What is there to do around here?

Hello!

Does it feel like autumn for you yet?

It's beginning to for me because -number 1- the temperature doesn't reach above 15C anymore and -number 2- my homework load is increasing. I actually have to do a writing assignment and read two books for tomorrow. (Heh, yeah right.) But it's been too long since I updated this blog, so I decided that I have to do it tonight! Because I have plans to go somewhere tomorrow! But I'll save the details of that for the next blog.

Well, here are some reports on the interesting things I've been doing lately:

Friday Sept. 3

My friluftsliv class went on a hike in the forest behind Breisaas. We learned some things about the importance of outdoor life in Norwegian culture. For example, children in kindergarten spend time outside every day, even in the rain. There are even some kindergartens which are totally outdoors (even in the winter!), though with a lavvoo (the Sami version of a tipi) to go into for nap time. I've also noticed that most children actually wear good quality rain gear and wool clothing when they're outdoors, and it's as easy to find in stores as the adults versions of outdoor clothes.

I discovered that there are much better (drier and less stuff to trip on) trails to the lakes than the one that I had been using.

On this hike we picked mushrooms and learned some which are edible. We collected so many that after the hike 10 or 15 people got together to cook them in different ways and eat them, and we had extra! Yum, I like mushrooms.

In the evening I visited with people at a party in the common room building.

I got my laptop in the mail today (it was being fixed on warranty), so now I can conveniently update this blog from home. Of course, you can see I'm actually updating it LESS frequently than when I didn't have a computer....

Saturday Sept. 4

In the afternoon I was getting bored and the weather was great. I went out for a really long run (on the nice trails I now know about). I explored around some lakes and a trail along a ridge (but still in the forest) called Griseryggen. Then I went swimming in a lake. Even though it was as sunny as it was possible to be, the water was really cold! I wasn't in there for long. I don't know how much longer swimming will be an option!

I really have to bring my camera along next time I go in Breisaas, so you can see what the area looks like.

Every time I go running in Norway I come back with soaky wet muddy runners. The cool water feels nice on my feet but my shoes don't like having to dry out all the time.

Sunday Sept. 5

The weather was beautiful. I spent the day kayaking with the Boe Kayaking club at a place called Sagafoss, where there is a rapids with varying sizes of surf waves at the bottom, ending in a big pool of water. It is a great place to practice surfing. They have lots of nice kayaks and all the other equiptment we need, including wet suits. There are many skilled and experienced kayakers who are super nice and helpful and great teachers. About 20 new paddlers came to this introduction course.

I actually haven't kayaked much in rapids/on a river, at least in the last 5 years. Canoeing experience helped me learn quickly. Kayaking feels really different though- you can feel (and use) every little riffle in the water. I really liked it and think I'll go again!

Time for a funny story: I wanted to see if I could remember how to roll from earlier this summer. So I went to try it, and, to my excitement, I succeeded in rolling back up. But I must have been a little too excited because I accidentally just kept rolling back down again!!! Surprised, I hung underwater and got back into position, thinking to myself that I'd better succeed in rolling up (and no further!), otherwise this would be really embarrassing. Fortunately, I stopped in the right position this time and anyone watching probably thought I had been showing off instead of making mistakes.

Sagafoss- the foss (waterfall) part

The surfing waves at the bottom

The smallest and second smallest surfing waves.

The largest waves. I haven't tried to go in there yet :S . There is a middle sized wave that is just right for me, but it's not in any of these pictures.

--> I was planning to write about days all the way up to today, but I see now that was too ambitious. I'll have to leave the rest for later. Oh, well.

Plus, I kinda burned my fingertips baking earlier today (blueberry oatmeal bread and chocolate/hazelnut spread (ie. nutella) cookies) and it hurts to type. Or touch anything. And not touch anything. Owww. Anyway, good night! Have a good weekend!