Working out

Lately I have been going to the gym quiet a lot. As I usually do the same exercises for each body part, its starting to get rather monotonous.

Do any of you have any good exercises or advice for the gym?

Missing the Sun!

It has been about 2 weeks since I saw the sun. Lately the weather has been horrendous! Snow, rain, cloudy and grey is all we have had here.

It really just drains all the colour from you!

Before Norway

In Norway

Graduation times

Here in Norway it is graduation time for those finishing the equivalent to upper secondary school, high school or A-levels, depending where you are from. They do celebrate in what I consider a odd way, could be because it is so different to the way it is done in Sweden.

 These 18-20 year olds that are graduating basically party from 1st May until 17th May (which happens to be Norway's independence day and my birthday) driving from town to town, drinking, partying and trying to show off with the loudest cars (the louder the car, the more status you get). They also have this sort of uniform with different colours to show off what kind of school they graduated from and wear some rather odd looking red "russe" hats. In each town that is a official "Russe" (graduation) organiser, there are several events planned and bands playing etc. just for the graduates.

In Sweden the celebration only lasts for one day. It starts of with excessive drinking early in the day starting around 9-10 in the morning. Lunch either at school or at a restaurant with fellow soon to be ex class mates. In the early afternoon the graduates get "let out" of school one class at a time, where they usually stand on the door steps and sing graduation songs.

Beyond them there is a sea of friends and family of every single graduate. The family will usually be holding a sign of some kind with most often a embarrassing childhood picture of the graduate. After the obligatory congratulations and hugs from ones family, all the former students race to a vehicle specially rented and decorated for the occasion. Most often a large lorry, tractor or convertible pimped up with massive speakers, home made signs and sprigs and leaves. These cars and lorries will drive slowly around town with all the (most often by now very drunk) graduates, showing off that they managed to graduate school. After all this, it is time for the party to start. Usually there is a party at home once again with family and friends, lots of food and booze, then its time to go clubbing!

Next morning, the newly graduated young adults will wake up with a severe hangover and trying to cope with being labelled unemployed instead of students.

As you can see in the pictures, the standard clothes to wear for a graduation is the standard "studenten" hat, which looks very similar to a sailors hat, white dresses for girls and regular suits for the guys.

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures from my own graduation here. Otherwise, those would be the ones you would get to see. Instead you will need to make due with these other random people.

As I can see that I have readers from literally the whole world, from USA and El Salvador to all over Europe all the way to Malaysia and Japan. I would love to know how you all celebrate this occasion. Write to me, comment or send me pictures. :)

Shopping!

Since I arrived in Norway my only focus has been to save money for my Asia trip. Having not allowed myself to go shopping has been very hard, having almost been a shopoholic in London.

Today I found a few things I just had to buy! Now I have my first outfit for when I go travelling. Isn't it cute?

I also acquired two new sport tops, which I also will be able to bring with on my travels.

Sweat is fat crying!

Some more inspiration for those of you working to get your beach bodies ready in time for summer

Just remember, when you start finding it difficult to find a reason to why you are working so hard, just think of the phrase " Sweat is fat crying". It makes me laugh every time when I am running on the treadmill or feeling the burn in my arms, and makes me want to push even harder!

And some inspiration for the guys! One word.... yummy

May 1st

It is now May, and guess what! It has been snowing all day! It feels like winter is never going to end! Having asked the locals here, they say that it can snow until late May! That is just horrendous! 

I have never had to wear my winter jacket for this long before! The feeling of still needing to wear it is indescribable. I am so happy there is only 28 days left of this cold, grey and glum place. 

It was Patricia's birthday on saturday and instead of having a unhealthy cake, we decided to present her a fruit plate that would make any cake jealous! Wasn't it pretty?

All four of us suedes very much enjoyed it.

Tigers

My Chinese star sign is a Tiger. Having always had cats and loved them my entire life, it falls quite naturally that I should love tigers too.

During my travels I will eventually end up in Thailand. There is this temple just outside of Bangkok called Tiger Temple. This is a place where monks live with a bunch of tigers and protect them and take care of them. Tourist are allowed to come see some of the tigers and monks and even pet some of the them too (only the tigers, not the monks) ;-)

I really can't wait to get a chance to go there and see the tigers.

Wish List

Sometimes you need some motivation in life to get you through the day, a ruff patch or even a few months. Having something to look forward to has always helped me get through things in life.

Right now all I ever think about is my backpacking trip and everything I need to get before I can go. I have made a small wish list with things I need and things I don't need but would very much like to have. :-)

What do you do to motivate yourself?

                


These two watches are from Swatch's Full Blooded collection, they are absolutely amazing!! If I could I would combine these 2 and have the red one with the black skull. That would be the watch for me! Now the problem is that I need to decide which one I should get.

Here we have one of the not so necessary items on my list, but if I would find one cheaply somewhere I might get one of these phones that I have been against for so long. Still can't write a single text message on them, however it would come in handy on the trip.

The backpack is a must! The backpack will be my new best friend and my dearest possesion, can't wait to be able to go to some stores and start trying them on and get my very own backpack!

Last but not least, Ray Ban Aviators. Is there even a need to describe how incredibly good-looking these sunglasses are!? 

Animals

Animals here up north can act in rather peculiar ways.
Think it might be the lack of daylight during the winter and lack of darkness during the summer. 

About a month ago Patricia woke me up at 6 in the morning as we had 3 moose in the garden! They were just standing around chilling not paying us much attention. I would have never thought that moose could be so calm being around people.

Never have I ever seen cats gather in this manner 

Gymspiration

One positive thing about being in northern Norway in the middle of nowhere is all the spare time I have. With all this extra time and nothing to do, the gym has become my new hang out.

Patricia and I have become the newest addition of gym bunnies in Finnsnes. We have set some goals for ourselves ( some are somewhat unrealistic ). However knowing that we are going to be spending a considerable amount of time on the beach this summer, we want to look good!

Here I have a small collection of inspirational (gymspirational) pictures.

What do you all think? Hot or Not?

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