I’m off to Norway in three days! Wheee!
I’ve now obtained a warm jacket (actually a snowboarding jacket — I’m so cool) and some very warm wool socks (again, snowboarding/skiing socks). Ostensibly, I will be walking — not a lot, but more than usual (i.e. more than none) — so the socks make a lot of sense. I actually need to get some new boots too — my current Timberland boots are 7 or 8 years old, but when a new pair cost something like £150 ($230), it’s hard to bite the bullet.
I have a scarf and hat (a deerstalker — still not sure about wearing it in public). The guys at the snowboarding shop said I should get a ‘buff’ — seriously, like a muff, but… buff. One of those neck warmer things. I don’t think it’ll be that cold or bitter in Norway though.
All that remains… is pants. I have none.
(Click for larger… though I can’t imagine why you’d want to…)
Both kinds of pant, British and American. I must buy some in the next couple of days (so that I have time to break them in). Do I go for the full, ‘long’ variety… or do I stick to boxer shorts? Do I wear denim and cotton (I don’t own jeans), or is there such thing as ‘warm’ trousers? I don’t want to wear plastic waterproof pants or trousers (for similar reasons). I have an old pair of wool trousers I think.
I mean, I have boxer shorts… not many, but some. A couple of pairs. And pants — trousers — I have… well, nominally two pairs, but I only really wear one.
This is the problem when I don’t go out much. It’s very easy to just whack on some underwear, slap on some trousers and a t-shirt, plonk myself down in front of my computers and while away 16 hours before reversing the process. Now that Norway is only a few days away and I’ll be spending three weeks in the presence of other human beings, I better get some more clothing for my lower half. (Incidentally, I recently bought an eight-pack of socks, they went through the wash once, and now only three out of sixteen socks remain — how lame is that?)
Anyway, other than that little dilemma, I’m all ready for Norway! I’ll be spending seven days in Bergen and eleven in Trondheim. There will be many fjords. And Nordic beauties — it’s about time a British emissary was sent to reclaim what was unlawfully stolen away by the Vikings! And… er… well, there isn’t a whole lot else to do in Norway. Their primary exports are fuels, machinery… and fish. They also love their woollen goods — so basically this is going to be like the Faroe Islands, but without the fuel or machinery. And without the dried sheep and whale.
I actually don’t know what we’re going to do, except walk and carouse. I’m staying with students in Trondheim, so I imagine that’ll be quite rowdy. But even then, I’m very curious to find out what people actually do in Norway. They’re not a standard ‘Western’ nation that deals mainly in services. There isn’t going to be a ‘downtown’ Trondheim. I guess it’s a more social lifestyle there? When 50% of the country’s income is from exporting fuel, life has to be pretty easy, surely?
The weather’s looking good, too. Bergen is a balmy 3C (37F) during the day, while Trondheim is a little bit nippier — freezing during the day, down to -5 (23F) or -6 at night. (Of course, if you figure wind chill into the equation it drops to about -15C, but who’s counting…)
As for the blog, I need to spend the next few days finishing preparations, and shifting obligations to other hapless victims/helpful friends. As before, I’ll put the blog into its ‘resting state’. It’s like cryogenic suspension, stasis, but not as cool. A new header will appear at the top of the blog to remind you where I am, and that for a month posts will be both sporadic[1] and erratic. I’ll likely stick to early-morning updates, but it’ll depend on just how debauched and drunk I get. I needn’t remind you of what happened in Poland…
Oh, and if you want to buy some photos, I’ll try to get them onto Etsy in a timely fashion. I actually want to enable sales right here on this site, but that’ll have to wait until after Norway.
Bon voyage, or as they say in Norwegian: god reise — or, if the going gets really tough, luftputefartøyet mitt er fullt av ål!
* * *
1. Did you know that ‘sporadic’ comes from the same Greek root as ‘spores’? As in, scattered far and wide.
MentalSarcasm
Mar 15, 2010
Have fun!
pinkjellybaby
Mar 15, 2010
Oh my! I don’t know where to look…well I have been looking somewhere in particular…it’s difficult not to!
Hezabelle
Mar 15, 2010
And ‘erratic’ is from the Latin ‘errare’ which means to wander! Very appropriate.
I vote for jeans, because you can wear one pair of jeans for like two weeks if you have to!
sebastian
Mar 15, 2010
I almost gave the derivation of erratic too, but I figured less people would know the word ‘sporadic’
Jeans aren’t very warm… I’d probably have to wear long underwear with them. To be honest, I’m not sure what I’ll get. I need to see what they have in the shops.
Thanks, Mental; and you are free to look anywhere you like, Pink! It’s a free and wonderful world.
Sebastian's mother
Mar 15, 2010
Great legs…..
chiefy
Mar 15, 2010
If the coldest you’re facing is -15 you’ll be fine with regular pants. Of both varieties. But maybe bring one pair of long underwear in case you end up going hiking
sebastian
Mar 15, 2010
My main issue is CHAFING THIGHS. I hate that, in the cold.
That’s the only real reason for long underwear, I think.
Sara Strand
Mar 15, 2010
Oh Sebby. Had I known you were having an issue of pants I could have recommended a slew of places near me that ship internationally. I would have even gone shopping if I had your sizes and shipped them myself. Since we are cold at leat 7 months of the year you can get jeans or regular pants with a flannel lining (and they look really nice) and no thigh chafing. But I do think that maybe your best bet is to check with ski lodges to see if they sell things on their own, OR check with other outdoor activity places to see what they recommend. But I do think you should bring multiple layers if possible. I don’t like long underwear either…but if it means you’ll feel your legs and thighs later, I’ll take it.
Elle
Mar 15, 2010
Safe travels!
Art
Mar 15, 2010
OH, too fun. Norway is supposed to be beautiful, even this time of year. At least the sunlight is coming back…you should a full day
But yes, pants of all kinds are required
Mr. Apron
Mar 15, 2010
Dear Sebby,
My personal opinion is that you will rock the balls off that deerstalker– wear it with pride– with or sans “pants.”
Enjoy your travels. I’d say that, as a married man, I’m jealous of your single globe-traipsings but, I’ve never traveled more since I’ve been married.
But I’ve still never worn a deerstalker in public.
I want to, though.
Hannah
Mar 15, 2010
Have a fun and safe in the just-don’t-lose-any-limbs kind of a trip!
Oh, and def wear the deerstalker. They seem nice and toasty. and they’re adorable on grown men. OR you can just keep it all covered and get one of these: http://beardhead.com/ My vote is for the lumberjack.
Have a great time!
sebastian
Mar 16, 2010
I can get you a deerstalker, Apron! I have a friend that makes them. Do you have a large head? (Mine is HUGE…)
Thanks for the ideas on pants, Sara. We’re going to look for flannel’ish ones tomorrow! My mother’s quite excited… in that way only Jewish mothers can be… …
Less thanks to you, Hannah… I think I might look a bit stupid in one of those…
wanderingmenace
Mar 16, 2010
Good luck Seb! You could try getting corduroy pants, those always keep me warmer than jeans. Though I am a disaster in cold weather, and usually just decide to start drinking so the frigid air doesn’t bother me anymore. In which case I recommend a hip flask. Make sure your pants can accommodate something like that, and you should be ok.
Looking forward to reading more!
sebastian
Mar 16, 2010
Corduroy… hip flask… maybe a pouch for my tobacco too? A hoop that I can slot my pipe into?
And obviously a notebook to keep my anecdotes in…
Eleni
Mar 17, 2010
Ooh, have fun! Can’t wait to see the photos. Hopefully you will have pants.
Juliana
Mar 17, 2010
Dear Seb,
You look like a sleazeball in your 20sb profile picture. Good thing you write well and are funny, otherwise I would’ve dismissed you entirely and never learned of muffs and deerstalkers, or enjoyed your beautiful pictures.
Nice to meet you!
andhari
Mar 18, 2010
LOL @ that pic. You should let your mom take you underwear shopping
Is norway colder or warmer than UK?
Magpie
Mar 26, 2010
You only have ONE pair of trousers that you wear? What is wrong with you?
Get thee to a clothery!