15 hours of flight not including waiting time for transfer flight and getting my ass to the airport does take its toll on me. Bloody hell, I’ve traverse 2 continents and the best part is, it’s the beginning of winter time. Oh such joy. What could possible be bad you say? Well for one thing, I don’t function too well in cold weather under 15 degrees C, used to be below 20 but I learned to adapt and manage my bodily functions.
Why do I get to be this far away from home? Well, courtesy of my training program in the company that I worked, my name was enrolled for this limited seated course by my boss. So Boss can actually use his position for somewhat personal gain. What? I’m working for my boss, so technically my boss is using his influences to get me to go to Hovik. Arguing about how I can get there will not make telling this any easier.
Hovik is cold. First thing I see when the plane landed was it was white. Mean that it was snowing at the airport. Not much of a snow person myself but I do enjoy the view it gave, especially when taking the train from the airport to the hotel. Half way through, the snows disappear and I couldn’t imagine that Norway will be erm….quiet. Even though its Sunday, doesn’t mean it has to be a dead city (I’m gonna eat my words afterward, do keep on reading). By the way, I met a Malaysian who is going to Asker for some lecturing stint under his company order. Fun isn’t it to be traveling for free? Yes, but not during the end of the year where even the “Mat Saleh” run away from their home to look for Mr. Sunshine somewhere along the Equator.
So I got down from the train at the station, Sandvika and was trying to look my best not to look like I’m lost or something in that vicinity. I looked left and right since there is only two exit point, how lost can I be, right? Ek! Wrong answer. I got lost, lost pretty bad. Initially the instruction that I got by asking a bus driver was fairly simple (If I were born in this place it might sound simple). I mean how far can I deviate from this…Take a left exit than go straight till I reach a junction and then turn right and follow the road and I can see the hotel. But actually all I see once I got out from the left exit was a cobble stone road which leads to a row of shop lots and a good road which leads under the bridge and off to somewhere else.
Ok, I was being stubborn and out weight my decision to go thru the cobble street road and take the nice one and I got lost. It wasn’t snowing but it was freaking cold, lucky I was all wrapped up from head to toe otherwise I might be cranky and cold and how bad can it be? Lucky enough I was brave (look up in the dictionary and see what kinda of explanation it give) and decided to ask this nice person who was strolling with his kid. He said that I was way off and need to turn back and lucky enough he offered to show me the way. Thank you kind Norwegian sir!
Finally I manage to get to my hotel, *yippie* and was glad that I make it thru. I mean, coming here alone is bad enough but getting lost on the same day, now that is just peachy in a weird kinda way. I know I’m weird just please don’t rub it in some more guys.
It was somewhat around evening that I decided to get out from the room and explore what Hovik has to offer although I know it might sound funny. Truth is, I never see myself as much as an explorer unless I know what I’m getting myself into or I have set my foot for several times and get myself sink into the city. But what the heck, how often can I get lucky and set foot in Europe and basically I’m here for free. So yeah, I get out, get me a train to National theater which I won’t tell you how much it cost since I’ll be seeing numbers for a long time if I do that. Off the train and here I am, smack in the middle of what seems to be a beautiful town with erm…I’m not an architect here, building…old building. I have a tendency to like old buildings and don't get any ideas about old and stuff. Kindly keep them in your pockets and please dispose of them on your way out…thank you.
Oh, by the way, one of the reason I was there was because I was looking for Hard Rock Café heheheheh which I did find, eventually. See? I got good sense of direction and bearings. I walk for a little while, take pictures here and there. Too bad there is none of me in it but what the hell, at least I got memories. Wanted to buy the first Norwegian Idol and World Idol, Mr.Kurt Nielsen but the CD was kinda expensive even after converting it to RM. Oh well, can always bootlegging it from the internet. Now kids, don’t be doing that too often, sooner or later you will starve your favorite artist and you won’t be hearing from them the music you like so much. Been listening to Madcon as well, Hip hop group hailing from Norway, wicked music and video clip. If you do have a chance, browse them on Youtube, the song called “Beggin”.
The rest of the weekdays were filled with being in the classroom, that’s the main reason why I’m there in the first place. Have a nice walk after class, even though it was -5 degree C but heck, I do it just for fun and I like walking. It keeps me healthy. Come now, who am I kidding…I actually dun know how to go back to the hotel by bus or taxi (and they ARE expensive here in Norway). But it was actually fun, walk by the pier with cars passing you by like mad and attempts to sweep you away with every each one of em.
Getting back from Norway, manage to kill some time at Schpol Airport for couple of hours due to delay which gives me plenty of time to walk up and down and go to every possible shop at the airport. I said go, not buy everything from every single shop. I just need but them fridge magnets, y’know. Nothing fancy, just a reminder of place I have been. And by that I conclude my journey to Oslo, it was fun, it was cold, it was a butt numbing flight experience, you should try that. Not the butt numbing, mind you. Ah..I guess that is what we think about by the end of the day heheheh…Med vennlig hilsen (that’s best regards in Norway)
