Norway part two

On Friday 8th we had big plans for the whole group to take a day off together and climb Ullstinden, a nearby mountain. However when we awoke after our amazing lie in (we got to stay in bed until 9am!!!) it was raining and foggy. So we decided to change our plans and go into Tromso instead. Once there we were back in the library (Helen really can't keep away) to try an sort out accomodation for our trip to Oslo.The Chess Olympics is currently taking place in Tromso and there were a lot of people walking around in team jackets with huge passes around their necks,very much like the 2012 Olympics in London.  Who knew chess was such a big deal?!

After lunch we went to the polar museum. It was a strange place that didn't really teach us much. Howeverwe watched some seals perform in their aquarium. Of course It wasn't quite as good as The Deep in Hull!

When we finished in town we broke off from the rest of the group and got the bus to Oldervik which is right at the end of the line. It is a tiny collection If houses which feel like they are on the edge of the world. To get back to the farm we attempted hitch hiking for the first time. We were a bit unsure about this but we got lucky and got a ride straight away. They were a lovely French couple that even rearranged their car to make room for us. We would definitely try it again. 

After work on Saturday we climbed the mountain behind the farm. It was very very steep but the view from the top was incredible. It was higher than The Cross which we sometimes climb in the evening. We had to climb through woodland and there was no path at all. It was worth it though. It was also good practice for the next day when we finally climbed the mountain we had been planning too since Friday. Roger gave us all the day off and we set off about 9.30am on our big adventure. It took us over an hour to get to the bottom of the mountain. It was around 1,100m high and we climbed in from sea level so it was a tiring day! Like Saturday there were no footpaths and for around 2 hours we were pulling ourselves up over steep rocks. The view from the topwas incredible though. We have honestly seen nothing like it before. Alices crappy photo does it any justice. 

The way down we took slowly as it was very steep and we were enjoying the view.  That was our excuse for arriving at the summit 1 hour after everyone else and not getting back to the house until 9.30pm when everyone else was home by 7.30pm. It was worth it though, however exhausting. It was also a good bonding excercise to get to know Joe that had arrived the day before. We were all ready go to bed straight after dinner and Alice wasn't too impressed to be on washing up duty that night! 

On Monday we were back at work pulling and sorting carrots. In the evening Allison, another WWOOFer here, read our cards. So now we are at least we are now prepared for the future. 

Since we climbed the mountain a lot of people in the house have been ill. Helen was struck down by the deadly Nordvoll flu and had to spend some of Tuesday afternoon in bed. Alice thinks she was only doing it to get out of work. She managed to soldier on and make to the bonfire we had up mountain that night. We cooked sausages (slightly better than last time) and played pictionary by drawing in the dirt (we so cool) until Helen fell asleep on the grass and we headed back down to get warm. As we were sitting back at home we saw the Queen Mary II sail past. We think it's the biggest boat we've ever seen. 

On Tuesday evening it started raining and didn't stop until Sunday. This resulted in us having to don some incredibly sexy orange outfits and plant strawberrys and pick carrots. We managed to get out of going back outside in the afternoon and cleaned the house instead. On Thursday we weren't quite so lucky and had to pick the orders for that day and the day before. That's a lot of strawberrys! The strawberrys couldn't be left to get wet once they were picked so we had to line green boxes with toilet paper and spread them out on these in order to dry them. It was a very strange site. After a full day picking in the rain we were rewarded by some Norwegian waffles which made it all worth it. We also watched Into the Wild with everyone that night which was very good film.

Friday was even colder and it was a actually straying to feel like we were in the Arctic. We lost all feeling in our hands and feet which wasn't pleasent. Roger put the fire on later which got the inside

of the house up to 30 degrees. We don't think he's ever heard of moderation. 

Over the next few days we completed out last hours if work. We picked many more orders under time pressure in the rain. We cut and planted strawberry runners and almost completed planting the new field. We are now on our last night here and can't believe how fast the time has past. This place really has become home over the last few weeks and we can't imagine living anywhere else anymore. We worked out we have met 18 new people over the last 3 weeks and they have all contributed to our special time here. Nordvoll farm is a very unquie place. 

Norway Part 1

For our summer trip this year we decided to WWOOF on a farm in Norway. WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities On Organic Farms. You pay for your flights, and you gain accomodation and food in return for your labour. Our chosen location was Nordvell Farm, around 30km out of Tromso and 200km into the arctic circle. This is the first 2 weeks of our time here. More to come hopefully! 

After a good flight (with a slightly abrubt landing) we arrived at Tromso airport, where we were slightly surprised to be able to connect to university internet. Not the first thing you expect when you arrive in the arctic circle. Unfortualty the flight was late due to lightening storms in London and this meant that we missed the last bus. We had no choice but to attempt to get a taxi. While doing this we managed to confuse the taxi driver by not actually knowing the name of the place we were going and It didn't occur to us until we were halfway there that we had the address in our bag. I blame the (non-existent) jetlag. After forking out 700 NOK (about £70) for the taxi we had finally arrived at our new home, Nordvol farm. Our host, Roger, was waiting for us and I think he was a bit worried that we weren't going to make it. I don't think anyone had every got cab up to the farm before! All the other wwoofers were in town for the night and so we had the house to ourselves. The view from the house was incredible, we just couldn't quite believe we were finally in Norway. The midnight sun takes a while to get used to though.  

The next day was our first day on the fields, where we discovered our new hatred for the worst plant in the world: water weed. The carrot fields in Iceland last year didn't have this problem. As you can see there seems to be a pattern forming in our summer holidays. 

After our days work we were invited fishing. Helen managed to catch a lot of seaweed before eventually catching the biggest fish of the day. It was defiantly a new explerince being in a rowing boat out into the Arctic Ocean. Although Alice's poor attempted rowing left a lot to be desired .

 In the evening we also climbed to 'The Cross' which is on top of a steep hill. Helen was in her pjamas, perfect climbing gear! 

 On Sunday we were back to weeding with more fishing in the afternoon. This time our luck wasn't in, however it didn't matter as at one point we were surrounded by dolphins. They were so close to us and we think one even touched the boat. It was incredible to see them so close. 

While here we have also tried some interesting new foods. Whale was a highlight and tasted like steak which is fine by us. We also had reindeer sausage from Sweden on pizza and dried reindeer. While chewing on our reindeer we could see  dolphins swimming in the sea again. Pretty special. 

On Tuesday we it was apparently National Norway Day which was a perfect excuse for a bonfire. We still aren't completely convinced this day exists, but we aren't complainig. We built a huge fire and attempted to toast sausages on it. They didn't really cook through but we are still alive. Just.

 

When we were back at the farm the two women who set up WWOOF Norway were there. We were amazed at just how young they were. They are the same age as us and had set it up in their spare time whilst at university. I don't know what they thought about us rowdy lot though as We spent most of the meal feeding each other and chocking on wine. It was hilarious. Later that night we went down to the beach to in the midnight sun and had stone skimming competitions. Obviously ours bounced the most, It just happened when no one was watching! 

It is incredibly relaxed here. We work all day 9am-5pm and then have the whole evening to do your own thing. You never feel like going to bed as it is still light and you can spend hours just sitting and watching the view. The mountains seem different everyday. 

On Thursday we finally took a day off. We caught a lift into Tromso and spent the day wandering around town. Of course we visited h&m because what else would you do when you go abroad but go in the shops you have at home? We crossed the bridge to visit the arctic cathedral but didn't go in as you had to pay. We are students afterall . It was still impressive from the outside though. 

Tromso looks very much like you would imagine an arctic town to be, The only thing missing was a bit of snow. There is even a cable car which was the one thing Alice's mum remembers from her trip here when she was 20. It can' have change much as this was nearly 40 years ago now (sorry mum). We had to leave earlier than we would have liked as the bus doesn't go all the way the farm each trip it takes. We did have time to pop into the library though which was very nice. Helen can't stay away from the library for too long! It's surprising she didn't do some work on the banned D word. 

Helen almost put her suitcase over the limit on the way over here by bringing over 1kg of food. She didn't need it though as we eat feasts every day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all huge meals with loads of bread and potato.  I don't think we could ever risk going hungry. And we thought we would

Loose weight here. 

By Friday, a week after we arrived we were still weeding, it never seems to end! In the afternoon however we were cutting runners in the strawberry fields which was a bit different. It's nice to be working basically on the beach. The weather was amazing, defiantly not what you expect in the arctic circle. That night there was an incredible 'sunset' ( you can't really call it that as it doesn't actually get dark) which turned the entire sky red. It was stunning. 

On Sunday It was just strawberrys. All day. So many strawberrys. We started off  picking them in the morning which quickly turned into a rotten strawberry flight. We then went in to cutting runners in the big field which was a daunting task. After we had finished we decided it was time for a dip in the arctic sea. It was so cold but amazing. Even if Helen didn't make it all the way in. 

On Tuesday we were finishing with a couple of friends of our host. For ages the engine on the boat wouldn't start which was a bit annoying. It was also an interesting moment when he handed us a bowl and said if we needed to use the toilet he would look away. Luckily we manged to hold on as going on a tiny boat would have been interesting to say the least. In the end Alice caught one of the biggest fish and we also caught the a huge Cod. 

 Tuesday night was sad as we lost out 4 German wwoofers. The farm is now so quiet without them. I don't know how Roger goes through people leaving so often. It must be very hard. 

We started a new job of planting new strawberry plants on Wednesday. This involved using fertiliser which was a mixture of sheep shit, soil and water. As a city type, Alice was not impressed with an afternoon shovelling sheep shit. It's not how most dream of spending their summers. Alice also found a strange shaped bite on her leg. We rang the doctors to see if it might beed attenion but it turbed out to be ok. A trip to Tromso a&e dedinatly would have been an interesting experience. That evening, after work, we walked and cycled to Snarby beach. Alice got a lift sat on the back if a bike which was like being 13 again. The beach was beautiful with a white sand shore, even if it was a little chilly. On the way back we it caught in a massive thunder storm . The rain was so heavy and the lightening so close. You could actually feel the thunder shaking through you. When we about half way home the neighbours, who had seen us leaving the house, drove to pick us up. It is honestly one of the kindest things anyone has done for us. To come out for no reason in a thunder storm to pick up a bunch of semi- strangers is amazing. When we returned, the house had lost power so we had BBQ dinner in the rain. Definitely noy what you would expect after a storm. The power was out for over 12 hours in the end. 

As we write this another thunder storm is taking place. We all sat on the porch watching the really heavy rain. Hopefully there won't be anymore powe cuts!

This blog was written on a phone with really dodgy wifi. We have no idea what it looks like on a computer. So ignore the dodgy formatting and spelling! 

Edinburgh – Torridon – Lake District: 20th June – 1st July 2014 (By Helen)

After a long journey up the East Coast I eventually reached Edinburgh, where I was met by Charlie, our couchsurfing host. I wandered around the city, climbed a bit of Arthurs Seat with lovely views of the city – great for a human geographer! When Sam and Grace arrived we went back to Charlies and ate a fantastic meal! He was a great host! After the meal we explored the city at night before retiring to the couches. 

Edinburgh Castle and a bird on top of a statue :)

The journey to our National Trust for Scotland Working Holiday location was long and we stopped off in Inverness for supplies – including cocktails in a can - the classy students we are! Eventually we reached Torridon and unloaded the shopping and luggage. I did not sleep well that night. Getting into the bunks required some kind of gymnastic routine as the ceiling was only a couple of foot above the mattress. 

The first morning of work was grey, rainy, cold and miserable. We were repairing a fence, but ended up standing around and watching a lot. We were wearing midge-nets to stop us becoming midge food, however the nets began to obscure our views when they got wet. We retired to the bunkhouse in the afternoon where we lit a fire. We had a pub quiz in the evening where my team came second, and I put my degree to shame failing in the Geography round. 

Wet but still smiling :)

Grey.

On Monday we went Rhododendron clearing – “Rhodi Bashing”- however it was more like weeding because the Rhodi’s were so small they could be pulled out by hand. We covered a huge area, and got to admire the Loch the entire day. The scenery was amazing - a geographers dream! U-Shaped valleys, corries, ribbon lakes, rivers, meanders and oxbow lakes to name a few.  This was the day the Ticks arrived – I hadn’t realized how small they are! I luckily avoided attack the entire week!

Midge Nets :)

The next day we started maintaining a footpath. This involved moving large stones around to provide a route across the mud and large streams. The day ended with us performing Karaoke to a Magic FM CD we found on the minibus back to the bunkhouse, whilst bingeing on Starbursts. In the evening we played the “hat” game – which involved describing celebrities and then acting them out. It provided many laughs. But, again my team lost. 

Footpath :)

Wednesday was a day off for us to explore the area. Myself, Sam and Grace walked through spikey undergrowth which claimed my waterproof bag cover, so we had to go back and retrieve it. I won at a game of Pooh Sticks! In the afternoon we explored the loch and the beach, skimming stones on the water. Walking along a stoney beach and trying not to pocket all the exciting looking stones seemed impossible – but somehow I only returned with one! We started rock climbing where we got in the firing line of an angry/hormonal seagull protecting its baby. We had a nice meal in the pub in the evening, however the prices are a lot more than you would pay in Hull!

Pooh Sticks :)

Beach Selfie :)

On Thursday we climbed a really big mountain/hill where we discovered one small section of fence that needed fixing. The weather was hot and sunny, which made the view from the top amazing as Loch Torridon was glistening in the sun. However, 12 people trying to fix the fence was a bit overkill, I only hammered in 4nails and moved some rocks about. So I spent most of the day admiring the view. Haggis and mushed veggies was for tea. It was quite tasty actually...

View :)

Safety Goggles selfie :)

Broken fence.

 On the final working day we returned to the footpath. By the time we were finished the footpath looked like some kind of crazy paving. We finished work early so we could walk the rest of the footpath. 1 and a half hours we were told it would take – 2 and half hours later we reached the minibus. There were many hills and we were still lugging our spades and shovels about which made for hard work. The final section consisted on a steep descent that was only possible on your bum to avoid injury. A repeat of the hat game resulted in my team finally winning! Managed to punch the ceiling as I rolled over in my sleep due to the lack of ceiling height. 

Sheer drop.

This was all there was at the end of the walk.

Camp over. We travelled back to Inverness where we spent 3hours. We spent most of it in a café until we were asked to move by the staff - and they say that students/teenagers get a bad reputation for loitering! When Sam and I reached Glasgow we had a brief walk across the city between stations – another Scottish city to tick off the list! I eventually arrived in Penrith where I was met by my cousin.

Train Selfie :)

I spent the next few days with my family just chilling on their farm and helping them out with any tasks they needed doing. This included feeding the ducklings which were so cute! I rode in a Morris Minor – without a seat belt or headrests which is the weirdest experience! I went for a couple of walks, exploring areas of many previous holiday memories. It was good to be back in a place I love. 

So cute :)

Walking :)

Sky :)

I arrived home to what seemed like darkness after being so far north with long hours of daylight for so long - and in need clean clothes! 

Goodnight Torridon x

Check out the farm here! 

London 17th - 18th April 2014 

Written by Alice 

Looking sexy in McDonalds

Barely a day after I was back from the Peak District, two of my uni friends were down to visit me. Although I grew up in the suburbs of London and I still go back there in the uni holidays I don’t often to get the chance to act like a complete tourist in my own city, so this was quite nice. Laura could only make it down for one night as she lives in the middle nowhere and transport is an issue, poor girl. Once Laura joined us the full tourist activities could begin. After a quick lunch in McDonalds by kings cross surrounded by lots of shouting French men we headed up to Camden as Laura had never been before. Camden was somewhere I used to go when I was 14 to feel cool, however it was nice to be back now. We wondered around for a while and had our feet eaten by fish which was another thing I haven’t done since I was 16. We eventually went to a pub for coffee after a few hours exploring the markets. Coffee turned into sitting on a rooftop garden drinking cocktails feeling very sophisticated. 

Mmmmm feet

Cocktails :)

Cool lighting shop

  After Camden we headed down to Oxford Street to experience everyone's favourite over crowded shopping street. We went to New Look and after doing some shopping, where I found a dress for our uni end of year ball for £10, we went to the Starbucks which is inside the shop. We must have spent nearly 3 hours in that building, I'm sure that place is some sort of time vacuum. After people watching oxford street from the 3^rd floor of new look for an hour or so we headed down to the newly done-up broadcasting house. We arrived just in time to see the end of the one show being filmed which we got a bit too excited about. When were finished at broadcasting house we headed down to Piccadilly circus, via hamleys of course, to Tesco and then home. The woman who served us in Tesco was the slowest sever in the world. Seriously I could feel my life slipping away. In Tesco we bought Laura a caterpillar cake for her birthday, because what else would you buy for a girl who is nearly 20? We then headed back to mine to eat cake and drink wine.

We so cool

Meeting the Kate and Will

our new best friend in Hamleys

Loving the cake 

 The next day we did one of my favourite walks in London along the south bank before a mad rush up to Kings Cross to get Laura on her train. We also happened to come across 'Jesus live' in Trafalgar square as it was good Friday. Not really my thing to be honest. Over these two days I had a really lovely time exploring my home city through new eyes.

what is up with my face?

downing street selfie :)

Bridlington/Scarborough (By Helen)

I thought I would write this up as a blog, as travelling doesn’t always have to be long trips abroad!

On the 17th April, my parents came to visit me at my university, before taking me home for Easter. We decided to go for a day trip. We started off travelling to Bridlington. We parked the car and went to for a wander down the promenade. The beach was quite empty as it wasn’t a particularly warm day! It was a very nice area, but there wasn’t much to do – that’s a coastal town with a declining population for you!

We then moved onto Scarborough for lunch. I was excited to see Scarbados, as The University of Hull has a campus there and we share library books with them.  We parked the car a while away from anywhere, so we had quite a way to walk. Scarborough seems to be on a massive hill – which is great to walk down, but not so good to walk back up! It did mean however I got a good view of the bay, town and harbor. It was very picturesque, and reminded me that there are beautiful places nearer to home. We had lunch in a local café, and as it was nice to eat somewhere that wasn’t branded. We then wandered down onto the sea front. Scarborough is….different. You could definitely tell it was a Yorkshire town! Many great characters! We stopped off in a sweet shop to buy my sister a souvenir. We then wandered down to the harbor, where all the fishing industries were located. We were admiring the view when we got called to help moor a ship! My dad was very excited! I admired the coastal erosion management structures in the form of a concaved sea wall and rock armor as we continued walking along the sea front. When we got down as far as we dared we ate chocolate fudge before wandering into the town to do some shopping. 

It was a really nice day with the family and it was nice to go to a sea side town. Although the weather wasn’t great, I am definitely excited for Summer trips to the beach now!

Edale 12th  - 15th April 2014

Written By Alice

 Pretty much every year my family goes on a walking holiday to Edale which is a tiny village in the Peak District. This year I decided to go for 3 nights of the week they were there as I don’t really go on family holidays any more. I'm too busy single handily conquering the world for family holidays.  However it was a lovely way to spend a few days away, especially after the madness of Belfast. The village of Edale is completely cut off from the world as there is no phone signal in the valley and the flat had no WiFi. It made a change to not be able to constantly check my phone.

   

During the few days I was there we walked from Edale over Hollins cross. This is an old route which women used to use to get to work in the mill. I struggle to get over it normally so these women must have been a lot stronger than me to do it twice a day. We walked back via the Blue John mines which I used to love going down when I was younger. This wasn't a particularly long walk, only about 6 miles. On the second day we walked over loose hill and into the town of Hope where we went in a café with wifi so I sat there ignoring my family for an hour. We walked back along the valley. It was about 10 miles and a very nice walk. 

In the evenings we would either go the pub or sit in the cottage and watch TV. It was a nice opportunity just to spend some time with my family who I don’t see very often these days and to get away from real life for a bit. But a few days in the country is enough for me before I am desperate to be back surrounded by people. 

I didn't take any photos while I was out there if you want to see what Edale looks like, Google it.