase!
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Christmas in Singapore
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Well...it was all a bit odd really, yet extremely pleasant!
Arriving in Singapore, I had one important task! Dad's Christmas present which was to be a trouser presser. Dad, like any other sane person, hates ironing and the family had come together to buy this for him. So I would say that my first two days in Singapore were spent going to different shops and having very nice people looking at me blankly. I couldn't find one anywhere! And imagine my shock when I learned that Wii hadn't come to Singapore yet - and I had planned to buy Zelda for my darling nephews! Definitely the last time I arrive to a place with a shopping list. It was just too disappointing and time consuming!
Having said that, though, shopping in Singapore is just blissful! You wouldn't think it, because there's soooo many people, specially right before Christmas, but they were happy!!! I never saw any parents yelling at their kids or any signs of stress at all. It was just joyus all around. Long ques and annoying Christmas tunes all round - but no angry people - which Bergen must have been packed with! It was lovely!!!
On Christmas Eve - I woke up to the usual Christmas stocking presents! I am just such a spoiled little brat!
At night we were off to a Christmas Party with the my dad's company. It was all a bit bizarre for us - since it was Christmas Eve. But lovely food and loads of entertainment. Among them there was an Indian Singaporian cross dresser who apparently is a big celebrity. I, however didn't understand one sixth of what she was saying.
Christmas Day was spent just lounging and eating great food! We went into town for a Christmas festival at night. I don't really know how to describe that experience. There was loads of glitter and lights and little booths with The Virgin Mary (I kid you not) where you could have your picture taken. It was weird seeing Christmas celebrated as a festival, yet really refreshing as well! People were having such a good time and so was I! At the end of our walk we came to a huge stage with an enormous colorful choir singing traditional Christmas songs! Mom had tears in her eyes! When they finished we suddenly heard some loud drums and REALLY dramatic synth sounds and on stage was Josef and Mary looking for a manger! I couldn't help but laugh - it was all so extremely dramatic. And when Josef tossed his robe and started singing "I've got the music in me" - ohhh - it was just GREAT!!!
There's just sooooooo much to tell! It's hard to sum up when I haven't been writing all day! So sorry! And I'll come back and fix the pictures later on tonight! Now - I need to play some Wii with my adorable nephews! Yep - I'm in Adelaide, Australia now! I had a nap after arriving last yesterday and when I woke up I wasn't sure which continent I was on!
Oh - by the way! We're without plans on New Years Eve (Singapore) anyone out there have any recommendations?
Well...it was all a bit odd really, yet extremely pleasant!
Arriving in Singapore, I had one important task! Dad's Christmas present which was to be a trouser presser. Dad, like any other sane person, hates ironing and the family had come together to buy this for him. So I would say that my first two days in Singapore were spent going to different shops and having very nice people looking at me blankly. I couldn't find one anywhere! And imagine my shock when I learned that Wii hadn't come to Singapore yet - and I had planned to buy Zelda for my darling nephews! Definitely the last time I arrive to a place with a shopping list. It was just too disappointing and time consuming!
Having said that, though, shopping in Singapore is just blissful! You wouldn't think it, because there's soooo many people, specially right before Christmas, but they were happy!!! I never saw any parents yelling at their kids or any signs of stress at all. It was just joyus all around. Long ques and annoying Christmas tunes all round - but no angry people - which Bergen must have been packed with! It was lovely!!!
On Christmas Eve - I woke up to the usual Christmas stocking presents! I am just such a spoiled little brat!
At night we were off to a Christmas Party with the my dad's company. It was all a bit bizarre for us - since it was Christmas Eve. But lovely food and loads of entertainment. Among them there was an Indian Singaporian cross dresser who apparently is a big celebrity. I, however didn't understand one sixth of what she was saying.
Christmas Day was spent just lounging and eating great food! We went into town for a Christmas festival at night. I don't really know how to describe that experience. There was loads of glitter and lights and little booths with The Virgin Mary (I kid you not) where you could have your picture taken. It was weird seeing Christmas celebrated as a festival, yet really refreshing as well! People were having such a good time and so was I! At the end of our walk we came to a huge stage with an enormous colorful choir singing traditional Christmas songs! Mom had tears in her eyes! When they finished we suddenly heard some loud drums and REALLY dramatic synth sounds and on stage was Josef and Mary looking for a manger! I couldn't help but laugh - it was all so extremely dramatic. And when Josef tossed his robe and started singing "I've got the music in me" - ohhh - it was just GREAT!!!
There's just sooooooo much to tell! It's hard to sum up when I haven't been writing all day! So sorry! And I'll come back and fix the pictures later on tonight! Now - I need to play some Wii with my adorable nephews! Yep - I'm in Adelaide, Australia now! I had a nap after arriving last yesterday and when I woke up I wasn't sure which continent I was on!
Oh - by the way! We're without plans on New Years Eve (Singapore) anyone out there have any recommendations?
Monday, December 25, 2006
Security Stress
I haven't been traveling for quite some time so several things annoyed me on the trip to Singapore.
Firstly checking in in Bergen turned out to be quite a hassle - mom and I had excess luggage. Mom was over the 32 kilo limit, so we had to open our suitcases and start rearranging everything in front of the the counter, which was stressful. Hey! Don't judge us! It's Christmas and the fact that my dad was certain that they didn't have coffee makers here in Singapore didn't help either! Oh well - then off to pass through security which was downright awful! Flesland (Bergen Airport) seriously needs to re-think their customer service. I'm fine with the fact that I needed to take out my computer and the oh so ridiculous liquid bag and my jacket and my shoes and put them in these plastic container type things - but it would be nice if they actually made sure there were enough plastic containers and room to collect and re-pack and dress after the control. A smile wouldn't be out of hand either. Also, my dad has a favorite type of lighter that he can't find in Singapore - so I had bought four of them with me. As a precaution and also as a bit of a joke - I had put these lighters in my liquids bag. Stupid me! Because I was then told off and told that I could only have 2 lighters with me (never mind the other three I had loosely in my bag) - so mom needed to take the other two. Then they turned their back on me and I had to stressfully put my jacket back on, computer in bag again, shoes and urgh - the stress! In my opinion they could at the very least create some space for people to rearrange their stuff after security - but service obviously isn't a priority!
Then it was the tax free shopping! Urgh! We bought our limit of tobacco and alcohol and lots and lots of candy. Approaching the counter - the lady didn't want to sell us the alcohol because she thought Singapore is in the States! Then, because of the sealed bag crap - we asked nicely if she wouldn't mind distributing the weighty things into two bags - but she thought she could fit it all into one and refused to listen to us - of course we were right and she was wrong! So we ended up with one really heavy bag and one really light one! Now! We get the sealed bags - but we have to put these bags into carrier bags ourselves - again - no freakin space to do this in! Argh - I was sooooooooooooo freakin annoyed!
Finally off to Amsterdam where I was sure that I would be thrown out of the airport. Yet again - more security and extremely little space to unload and undress and the tiniest little plastic containers to put everything in! Oh - and my liquids bag was apparently a tad to big so I had to stuff my bag into a smaller one, which at least was given me, so kudos for that. After unloading all my crap and distributing it in tiny containers everything just stopped. The staff just stood there hands in pocket and joked among themselves having a hoot of a time, while I had no idea what was going on! My cheeks were red with stress and in the end I had to ask "Excuse me, what's going on?!". Where 3 staff members hostily ganged up on me and started yelling that there was a technical problem with the scan thing. I was so provoked - and I couldn't help saying "You know...it would be nice to be told that instead of just leaving me standing here clueless!". Oh the looks and the hostility! I just needed to shut up out of fear for being thrown out for being disrupted!!!
On the plane I suddenly realized that I hadn't been able to buy a sealed airport approved bottle of water nor had I been able to find a tiny toothbrush and toothpaste packaged which would be approved for flying. Oh well - of course six hours into the flight the cabin crew had disappeared for the 'night' and I was absolutely dying of thirst. Sitting in the middle of two heavy leaning (towards me) sleepers didn't help much either. I had three hours of thirst before I finally managed to crawl out to get some water. A little tip - maybe give passengers a sealed and approved bottle of water when they enter the plane? Flying is seriously dehydrating - and it would have been nice to have my usual bottle of water near me. I honestly don't understand why more people don't get hostile when flying - I was ready to explode several times.
Jepp - very much to complain about, of course - what else is a travel blog about? Hehe!
Firstly checking in in Bergen turned out to be quite a hassle - mom and I had excess luggage. Mom was over the 32 kilo limit, so we had to open our suitcases and start rearranging everything in front of the the counter, which was stressful. Hey! Don't judge us! It's Christmas and the fact that my dad was certain that they didn't have coffee makers here in Singapore didn't help either! Oh well - then off to pass through security which was downright awful! Flesland (Bergen Airport) seriously needs to re-think their customer service. I'm fine with the fact that I needed to take out my computer and the oh so ridiculous liquid bag and my jacket and my shoes and put them in these plastic container type things - but it would be nice if they actually made sure there were enough plastic containers and room to collect and re-pack and dress after the control. A smile wouldn't be out of hand either. Also, my dad has a favorite type of lighter that he can't find in Singapore - so I had bought four of them with me. As a precaution and also as a bit of a joke - I had put these lighters in my liquids bag. Stupid me! Because I was then told off and told that I could only have 2 lighters with me (never mind the other three I had loosely in my bag) - so mom needed to take the other two. Then they turned their back on me and I had to stressfully put my jacket back on, computer in bag again, shoes and urgh - the stress! In my opinion they could at the very least create some space for people to rearrange their stuff after security - but service obviously isn't a priority!
Then it was the tax free shopping! Urgh! We bought our limit of tobacco and alcohol and lots and lots of candy. Approaching the counter - the lady didn't want to sell us the alcohol because she thought Singapore is in the States! Then, because of the sealed bag crap - we asked nicely if she wouldn't mind distributing the weighty things into two bags - but she thought she could fit it all into one and refused to listen to us - of course we were right and she was wrong! So we ended up with one really heavy bag and one really light one! Now! We get the sealed bags - but we have to put these bags into carrier bags ourselves - again - no freakin space to do this in! Argh - I was sooooooooooooo freakin annoyed!
Finally off to Amsterdam where I was sure that I would be thrown out of the airport. Yet again - more security and extremely little space to unload and undress and the tiniest little plastic containers to put everything in! Oh - and my liquids bag was apparently a tad to big so I had to stuff my bag into a smaller one, which at least was given me, so kudos for that. After unloading all my crap and distributing it in tiny containers everything just stopped. The staff just stood there hands in pocket and joked among themselves having a hoot of a time, while I had no idea what was going on! My cheeks were red with stress and in the end I had to ask "Excuse me, what's going on?!". Where 3 staff members hostily ganged up on me and started yelling that there was a technical problem with the scan thing. I was so provoked - and I couldn't help saying "You know...it would be nice to be told that instead of just leaving me standing here clueless!". Oh the looks and the hostility! I just needed to shut up out of fear for being thrown out for being disrupted!!!
On the plane I suddenly realized that I hadn't been able to buy a sealed airport approved bottle of water nor had I been able to find a tiny toothbrush and toothpaste packaged which would be approved for flying. Oh well - of course six hours into the flight the cabin crew had disappeared for the 'night' and I was absolutely dying of thirst. Sitting in the middle of two heavy leaning (towards me) sleepers didn't help much either. I had three hours of thirst before I finally managed to crawl out to get some water. A little tip - maybe give passengers a sealed and approved bottle of water when they enter the plane? Flying is seriously dehydrating - and it would have been nice to have my usual bottle of water near me. I honestly don't understand why more people don't get hostile when flying - I was ready to explode several times.
Jepp - very much to complain about, of course - what else is a travel blog about? Hehe!
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