Back on Svalbard

On Tuesday the both of us arrived in Longyearbyen again. We were delayed one night due to bad weather with rain and warm weather in Longyearbyen. Therefore SAS gave us a hotel, some food and let us spend the night in Tromsø. Thereby Anna got time for some early January shopping in Tromsø ;0)
The both of us have had the flu since the latter part of the old year, but then it almost went away and the we had a fall back a few days before leaving for Svalbard. This week I have been working, most of my colleagues are on a conference in Oslo. Finally I have started getting better and Anna as well. She has been home for most of the week enjoying life. She got a substitute work (one day) in the tourist info yesterday, so it was good for her to get out of the apartment for one day ;0)

There is more snow here now, compared to last year. The temperature has been very much up and down, from -12 to +2 degrees. There is no sign of ice in the fjords, due to warm waters in the fjords. The scientists up here say we might have the same situation as last year, meaning no sea-ice...

Enjoy your week-end friends

The end of one year and the beginning of another...

My parents house in Sætre, Norway

Today is the first day of a new year and also the end of last year. A lot of things have happened. We have lived the whole year in Svalbard, both working - me as a Geologist and Anna as a substitute at the tourist information. Hopefully Anna will get a full-time job in the new year.

We are both happy where we are, but it is no secret that we both wishes to return to Iceland one day...
In 2012 we got a new and bigger apartment in Longyearbyen, which meant we needed to buy a lot of furnitures, we also bought a car called "Bamsemums" even though there is only 45 km of roads ;0)

In May Anna was in Copenhagen visiting friends
In July I went to Iceland for a week to attend the clan meeting of my "Kaldalóns" family
In September I was working as a guide and lecturer on board the cruise-ship MV FRAM, from Svalbard to Iceland via Greenland, while Anna was on vacation in Iceland. After the cruise job we stayed another 10 days in Iceland.
In November we went on a "speed" tour to Northern England and Scotland, were we also got ENGAGED in a wee castle close to the Isle of Skye.
Anna spent most of December in Iceland on holidays while I was working. I spent Christmas with my family in Norway and then I spent New Years  in Iceland.
Unfortunately I managed to spend the last days of the old year and the beginning of the new year with the flu...but I am getting better ;0)

I wish all my friends far and near all the best for 2013 and hope to see most of you somewhere... :D

Christmas dinner, ducks

New Years eve in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland

Íceland tomorrow

Tomorrow morning I will fly to Iceland and meet Anna and spend a lot of time in the the heitapottur :D

Christmas has been good to me, presents, family visiting and lots of snow. This morning it started raining though...My brother and his family just left for their home-town in SW Norway.

Christmas holidays

Thursday evening I arrived at my parents place, outside Oslo.
There wasn´t much snow but by next morning we had 20 cm of freshly new fallen snow outside. I spent some time getting rid of the snow, but in the afternoon it started snowing again. Annas´father came for a lunch visit. He is visiting Annas´older brother who lives with his family in Oslo. Annas´father is helping them fixing an apartment they have just bought. After lunch my father and I drove him back to Oslo and at the same time we could have a look at Siggis new apartment.
This morning the temperature had risen so now all the snow is wet and during the day it has been mostly sleet and rain...so much for winter...

My plan is to stay in Oslo until the 27th, when I fly to Iceland to spend New Years Eve...in the jacuzzi ;0)

We have gotten quite some snow the last couple of days, but the temperatures have risen so everything turned into a really slippery and wet winter weather...

Anna left for Iceland

On Friday Anna left for Iceland. She will have a good long vacation with her family and friends. Frist she stayed one night with her brother in Oslo, before coming back to Hafnarfjörður.
I will start my vacation on Thursday, but will be spending most of my time in Oslo.

Day 8, Edinburgh to Norway

This very Saturday morning we had to leave Edinburgh and our vacation had come to an end. Hopefully we will be back one day to explore the beauty of Scotland and Northern England. Next time we will try to spend more time in one area instead of seeing a lot in few days ;0) You can call this trip a recce trip to find out where to spend time next...
We are of to Oslo and then me fly on to Svalbard Sunday morning, after spending the night at my parents place!

Day 7, Edinburgh

For the first time on our trip, we spent two nights on the same place! Our view from the hotel-room was fantastic, overlooking Edingburgh castle. The day was spent walking around in sunshine (for the first time) looking at the city and to buy Anna a engagement ring (diamonds are a girls best friend ;0))

 

Edinburgh is a very old and beautifull city, situated in a facinating landscape with hills and crags and close to the sea. Especially the old parts of the city is very interesting to walk around in. We found several good pubs and restaurants for dinner and lunch. The food and the ale was delicious and we would like to come back one day.

 

Calton Hill

Calton Hill

West Gardens

Edinburgh Castle