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Winter family fun in Oslo

Want to get the kids away from the screens and out in the fresh air? Here are a few tips for some family-fun in the snow in the Norwegian capital. Nature is all around you here: the Oslo fjord and its islands, forests, lakes and parks – and the locals enthusiastically enjoy it all. Perhaps [...]

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A to Z of Sophie’s World

Travel ABCs are going about the travel blogging circuit these days. Fun idea! Always interesting to know the personality behind a blog. Thanks for the tags,Jenna and Michael. Here’s my travel ABC: A: Age of first international trip: At 11, I went to New Orleans with my mum and brother to visit our aunt. It [...]

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The Race for the South Pole

Victory awaits him, who has everything in order – luck we call it. Defeat is definitely due for him, who has neglected to take the necessary precautions – bad luck we call it. Roald Amundsen *** As you may know, seven countries have claims on the southernmost continent: Antarctic neighbours Argentina, Australia, Chile and New [...]

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River Music and Water Spirits

While the girls and I are exploring our friendly neighbour Scotland, Sophie’s World is staying at home. This week’s travel photo is from our homebase in the cool river city Drammen (Norway). The River Harp The large pedestrian bridge Ypsilon is a Drammen landmark. Next to Ypsilon is the River Harp, a sound sculpture comprising [...]

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Books and ghosts in Norway’s fjordland

On the Fjærland Fjord, Mundal Hotel is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year. This family-owned hotel has creaking stairs, a great turret bed room, a library, a billiards room, a music room, deep leather chairs by the fireplace – and books; not just in the library but everywhere. That’s as it should be. Like Hay-on-Wye, [...]

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The streets of Oslo are filled with love

A month ago, the worst tragedy since World War II hit Norway. A mad man set off a bomb near the Prime Minister’s office, killing 8. He then travelled to Utøya and murdered 69 more. This afternoon, the victims were honoured in a national memorial ceremony. Each name was read out loud, their faces on [...]

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Pyramiden – an Arctic ghost town

I’m in Pyramiden, once a showcase of the Soviet Union, a perfect mining community, set between mountains, glaciers and fjords in the Svalbard archipelago. Today, it’s an Arctic ghost town! The decision to abandon the settlement was sudden, its implementation even more so. The inhabitants were given just hours to pack their bags and leave. [...]

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My 7 links

Katie at Tripbase has put together a fun, new blog challenge to unite bloggers (from all sectors) in a joint endeavour to share lessons learned and create a bank of long but not forgotten blog posts that deserve to see the light of day again. And how to do this? Details are over at Tripbase [...]

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