I have too many thoughts in my head

Hi there. I'm back. Again. It's been a while. Been busy living. . .

All these winding roads and labyrinths we have to get lost in. I have started all over again and again and again. Two years ago I started traveling the world alone. I visited Australia, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Norway again, back to Thailand, and now suddenly I find myself relocated in a small British country town. THIS IS ENGLAND. I now face new daily challenges like two separate water taps on almost every sink (one where you burn your hand off and one where you freeze) and other small unimportant things we Scandinavians find funny or interesting when traveling beyond our own borders. I am not taking the piss, I am happy to say that I do not have too many worries at the moment. I am fighting nightmares and old ghosts though, but I know when the winter is over there will be a new spring. I know like all the billion buds will flower I will eventually blossom as well. It will take time. Time to create a new perception of the world we’re all so confused and living in. The past years I have spent so much time running away from my old life I almost forgot to live now. Always holding my guard, looking back over my shoulder. I am so fed up with being afraid all the time. Sun is shining outside my window, yet I only stare out at it, not yet capable of moving my sad lazy ass out there to enjoy it. Lazy, that’s what depression makes you. I don’t even feel sad, but I know it’s lurking behind there somewhere.

It is strange being a foreigner in a country so similar yet so undeniably different from your own. I feel like I’m lost in translation half the time. But this is the place I want to be. I have decided to make a new life here for the time being… Forever lost. I never expected to end up here. Strange, how life twists and turns sometimes. Life is slowly adapting and changing for the better. I have met so many beautiful and inspirational souls the past years of traveling I almost find it hard to memorize them all. I sit here with a heart heavy with gratitude. We have so much to learn from each other, by absorbing new scenery’s, by drinking wine, passing joints and making conversation. In this western world I feel like everyone is striving inside their own bubbles. Their own self constructed universes displayed on screens, shining with glorified pictures of the life we hope so eagerly the rest of world will remember us for…

Alien, that’s the word I’m looking for. Alienation. Hibernation. I know there are others with the same kind of mindset. It will just take some time. I will crawl out of my hole. Did I mention that I have already started? One third, at least! I work as a drama teacher for year 5 and 6 at a school once a week. KARMA. WIN. HARD WORK PAYS IN HAPPINESS. Now all I need to do is convince them to pay me some actual pounds as well. It still feels good to do what I love the most. Working with kids and theatre make me think good things of the world.

I am still traveling. Still it feels just like yesterday I left Gardermoen Airport in Oslo, heading in direction Heathrow – Hong Kong – Brisbane. I left everything I knew behind. And I haven’t looked back since. Maybe, that is only half way a lie. As far as home is concerned, I cling to the ones I love and see them on Skype whenever we feel it’s been far too long. I didn’t post much when I was exploring South-East Asia. But, some scribbles made it to the world-wide web.

I became a part of a marine conservation group (Eco Koh Tao) when I was living as a PADI divemaster in Thailand. I wrote some articles during my Eco Internship at Crystal Dive: Project AWARE – Eco Koh Tao – Mooring Line Project –  Reef Check Ecodiver Course. Feel free to have a look.

It’s late afternoon. Time to force myself to go outside. Sun is shining. Put my shades on. I will update more later I promise.

Tunes: Listening to Skambankt – Voodoo. I’m sorry if Norwegian is a bit tough to understand, but this song describes all the thoughts in my head right now. It just makes sense. Listen to the tune anyway, they don’t only have real lyrics they also got bad ass guitars.

 

Love and light, Kris xx xx

Sunshine State & North Stradbroke Island

Life is finally as it should be. Yesterday a new Aussie friend of mine let me
borrow a skateboard and an acoustic guitar. I'm the happiest kiddo alive.

Everything’s okay now. It’s all really challenging you know, traveling around and living together with people with extremely diverse interests and needs. I’m like used to live pretty much on my own, have my own bathroom in my own flat etc. And why is normal hygiene always a big issue among flatmates? Fuck, pardon my language. I seem to have grown into a nagging old freak or something. Probably not that bad, but I can’t wait to be the queen of my own castle again. Won’t be that long though. Just ordered flight tickets to Perth, where I’m going alone to visit some family for about ten days. November 6th – 17th. Lovely! Can’t wait. Even though they got sharks, the surf in Perth is said to be awesome. I’ll go there four days after I come back from our two week trip to Vietnam where we travel as a group. I also ordered tickets to the Harvest Festival in Brisbane – November 18th. Santigold, Dark Dark Dark, The War On Drugs, Fuck Buttons, Dark Horses, Grizzly Bear, The Dandy Warhols, and Sigur Rós are some of the headliners. !!! Anyway. Saw some autumn pictures from Norway earlier today, and I noticed that the only thing I miss except my folks are the colours. Explored more of West End of Brisbane together with my new friend James yesterday, and found a music pub which serves nachos and live music. For my major assignment I have decided to explore how up-and-coming bands in the Queensland area can afford to keep on traveling around playing gigs, record and make music. My main focus will be how new bands work their way up from nothing to become recognised bands that actually get paid and gain profit from their concerts.

Most common, just like for us back in Norway, independent and unsigned bands play gigs for free just to get recognised by the audience. There’s a long way to go – to get acknowledged by the bigger crowds. I’ve been to a couple of band-stand nights already, but I guess there will be more research and digging into the musical environments here in Brisbane the upcoming weeks. Think I’ll place a holdon the AC/DC bibliography at the library. Gotta start somewhere. Now I have to focus on environmental issues faced in Norway and Australia. Minor assignment. Yay. Outside the sun is shining and the city streets are overflowing with kids and families back home on holiday. Tomorrow, hopefully, I’ll go to Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise or Byron Bay. Been trying to get someone or anyone from my class to join me for like three weeks (I seriously can’t believe people can be that dull), and I’m starting to realise I’m a lonely weirdo on this trip. But, now that I got a skateboard to follow me I guess I don’t mind fooling around on my own.

Last week we visited North Stradbroke Island, located in the state of Queensland, 30 km southeast of the capital Brisbane. Wikipedia says that before 1896 the island was part of the Stradbroke Island. In that year a storm separated it from South Stradbroke Island, forming the Jumpinpin Channel. It is known colloquially as Straddie. To get there we had to take a ferry from Cleveland to Dunwich for about forty minutes, and then our hippie bus took us to the other side of the island, up North to Cylinder Beach where we went for a swim in the Coral Sea. Afterwards we went back to near Dunwich for a boomerang and digeridoo workshop.

It’s a jungle out there! Heading for the salty water. Finally.

I’m a crazy tree lover so you can imagine how fascinated I get. The forests in Aussie is far more interesting than the boring Norwegian ones. Last week I climbed one just to get away from everything and everyone, at Kangaroo Point where I live. Trees. Haha. Recorded and made a song of it too. Monkey in a tree, that’s me.

A shame we didn’t go to the other side of the island, Main Beach, where the surf spots are located. Next time!

Since I came to Aussie I’ve been swimming in rivers, hot springs, pools and stuff, but nothing beats the ocean. I almost started crying when we finally got there. I’m too sentimental, I know.

Awesome! Looks just like the woods in Jurassic Park! And there’s baby dinosaurs all over the place! They say Australia has 755 species of reptiles, making it the country with the highest number in the world.

I just love sand between my toes. Sand, sand, sand. Waves, waves, waves. Ah, life. I guess I love my life right now.

Best feeling ever, except from surfing green, sweet waves.

Me and some other classmates at the beach!

Guess the picture speaks for itself. We had fun there body surfing and splashing around for an hour or so before we saw …

A live koala in a tree!!! Unfortunately he or she find herself living in the middle of a street in neighbourhood where you find dogs, cars and other things that would kill you – if you were a koala.

Then we went to learn some more about indigenous dance and music traditions.

Digeridoo. Women aren’t allowed to play, but lucky me has tried one of those back in Norway. The man who led the workshop was carzy good at it, and we were all dragged into the atmosphere and sounds he created with the digeridoo. He demonstrated and played us a song or a story, imitating different kinds of birds, water, humans and so on while he was playing.

Me and some of my classmates. Photo by Henriette Gauteplass Rygg.

Anne Berit in the mood. Instruments used for all sorts of occasions – like dancing traditional dances. We also learnt some hunting and fishing dances, but I didn’t get any pictures from it.

I had to try them too!

Indigenous face paint. Afterwards the awesome digeridoo-man painted all of our faces with clay, the native way.

Our mission for the day. Painting our own boomerangs!

All in deep concentration. Focused. Just like children’s school – we kids loved it!

Then suddenly it started raining, a storm on the way, and I had to finish my boomerang under a table. Photo by Una Brännström Sverdrup.

Photo by Una Brännström Sverdrup.

Me and my crappy painted boomerang. Photo by Una Brännström Sverdrup.

Haha. Then we we’re throwing boomerangs till the storm arrived.

Raining outside, happy kiddo and her new toy. Photo by Henriette Gauteplass Rygg.

Storm. It was raining cats and dogs and cows and whales and what have you. Photo by Una Brännström Sverdrup.

TUNEZ TODAY: FOO FIGHTERS – ONE BY ONE. Been listening to the album on repeat the last couple of days. And to the rest of you readers, I’ll be back with more photos and updates from Aussie later. Love K.

Back O’ Bourke

First night in Bourke went well, we’re staying with a charming family  who runs a restaurant and a motel in town. Just had a nice breakfast with scrambled eggs and bread at their restaurant named Diggers On The Darling. Our house is lying on the riverbank next to the Darling River. Now two girls from our class showed up and we’re off to our first photography lessons. Got my camera with me! Tomorrow I’ll add a bunch of pictures I promise you! Got so many beautiful views to show you. Peace and love from the outback, K.

Australian outback – Back O’ Bourke – that’s the place. Here they just call it paradise and I can see why…

HAPPY!!! Kangaroo and it’s alive! At least it was yesterday. It almost got hit by a huge truck as it tried to cross the road.

Me posing and playing with shadows.

Going down under

Last Monday I hit the road first by train, from Asker to Gardermoen. There I managed to get through the pass ports, drop my luggage at the right spot, find my classmates, and I even got onto the aircraft in time. Amazing. Been so stressed up I’ve hardly slept the last week. Now my entire world is turned up side down, and I finally find myself down under.

At Heathrow Airport in London I had the worst American pancakes ever. So glad I didn’t get sick or threw up on the plane. Anyway, after 40 hors of travel all of us – 16 girls and 4 boys, got pass the security guards at Brisbane Airport. In Hong Kong I saw the most beautiful sunrise ever, and I even got it on tape in 16:9. Hoho! We had a chill hangout there for like 6 hours, and experienced China for the first time. Lost in translation.

China is NICE. Living the dream! Could not upload more photos ’cause of the horrible internet connection.

The passed week I’ve not had any thrustful internet connection, and truth is that in Australia it’s horribly expensive. Right now I am at a shabby motel in Goondiwindi in New South Wales. Last night we were out on a local pub and it really was a good time. Guess we all got to know each other a little better. Hilarious! Had so many wasted laughs… Norwegians. Stupid Vikings. In an hour or so we’ll hit the road again heading for Bourke and the Australian outback. There we’ll stay for a week living with local host families. I’m really excited. Aboriginal culture, boomerang workshop, guided tours through the landscape, and outback bugs. One of the nights we’ll sleep under the massive sky and the Milkyway. The star constellations are insane. So up side down. Everything. Can’t wait to get out there. Tomorrow the lessons start, and photography is the first thing on the menu. We go by bus, a hippie-like small one managed and driven by two chill teachers from Griffith University. On our way out here yesterday I saw the phenomenon road kill. Dead kangaroos in countless numbers. The usually get hit by trucks in the morning hours. Makes me sad. Luckily I think I saw some alive ones too, and some wild goats. Now I have to go, and hopefully I will find some internet access in Bourke, and give you guys a better update. I’ll add some pictures just to get my folks at home really jealous – when I come to my host family. Gonna live together with Anne Berit, a cute friend of mine. I talked to my mum the other day and the temperature back home says 7° and there’s snow in the mountains. The last week I’ve shopped a 2nd hand vintage hat, and Australian classic, a Stetson, and three beautiful summer dresses. Second hand heaven is named Vulture Street, West End, Brisbane. HEART. Fuck, so happy I found that area. Wish my girls could have been there with me. Miss them so much. Right now I’m skyping with my homies back in Tomrefjord. Love and light K.

Bye bye Norway

Caught in a turmoil, makes my head spin.

Akkurat nå må jeg skrive på norsk. Ord kan ikke beskrive. Reisefeber!!! Skal straks legge meg og late som jeg sover i litt under fire timer. Sjukt at jeg reiser ifra alt og alle. Ikke en dag for tidlig! Blir godt å savne hjem!

Meg og en kompis!

Had to write some Norwegian… And then I’m suddenly on my way! Can’t wait to update later. Internet ain’t faithful and is probably ditching me again any second. Gotta be fast – My plane takes off from Gardermoen Airport 0750. 8 hours and then…. I don’t know really. It sure gonna be a big adventure. Heathrow first, then Hong Kong and finally Brisbane. 40 hours travel. Cross all my legs and fingers I wont get my period or catch a cold during the flight. Fuck, such irritating things tend to haunt me – especially when I’m up so something. Had my ups and downs today freaking out a bit and stuff but I think I’m all good to go now. Crazy…. Tomorrow I’ll be long gone. AWESOME! Now I just have to say goodbye to my friends. -Cry me a river jus like Dustin! Fuck, again. Pardon my language. Cupid is stupid. I get so sentimental. EMO. But it’s all good. It’s really all good… Love K.

Butterflies

They sure got an extra pair of wings, those butterflies in my stomach.

As I’m writing these words I’ve just started my adventure. This weekend me and some beloved lady-friends of mine went to the oldest known rock festival in Norway – Glopperock. Good times. I got a thing for these small festivals. Last Thursday me and my band VITO performed four songs at Open Mic in Volda. Last night we had our last jam session in 6 months. Got a Thin Lizzy LP – Black Rose A Rock Legend, as a going-away-present from my drummer. Then I got REALLY sentimental, and wrote a new song. Tears wont stop us being productive! Now I’m back in Tomrefjorden to say some good byes to my family. Gonna miss them, much! After a stressful summer I eventually notice the seasons ripe for change. Tomorrow I’ll head for the rail way station, one hour drive to a small town called Åndalsnes, located in the middle of Møre og Romsdal. Then it’s off to the state capital Oslo, baby. Then to Asker, to visit my love Nico. Monday September 3rd calendar says byebye everything I know – hello AUSTRALIA.

Along with 19 other fellow students on the Austral-Asian Culture program I’m going down under. To see the sun, to taste the salt water.. To get away. To the land of convicts, explorers, and adventures. Tomorrow on the train I’ll start dig down in history. A concise history of Australia – by Stewart Macintyre, pensum. Kangaroos and wallabies. Crocodiles and sharks! Can’t wait to see one! Got the rest of my stuff packed today. Credit card, passport, and my backpacker sack – CHECK! Hope everything goes smoothly with the tickets and stuff. Everything’s good to go. But, I guess with my pre history of bad karma I’ll forget my luggage at the wrong platform, oversleep, or get stuck in the doorway or something.. On the other hand I’m the luckies daydreaming bum since mom will take me to the train station. I’m not too good with time tables, busses, or any public transport, no doubt about that. I’ll cross my legs, arms, and fingers just to be sure… My sense of direction and intuition will be far more better in the next couple of weeks, I wish. Never thought it would be easy to get outta here. This great big challenge, I’ll have it anyway.

At the end of our first week in Brisbane our class will head out on a field trip to the outback of New South Wales, Bourke. I’ll post an update on the excursion later! The following five weeks I’ll be sharing apartment and travel with two happy guitar playing blokes named Martin and Marius, and an open minded globetrotter named Anne Berit. We don’t know each other that much yet, but I have to say at this point I’m pretty excited! Hippie spirit! That’s it for now. Gotta catch some rest before the new day arrives. Take care. Love K.

TUNEZ TODAY:  The Distillers – Coral Fang (Album)

School’s up

Got all these nerves in a bundle. Don’t know if I’m scared, awkwardly shy, or just bashful about telling folks how I really feel. My knees are shaking, and inside my head – though I have never been there – I swear it’s JUST like Disneyland. Everything’s blinking, beeping, twisting, and turning. Bet some of it’s jumping too.

View from the place we’re staying in Brisbane – Kangaroo Point. I can get used to this!!! Mad. Pic downloaded here.

First thing I gained today was the knowledge that if you go East it takes one hour drive from Brisbane to locate the first surf spots. Up North, approximately one and half hour drive before you get great shores and waves. Whoop! I also learned the fact that I’ll have to befriend a surf-loving driver who’s in the possession of a real driver’s license. Or, I knew that already, BUT, we’ve been talking about this well known phenomenon – long distances. Very long distances. On the Australian continent there’s a lot of them. I guess I’ll forget about my favorite  activity as a non-driving hippie; walking. That was a joke, I prefer skating and bicycling. But neither will do. Gotta learn how to trust planes and cars. If there’s anyone in the Queensland area who’s up for surf in the middle of September let me know!

First day in my new class, and we’ve just started with the introduction course of the Austral-Asian program. Been chatting with some teachers from Brisbane, and we have started discussing different topics of our main major assignment. Children’s theater, shadow plays, masks, clay, costumes, traditions, plays, puppet theater, school system, vietnamese theater, aboriginal theater, culture for children – how is the situation compared to Scandinavia? And then there’s music! Oh, I’m such a nerd.

Australian phrase of the day: “No worries mate!”

The whole class had to say it out loud. At the same time. Awkward, and we all acted like small giggling girls. In front of the old school black board compassionate eyes of an urban globetrotter woman told me we still have a long way ahead of us. Not sure if our stuttering Norwenglish blew her away anywhere. Gotta work on my dialect! Then they started all this talk about spiders… and I went to get lunch. Now it’s back to class. Information about the seven day trip into the outback, more specific Bourke – is about to be given. I’ll welcome it with open arms! Stoked! Love K.

TUNEZ TODAY: Natural Mystic – Bob Marley & The Wailers, Flake – Jack Johnson, The Letter – Xavier Rudd,
Collie Man – Slightly Stoopid.

New and old faces

Find myself in the Volda University Library. Nerd. To be honest, hiding is what I’m doing. Kind of stressful down in the school caffeteria. Love to see so many new faces coming to Volda, though it reminds me of the fact that I’m done with three years, and I’m leaving. Sad. Very, very sad. Said hi to some of my teacters in drama and theater, and music earlier today. Went inside the theater studio… Had to skip the room where all the magic happens – the costume stock – where set design are being made, all the dresses and other costumes are brought in and repaired- and. Fuck. I’ll get my stuff there later. It’s just too sad. Terribly sad – my second home – I’m leaving it. The great gods know how I love that place. Going to find a piano room in the same yellow building (named Kaarstad) tomorrow, and play a deep low minor key to the sound of Niagra Falls streaming down my mascra painted face. Buu. Cry me a river. Afterwards I’ll cheer myself up with a picture of a surfing kangaroo. I’m also utterly pleased and happy. Got my band back in Volda. Ambivalence, my middle name these days. Who’s being emo?

Official start of academic year, today that is, and with open arms I welcome the autumn semester. Just got rid off all the books and articles I needed for finishing my bachelor paper. Everyone I know here in Volda i busy at the moment. Introductory tours are led by older students for the newcomers all over school- it’s the first day for most of the classes. But for me it’s not. I still got one week of vacation. Monday 20th. Introuduction course of the AustralAsian-Studies. Have to learn some Vietnamese this week – at least some life-saving phrases, like “Yes. I like pie – don’t touch me” or something. Just kidding. I’m so excited… it’s hard to find words to describe it.

Skam is a bunch of charming and eccentric musicians – a mixture of ska, reggae, funk, rock, and jazz.

Skam is playing at Rokken Studenthus tonight. Their concert during the opening week of Volda University has grown to be a lively and atmospheric tradition. Seen them at least four times now I think.. You shold check it out if you like listening to ska music.

2nd floor. Library. I like it here. Behind rows of books shelves – in the middle of thousands of unexplored titles and adventures… Gonna find myself a new book, and maybe some new friends in it. Will be joining my fellows from VITO tonight, and some other students from the drama and music section. First I’m gonna find Oddis, and some beer.

From the left Malin, Audun, Aleksander, Gard, Oddis, and Martin. Picture from fattysunroad.com.

Fatty Sunroad will do the warm up show. Bitches be crazy! Fatty Sunroad is a hard rock band localized in Volda, Norway, consisting of six strange people playing what themselves call “a musical soup with a mix of carnival attractions, punch-in-the-face attitude, and sexy under (and over) tones”(fattysunroad.com). You can read the rest of their bio here. Love & Light – Kriss.

TUNEZ TODAY: VITO/FATTY SUNROAD

Peace in a puddle

Tonight I got Photoshop CS5 installed on my MacBook. I’m thrilled. Edited a picture just for testing. It’s me late in the evening dreaming for peace in a puddle. Tossing and turning. Another night of restless sleep. 4:13am. New day and I’m already on to it. Organizing. Preparations. Been reading and researching what to do-stuff in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. Early bird catches the worm. It also catch wrinkles. After a heavy power nap I’ll go look for a backpacker sack. Gonna seize the day!

TUNEZ TODAY: Band of Skulls – Lay My Head Down, and the rest of the Sweet Sour album. Loveit.

Ripe for change

Air tastes sweet. Flow of heartbeats. Another proof of living. 
Chasing a dream. In my head I'm skating a moonbeam.

 

Lazy living, everyday that is. The only not-lazy thing I’m doing these  hot summer days is making money, and a lot of them too, I wish. From now on, as you’ve already noticed, I’ll try to write this blog in English. I know life is full of challenges. No doubt this is one of them! I’m struggling. Hopefully those of you who’ve managed to stumble over this blog will have some patients, (pray I get better after some practice!) and eventually, hopefully you will get some of the idea of my chaotic thinking and expressions with words. I will add some pictures to try fill the gaps of vagueness.

A major, teeny tiny – eight thousand words – assignment is waiting for us down under, this upcoming semester. Better start  now, feed my brains with useful information and trigger my inner nerd to come forward. Make the it breathe! Old school brainiac. It’s as clear as crystal, the paper won’t write itself… Anyway, cash is king. I’m off to work in a couple of hours. Again and again. Most of this summer I keep myself occupied working late shifts, nights and early mornings. Work, eat, sleep – repeat. Same old story. This time I like it though. Even got the time for some socializing!

For those who haven’t read any of my earlier posts, this fall I’m planning to study abroad and get some extra study points to finish my bachelor degree. Earlier this spring I some how succeeded in making and performing a puppet-play for children all by myself, and then wrote my bachelor paper in drama and theater. I still haven’t had the time to let the fact that it’s all over sink in. The practical music exam also went well. Got mark B on both subjects. It’s weird and confusing, all of it, really. That’s why I’m going. September 3rd. All I have to do is print the plane tickets and pack my stuff. Already started. Just a little. I was lucky to get in on a Austral-Asian culture-course at Griffith University in Brisbane. I told mom I will be coming home for Christmas. Or will I?

Yesterday my boyfriend Nico ordered tickets for us to Malakoff Rockfestival 2012. Nordfjordeid – July 20th and 21st. In a few days they will bump down into my mail box, everyone will be happy and it will also be awesome. We’ll be joining a couple of friends from Volda, like Malin, her boyfriend Torbjørn and my bestfriend Oddis. Finally a break from paid work, restless sleep and responsibility. An opportunity to celebrate my 22 year long survival, maybe… This year I’ve eventually started living. I guess you should not need any reason to celebrate. Life it self is a never ending party, they say. Nico said he would show up this Tuesday or Wednesday, just in time for my birthday. I sure miss that face. Lars Winnerbäck (!!!) the mysterious poet-man with the dreamy beard, and a chill voice that sings lyrics that makes my heart cry in a good way… This year he’s coming for Norway.

The whole festival will be lovely. Turboneger and Seigmen are going to be insane. Seen Turbo before at both Malakoff and Raumarock, but I guess Turboneger will be something else now changing their name back to negro and bringing along their new Tony Sylvester. I have listened a little to their new album “Sexual Harassment”, and I have to admit the british accent doesn’t blow me away anywhere new – rather back to my rebel teenage years jumping around in a mosh pit. The Duke of Nothing really is something different than previous former vocalist Hans Erik “Hank Von Helvete” Dyvik Husby which left the band in 2009. -And that’s a good thing. Bare Egil Band, Dum Dum Boys, Casio Kids and Den Svenska Björnstammen. Rival Sons and Meshugga. Yay! Can’t wait to check out the other headlines. Been there two summers before. It’s like my legs are tripping at the disco. I’m shaking. Yeah, this summer got me trembling.

Bach home at Vestnes and Tomrefjorden I had a wonderful time. The following pictures describes some of it. It hits me, five years has passed since I left. Since I cursed into the night and made a lifetime promise to myself – to never ever live stuck in that shit hole ‘Fjorden’ again. Pardon my language. I guess the world has changed and expanded into many directions the last couple of years. I don’t mind a visit now and then, it’s good to be home.

 
Little sister Linnea, and her best friend with her awesome hair, Mathea.
 
Funny picture of dad and mom. – View of the forests in the area where I grew up. My old house behind the hill to the right
 
My folks’ new house to the left. And further into the wild we go… – My blond natural hair color has grwon back. Yay.

  
Finally back together with my girls. Rosé wine to celebrate, one year has passed since last time.

Nina got her hair extended. Fascinating concept. I like it.
 
Michelle’s beautiful little creature – he’s kind of my little nephew – Matheo.
 
Early morning fun, I were playing horse and he was my owner.
  
Adorable little hunk. – Marielle and Michelle.

Michelle and me on one of the old bridges in Vestnes “centrum”

     
We were all staying at Marielle’s mom’s place for a couple of days. The last night we had shrimps and wine. Mmm.

 
 

 I’m blessed with the world’s most beautiful friends and family.

57 days to go.

Australia, I’m getting prepared by twisting my mind thinking big pink and yellow spiders are Pokémon. I’ve been studying an Aussie spider-guide that Nico left by before he moved back to Asker. He’d seen a lot of them back in Cairns he said. Now I regret even hearing about the book in the first place. I admit I’m a chicken. I screech like a girl when I see one… Long, slim hairy legs. A lot of them. And then there’s too many eyes. They seem to be all over the place. The creatures on the pages are still eye-contacting me, luring in the back of my permanent – long term memory. One creepy crawl had big red horns and an extra pair of eyes I’m sure. Goosebumps all over. I bet the jungle spiders in Nam are even more colorful. I’m gonna catch ’em all.

TUNEZ TODAY:
Warpaint – Elephants, Devendra Banhart – Lazy Butterfly.

Solskinn

Livet er ikke så verst. I dag har jeg spist is i sola. Det hjelper på. Det eneste jeg mangler nå er cash!

Det klør over alt og jeg er skikkelig spent. Høsten kan liksom ikke komme fort nok. Reisefeber. Hallis. Alt sammen. Har lånt meg en stabel med bøker og lesestoff om Australia og South East-Asia. Vietnams historie… Har lest meg innover gjennom gatene i Hanoi, om grotter og store fjell i havet i Ha Long Bay, trange veier opp gjennom fjellene, til Laos, Burma, Kambodsja, Thailand. Torbjørn Færøvik vet å sette ord på det. Buddhas Barn, anbefales. Håper så inderlig det er noen som vil være med å reise i de traktene når det nermer seg slutten av semesteret. De siste seks ukene av studiet har vi mulighet til å backpacke og reise rundt slik som vi selv vil. Semesteroppgaven skal også skrives og leveres i det tidsrommet. Jeg antar det blir en utfordring. Må komme på noe genialt å skive om. Åtte tusen ord er vel ingenting om man er oppriktig interessert i det man skal formidle. Som den manga-geek-inspirerte-Asianfood-lovern jeg er, har jeg googlet alle de beste ramen- og sushi-stedene rundt og ved South Bank, der hvor Griffith University ligger. Brisbane, Australia, jeg er sulten på opplevelser. Munchies. Får vann i munnen og smilerynker i panna av tanken på at sushi er noe av det billigste man kan spise der nede. Surfespots i Vietnam er også sjekka ut! Krysser alt av fingre, armer og bein for at det blir tid til surf på turen. Jeg må få meg noen kule venner, for hvis ikke blir det bare grining. For surfe det må man. Jeg har i alle fall et inderlig og brennende ønske om å en gang få det til på ordentlig.

Etter å ha saumfart nettet etter hosteller, hoteller, inns og jeg vet ikke hva, fikk vi endelig ordna leilighet for de fem ukene vi skal bo fast i Brisbane. Karma smiler, jeg får egen seng! Depositum er betalt og det er bekrefta; jeg skal for første gang i mitt liv bo et sted med svømmebasseng! Andre viktige ting som sommerjobb, kopi av pass, flybilletter, visum, vaksiner, søking av stipend og skattekort er nesten unnagjort. Sistnevnte faila jeg hardt på, og straffes nå med 50% skatt. Jippi. Og jeg som hadde tenkt å bruke den lønna på en skatt jeg har tenkt å snuble over, midt inne i en jungel i Vietnam. Drømmer, det blir i alle fall silikon i tatti, når neste sommersesong kommer. Rik blir jeg ikke den høsten her heller. Heldigvis har jeg ikke blitt skjemt bort av lånekassa, er ganske vant til det, og her nytes det stadig havregryn og knekkis. Frem til Malakoff Rockfestival er det tanken om et “nullbudsjet” som gjør seg gjeldende. Er pinlig klar over at jeg gaper høyt, har kanskje valgt å tygge over et litt for stort stykke. Hei Asia, aleine, bort, vekk, hade! Snakkes! Jeg orker ikke mer stress, orker ikke mer av meg her i Norge. Tanken på å reise har hulpet, og kanskje faktisk berga meg gjennom hele høgskolen. Uansett hvor jævli det har vært, har jeg alltid hatt i bakhodet at en dag går det over. En dag kan jeg reise. Ny mac og nytt kamera er bevis nok at det kan skje. Jeg har hatt motivasjon nok til å spare. Alt kan skje. Det skal i alle fall dokumenteres. Men jeg må passe meg, er klar over at jeg har hull i lummene mine. Med min flaks blir mac’en stjålet på første flyplass, og kamera mister jeg ned i et dypt, endeløst hull i bakken. Økonomi er et mål i 2012!

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Dagen i bilder. Vi skal ikkje sova vekk sumarnatta. Rett etter jobb ble jeg plukka opp av fine folk. Endelig litt sosialisering! Jeg blir ikke friskere av å leve inne på den støvete bøttekott-hybelen min. Endelig ut. Nyt.

LYD I DAG:
Bob Dylan – Lady Down Your Heart Tune, It’s All Over Now Baby Blue, All I Really Want to Do, Janis Joplin – Summertime

Kake

og alle skal få smake. I alle fall litt!

Kom akkurat fra bandøving. Kongeøving! Det blir så fett, det blir så gøy. Fredag. Førstkommende. Det blir . . .  DET BLIR FEST! VITO. Som om det ikke var nok med en konsert på fredag skal jeg også være med på 12konserten i Volda kirke på lørdag. Klokka 12. Søvn sa du? Neida, sove kan man gjøre når man ligger pent og pyntelig seks fot under torva. I kirka synger jeg sammen med kammerkoret og skal opptre med eget soloinnslag. Gud vet hva som gikk gjennom hodet mitt da jeg sa ja til det. I tilleg blir det øving til eksamenskonsert med pianist på søndag. En slags generalprøve på eksamenskonsert på mandag. Eksamensskonsert klokka 1230 på tirsdag på Kaarstad (kom den som vil!). Vitokonsert sammen med Fatty på Tredet tirsdag. Jeg krysser fingre og tær for at stemmen holder. Er hes som ei heks. Og det verste, for det er egentlig bare det som er virkelig ille, er at jeg innen tirsdag må kunne 20 sanger på piano. Hevenu shalom a´leychem! . . .  har jeg akkurat lært meg. Har kun, og jeg mener kun, kleine barnesanger på spillelista. Satser på at sensorene ikke ønsker å høre meg humpe og dumpe Lille petter edderkopp eller Tommelfinger på det stakkars flygelet. Skal lære meg Your Song av Elton John i blinde, i tillegg til hovedsangen som jeg vet jeg skal spille. Om tankegangen min er sånn halveis riktig veldger de Elton i steden for Hvis dine ører henger ned. Det må bare bli gull. Jeg aner virkelig ikke hvordan jeg skal få tid til å tenke på bachelor oppi det hele. Og hvor i all verden skal jeg få selvtillitten fra?

Det er nesten Avatar! Det føles fortsatt bare som en difus drøm, at jeg skal dit. Ha Long Bay, Vietnam.

Ser meg selv i speilet og det eneste jeg gjør er å le. For nå er det faktisk så ille at det eneste jeg har igjen er latteren. Det er nesten som jeg kunne gjort hva som helst. Utavdæsjælopplevelse. Maskin. Det funker ikke å tenke. Foran meg på kalenderen står det at det er 15 dager igjen. 15 dager igjen av helvete! Blir kvalm. Og svett. Mest kvalm. For jeg kommer til å savne det for resten av livet. Jeg elsker det alt sammen, selv om det gjør vondt. Frysninger. Det blir starten på et nytt era, og det føles abnormt absurd. Hei Australia. Hei Vietnam. HEI ASIA, jeg kommer og tar deg!

LYD I DAG:
Sjekk ut Cake av Vito på Urørt.