The Life Of Robert

On a night train...

2013-04-01T18:13:00.002-07:00

The D80 (my camera) is covered by a plastic bag…the music is intense, the busy New Delhi street is full of happy people covered with strong colours in their faces….SPLASH….10 liters of water just hit me…I look up...a five-six year old girl standing on a balcony is laughing, holding an empty bucket in her hands…I am soaking wet…my new Indian friend Varun (a tuk-tuk driver) is just smiling and correctly states “you asked for it – this is the real Holi”

“A Train Makes A Lonely Sound” is the name of one of my many Spotify music playlists created in collaboration with my friends. Sitting on a night train I couldn’t think of a better list to listen to. Trains and flights are perfect for reflection and “alone-time”. For the first time since 2010 I am in the right mood to write a blog update.

About two weeks ago I was sitting at the airport in New York waiting for the flight to India. A lot have changed since last time I wrote on the blog. As a student you have all the time in the world, but limited budget. These days it feels like the time itself is the limited “currency”. Manhattan is now my home, and in addition to the same backpack I bought to travel with “around the world” in 2004, I now bring my small suitcase full of “business casual” clothes. I bring my laptop. I read financial market updates (almost) daily, and it is sometimes hard to not answer the job related emails I receive on my BlackBerry. Nevertheless, the last days I have re-realised once again that I am a traveller at heart, and unplanned/random backpacking is still my preferred style.

India has so far been a fantastically diverse experience. The country is full of welcoming people. The beauty of wearing simple clothing and travel alone is all the meetings with great people ranging from the ones living on a couple of dollars a day to the business men in fancy cars. A small sentence like ”hi” or a smile is still all that is needed to get insight into the real stories of people in all ages.

I could have written a dedicated blog post about so many things from this trip; how I randomly found myself partying together with young upcoming stars in the film industry in Bollywood; how much you can learn from a shoe cleaner in Mumbai if you instead of accepting his offer to make your shoes shine, you invite him for a beer; how student leaders from across the world can give you tons of energy and motivation if you gather them on a conference and discuss “leadership for a new age”; how it is to dress up in Indian attire and attend an Indian wedding; how one of the impressing world’s wonder, Taj Mahal, blows you away with its magic appearance and fairytale like story; how one person behind the ticket counter in the airport in New Delhi based on a conversation forgets that his job is to sell you tickets, and instead recommends you to change your plan of going to Kerala (in the south) and instead tells you to head up north (and the feeling of freedom you feel when you actually change travel plans just like that in a split second); how “checking in” somewhere on Facebook can lead you to eating dinner with a friend you saw last time in Europe 5 years ago; how I almost was thrown out from Jama Masjid, the largest and best-know mosque in India, where every Non-Muslim are asked to leave around sunset before the last pray (but then after a few minutes dialogue I was considered a special guest, then they invited me to sit next to the imam in front of thousands of praying men); how I ended up on this night train to Udaipur – a place I know close to nothing about, and how I am now invited by the Indian family next to me for dinner tomorrow…..the list is longer, but in this blog post I will tell you more about how I today have celebrated my first Holi festival.

You could do a google search of the colour festival Holi and you will find the whole story behind the celebration and tons of great pictures. Here is Varun’s (the tuk-tuk driver) short version:

“Once it was this king that had a lot of power. He got more power. He wanted the people to respect him more than they respected the gods. He became the great king of demons. This king had a son. His son believed in a Hindu god. The king hated that the son believed and praised a god. The king tried to kill his son in all thinkable ways. All his attempts failed. The king also had a daughter. She was like the king, a demon. Due to some magic she could not be burned on a fire. The son could be killed on a fire. Then the king tried to burn both of them. The king’s assumption was that the (demon) daughter would survive, and that the son would finally be killed. And here the magic happened. The daughter died, and the son survived unharmed. The good survived, the evil died”

My Holi experience started at a hotel close to the city centre of New Delhi. Everyone at the hotel tried to stop me from heading to the streets. “People are crazy. Every educated person would stay away. People are drunk. People will throw colour at you etc…”

10 minutes later I had walked up and down some streets. I was seriously disappointed. Yes I had seen some people with colours in their faces, but where is the party everyone was talking about? Where was the craziness? Then Varun drove by in his tuk-tuk. I told him that this was pretty boring. He smiled, and then we drove for 10-15 minutes to some streets I would never have found. I still don’t know exactly where we went, but this is what happened:

Another new thing - in 2013 with smart phones it is easier than ever to stay in touch via Facebook, WattsApp etc. and get instant updates and feedback on your stories from friends and family. After seeing some pictures I posted on Facebook my girlfriend sent me the following quote:

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift….that is why it is called the present”

Carpe Diem!

Mexico 2010 - The Video

2010-04-13T20:46:00.000-07:00

January 2010: Backpacking in Mexico!

Can't wait for next trip!!!

(Do you have problems seeing the video on Facebook? Visit the blog: www.robert-christensen.blogspot.com )

La Isla de Mujeres....

2010-02-01T09:02:00.000-08:00

Suddently, as I weightlessly is carried away by the streams in this underwater dreamworld, my diving partner, Marco is pointing hysterically to the right. Then I see it, one gigantic turtle is heading our way...and there is another one, and another....can I touch them?

Stacey with her Baywatch style

Marco and I before the dive

Outside Pocna hostel at La Isla de Mujeres....!

To describe how beautiful it is to scuba dive in the Caribbean Ocean is impossible, but ever since I did it for the first time outside of Cuba in 2004 I have been looking forward to do it again. And yes, you can touch turtles, in the end there were 6 circulating around us.

Together with the Aussies, Stacey and Brett, I left Merida a few days ago and headed for La Isla de Mujeres. Touristic? Hell, jeah! Do we love it? Hell jeah!

Stacey, Brett and I on the boat to the island!

If you want to backpack with me, prepare yourself for jungle, mountains, ruins, climbing, hiking etc. But to make a trip perfect, some days of doing nothing but relaxing at the beach is needed. La Isa Mujeres is perfect for this.

Looking over to Cancun!

The island is just a few kilometers long, and is only 150 meter wide at its most narrow parts. In other words, it takes you just a few hours on a scooter or golf-car to see the whole island, and after that the only thing you can do it laying at the beach, scuba dive, snorkel, or lay in the hammock....and the beach parties are legendary!

Stacey

Brett

Robert

These Americans turned in to models for five minutes...

Formula for sweet life:)

I, Stacey and Brett

Beach party all night long!

People from the hostel!

Sweet, sweet life...battery charged...! Time to suit up for corporate life.

For all of you that I met on my way in Mexico, it was cool to meet you! Enjoy the rest of your trips, and hope to see you again somewhere, sometime...

For you guys back home, hope to see you in Oslo in a bit...

PS:For backpackers Pocna hostel is the place to be at La Isla, and for the active ones, prepare yourself for free salsa classes and competitive volleyball games :)

Volleyball

Finally a few pictures from the last day in Mexico City waiting for the flight to Europe:

I and Chloe

Visiting the Frida Kahlo museum

Street art

Departure MEX-AMS

In search of ruins and underwater caves...

2010-01-24T07:50:00.000-08:00

I am glad we got up early! After climbing to the top of one of the impressing pyramids of Uxmal, it feels magic to just lay down, stare at the sky and imagine how it was to live here about 1000 years ago. Guess they had some good parties right here we are now...

In search of the Uxmal ruins...

When I arrived to the state of Yucatán, I stayed 4 days in Merida. I barely saw the city though, as it is so easy to head out of town for adventurous day trips. The first day I met Sid from England, and he invited me to join him for a day trip to a smaller village, Chochola, and even though you may think that this town is famous for its sweets, it is one of the many natural wonders of Yucatán that was our objective for the day - a Cenote.

The San Ignacio cenote

The streets of Chochola

Sid eating dinner....I had to try the locale chocolate milk in Chochola:)

One of few pictures from Merida...

In the Yucatán state there are over 3000 cenotes, or sink holes, some of them more famous and therefore more visited than others. Cenotes are magical, enigmatic and unique in the world and were once the only resource for fresh, sweet water in the local Yucatecan jungle. They were the sacred places of the Maya for that reason, but also because they represented the entrance to the underworld.The good thing with the one in Chochola, is that it is rather small and infamous, which means that there is a good chance that you can enjoy it alone.
Regarding the number of people around me, the next day at the Chichen Itza ruins is a rather different story. Being voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, it is not only adventurous backpackers that head this way. Brett, from Australia just called it a "marketplace with some ruins in it".

The ruins of Chichen Itza

In front of the Cenote Sagrado (Sacrifice)

Touristic or not, Chichen Itza is kind of a "must see" if you are near since it is one of the largest pre-Columbian archaeological sites built by the Maya civilization. For me it is now a "been there, done that" and ironically, the picture I am most happy with from that day is this one which give you a feeling about the vibe there....

(It would be even better with sound, as this rather big sized American woman breathed and panted so much that I thought it was a animal coming my way. I guess she was less disappointed than me by the fact that it is not allowed to walk on the ruins).

Too many in one taxi...on our way to the bus station to head for Uxmal!!!

The fact that you can climb to the top of some of the ruins of Uxmal, is one of the reasons for why I easily could go back there. If you get up early, like we did, you can pretty much have the site for yourself.
UXMAL:

The trip to Mexico is almost over, and before I am heading back to the winter in Norway, it is time to for some real chillin'.....

La Isla de Mujeres - HERE I COME!!!!

PS: If you ever need a hostel in Merida I reccomend Nomadas Hostel

Relaxing by the pool at Nomadas Hostel :)

Those bus trips....

2010-01-21T11:32:00.000-08:00

I am a big fan of Tarantino. Not only for his weird story-tellings, but I find how he mixes music and picture amazing. The way he used "Cat People" by David Bowie in his last movie, "Inglourious Bastards" was just perfect. Another thing I love is to put my Spotify playlists on shuffle. And it was on a bus trip from San Cristobal to Merida, as a stunning landscape of mountains, valleys and cactuse passed by, Bjørn Hellfuck's "Krabbeklo" was next on my ears .....for second I though Tarantino would have loved this.....surreal...."Krabbe, krabbe, krabbeklo".

Bjørn Hellfuck

For all of you that don't know, Bjørn Hellfuck, he is an artist that invented his own music genre "Bjørn Hellfuck music", and I am not really sure why I like him so much. Maybe it is a mix of the surreal lyrics and his use of organ, one of my favorite instruments. The lyrics are (unfortunately) in Norwegian and are really really weird ("I was on the ferry to Denmark shit faced in a buffet...."), and according to his fan page on Facebook, his interests are "Horer og Brennevin" (hookers and booze). I guess you somehow get it, but if you want, check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enGeMFRqmTc

Listening to music ("spotifying") on the bus!

I met this young guy at one of the "bus-breaks". He wantet to teach me how to play a Mexican hide and seek game :)

Most drivers have a cross or a religous picture in their front window....but not this driver...

Well, let's get back to bus trips. You get really used to it as a backpacker, and instead of spending money on another night on a hostel why not just jump on a night bus and see where it takes you. If you travel in Latin America, be prepared for insanely boring movies dubbed in Spanish (bring a book), and remember some warm clothing as it sometimes feels like being in a freezer due to abuse of air conditioning.(Remember, sometimes when you know there is some great landscape to see on the way, go by day).

Together with Carmel and Shiran I spent only 2 days in San Cristobal, which is located in the central region in the state of Chipas. The city is famous for it colorful and beautiful urban designs. This region is also the home of many indigenous people, and their handcrafts can be bought one the market located in the city center.

The colourful streets of San Cristobal

Kids at the market

These hands have made many beautiful and traditional accessories...

The classic Volkswagen Beetle in sunset
(there still exists tonns of this of car in Mexico)

Shiran at a Libonese restaurant!

The owner of the hostel had the coolest dog...so way don't take it for a walk?

The second day in San Cristobal I headed out of the city together with Carmel, to a beautiful waterfall call El Chiflon. The blue water somehow reminded me of The Blue Lagoon in Iceland.

I and Carmel with the main waterfall , El Chiflon, in the backround!

Shiran, Carmel, thank you for great days in Puerto Escondido and San Cristobal, maybe we will meet again at the Caribbean coast!

Chillin' at the Pacific coast...

2010-01-18T10:36:00.000-08:00

At every trip there are some moments more random than others. Around midnight at a beach in Puerto Escondido a group of young people just met and are sitting under the palms, looking at the stars, smelling the salt from the Pacific Ocean, and sending both a joint and a guitar around in the circle...maybe I should play some tunes of The Doors this time....

Kids playing at the beach

I arrived yesterday to Puerto Escondido, jumped into the sandals and strolled along the beach, grabbed a "fruit-in-bag", and asked the vendor to put some chili on the mango - the Mexican way. The hiking-folk from the mountains are swapped with a lot of fit and tanned dudes and dudettes, surfing boards and sunscreen products, and I just hoped I would remember some of the surfing skills I achieved in Florida two years ago.

After I bought my Nikon D80 camera in 2008 I either bring my guitar or the camera with me. To bring both is simply too much of a hustle. Luckily there are many others that love the guitar and have realized how it brings people together on the road. And as many times before, it was a guitar and an incredible voice that brought us together at the beach yesterday.

One of the girls came from Alaska, and she had been on a sailboat for 8 months and just arrived. As me she had just been walking at the beach and found a Canadian guy singing and playing the guitar. And then came the guy from Australia, a surfer that came to Puerto Escondio last year and never left. One of the girls there came from Japan and had travelled alone for 21 months (!) and proved that the Asian habit of saving sometimes really pay off. And then it was the American dude that was fed up with his work back home, left the office and jumped on a plane. The girl from Holland that started to miss her friends back home after 3 months of joy in Central America....I could go on and on, but we all one by one just sat down on one of many beaches in Mexico. Everyone with his or her story, randomly at the same place.

For me these kind of moments are something I love about travelling. People just meet like that. You enjoy the moment. You leave, and you never meet them again. I don't even remember their names, I only know that wherever they are now, they are open minded people in search of good times. And I am quite confident that they also remember that night. Happy days!!!

The banana picture!

Can't travel without playing the guitar!

But some people you spend more time with. In Puerto Escondido I had to many beers with the party dudes, Bill and Matt from the US. And I spent the days at the beach with Shiran and Carmel, two charming Isralites that celebrated that their years in the army is over (for those of you that don't know, in Israel it is mandatory for girls to serve 2 years in the army, while guys spend 3 years as soldiers).

I, Shiran and Carmel

Bill and sleepy Finnish dude!

Matt at the dancefloor (and sleepy Finnish dude)

Finally here are some more pictures from Puerto Escondido:

Elderly couple on their Sunday walk :)

I just agreed with Shiran and Carmel to travel together to San Cristobal.....let's head to the inner country again...!

Hope you are all doing well!!!!

Rocks found...

2010-01-15T19:34:00.000-08:00

I am looking out of the back window of the car, Oaxaca is fading away. Carlos and Carlos are singing load with the reggae music in front as we drive quite fast on a bumpy smal countryside road. The smell of burned grass plays unmistakable with my nose, and it feels great to be out of the city. And then after a sharp turn "San Sebastian" is appearing majestically in front of us, I am about to be challenged by a great Mexican climbing spot.

About 40 minutes from downtown Oaxaca, 2700 meter above sea level with 50 routes of all levels. This is "San Sebastian" climbing spot. For climbing mates check out: http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/North_America/Mexico/Oaxaca/San_Sebastian_Tutla/

"San Sebastian"

Undoubtedly the most famous climbing in Mexico can be done in the northern part of Mexico, near Monterrey, but after seeing quite a few potentially good climbing opportunities from the bus trip from Mexico City, I started to ask the locals about climbing and hiking as soon as I arrived in Oaxaca. I didn't have to search for a long time since I soon realized that the brother of one of the owners of the hostel I stayed at was a local climbing. A short phone call and an appointment was made. The next day we packed our gear, and here is a few pictures from a great day.

There are pros and cons related with independent travelling, and people sometimes believe that I actually is travelling alone. This is so far from the truth that it gets, as it doesn't take much time before you find other folks on the road, and a lot of them is as "alone" as I. It is always a bit exciting to head to the bus station alone, buy the ticket and start to look around for other people walking around in comfy clothing with a big backpack, and then you can just start guessing where they come from. Mateo from Italy was clearly another traveler, and in addition to his backpack, the bible of all travelers, Lonely Planet, revealed his attentions.

I and Mateo at the food market eating Mole Negro and Tlayuda.

Anyone up for some insect-snacks?

Catedral Santo Domingo

THE LOCALS:

Mateo is a son of Italian farmer and has a nose for good food and wine, something that comes handy when you visiting one of the most cultural rich cities in Mexico. Oaxaca is center of traditional Mexican dance, music and food. In addition to the weird meals with insects, they served us delicious Mole Negro, Tlayuda and so on....and don't forget to ask for the Mezcal, the famous Mexican brother of Tequila!

"Arbol de Tule".

This famous three in Tule, 30 minutes outside of Oaxaca is not only gigantic, it is about 2000 years old.

For people heading this way, spend a full day exploring the different markets, buy fruits in the street and make sure you visit many of the small bars. There is live music every night. My favorite bar became La Borga!

Drinking Mezcal at La Borga!

The Mezcal glass reveals that this is a catolic country!

Salud!

Mateo and I in our newly bought outfit!

But now, enough culture and climbing, I want to relax and have a bus to catch. Next stop Puerto Escondido - The surfers paradise.

Vamos a la playa!!!!!!!!!

Mexico City!

2010-01-11T01:13:00.000-08:00

Somewhere over Atlanterhavet Jeg ser ut av flyet vinduet. I tillegg til å se noen filmer og lese et par kapitler i "La sombra del vinto" av Carlos Ruiz Zafón, en 11 timers flytur kan du gjøre mye tenking. Og det tenker jeg gjør som jeg ser skyggen av flyet i skyene under meg. Fly er jævlig kult, og jeg spørsmålet meg selv hvorfor jeg ikke bli flyger i stedet. På den annen side Jeg er en f *** ing forrtunate dude, igjen Jeg drar Europa, og nok en gang oppgradert til business class (meny med retter jeg aldri har hørt om fordi de er så fancy, bygge i massasje i seter, endeløse samling av filmer og mye rom rundt meg ). Dette er min lykkedag? Må jeg kjære å be kabinansatte? Er jeg for gammel?

Om 5 minutter senere en drøm blir virkelighet. Hendene mine skjelver, er adrenalinet - jeg står bak setet til piloten av flyet. Ikke engang spør meg hvor overrasket jeg ble da flyvertinne svarte "Jeg kan se hva jeg kan gjøre for deg, sir", er det eneste jeg vet at det å se solen i horisonten foran deg på den måten gjør tårer vanskelig å holde tilbake. Et magisk, magisk øyeblikk som gjorde denne turen allerede før det virkelig startet. Og by the way, flyr over Mexico City i mørke er noe av det villeste jeg har sett.

Venter på flyet til Mexico City på Schiphol lufthavn, Amsterdam

Før jeg dro ut av Mexico City Jeg tilbrakte 2 dager med Chloe fra Canada. En venn av henne, Carlos, som drives begge av oss. For å være alvorlig, så jeg ikke for mye av byen, men vandret rundt i den eldre delen av byen, fikk en følelse av nattelivet i byen og ble introdusert til lokale øl og mat.

Jeg, Chloe i Carlos kjøring (!) I Mexico City!

Mexican Seafood breakfast
(Richardo og Chloe)

Chloe

Den siste dagen Chloe og jeg tok en times busstur, og besøkte pyramidene av Teotihuacan. Det er vanskelig å tro at de tidligste bygningene på Teotihuacan dato til ca 200 f.Kr.. Den største pyramiden ble Pyramid of the Sun, avsluttet med 100 CE. Det er vanskelig å beskrive hvor stort det er, og hva du føler når du klatre til toppen av det, men la meg sitere hva en liten lokal meksikansk gutt (rundt 4 år) spurte broren: "Herfra kan vi se alle land i verden, ikke sant? "

THE PYRIMYDES AV Teotihuacan:

Breakin 'loven, Breakin' loven!

Lokale gutt på toppen av Pyramide of the Sun!

Takk Chloe, Carlos, Vanessa og Richardo for flotte dager!!

Neste stopp Oaxaca!

The return of the blog....next stop Mexico!

2010-01-07T19:13:00.000-08:00

This blog-return is almost as spontaneous as the trip I am about to go on!

A week ago I wake up with an urgent need to travel, and after "spinning the google earth" a couple of times I ended up buying a ticket to Mexico a few days ago...!

As always, I have no real plan, I don't know where to go when I arrive, and I have no clue about the people I will hang out with the next 3 weeks! Or which places I will see. I brought climbing equipment and my diving license. So ready for new adventures at the start of a new decade!

Me pushing the "like button" 100 times! I love this.

The only thing I know is that I will head south, and out of Mexico City as soon as possible, I want summer!!!!!

Gone in 60 seconds!!!!! Wanna join?

DEPARTURE

This is what I am leaving:

Winter wonderland at Fløien, Bergen

2009 - Here and there in 2009

2009-12-30T00:26:00.000-08:00

This train is leaving in about 3 minutes, let's go. I think..." Romain is not even finishing his sentence before he starts running. At this moment I am finding myself running from side to side to avoid running down other people at the main railway staion in Taipei, Taiwan. There are just a few things better than leaving the suits and ties behind, jump into the sandals, put on some comfortable clothes and letting the power of randomness taking over...

After 4 days dressed up for the Graduate Business Conference in Taipei (15th to 19th April, representing NHH and CEMS), a few days on the road in Taiwan, was one of the travel highlights of 2009. This trip actually started by spending some great days in Hong Kong and Macau. Then I headed for Taiwan where I hang out with Alison from New Orleans a few days before the conference started (yes, the girl from New Orleans that I first met in Vietnam in 2004, bumped into by chance when I lived in Barcelona 2006, and that came and visited me when I studied in Boston last year). She was now teaching English in Taipei. When the conference were over Romain and I went to the railway station, and we more or less agreed on taking the first train available...we ended up in Hualien!

Romain, in a hurry at the trainstation..
...good that we didn't understand the Chinese signs over the counter...

On the way to Hualien!

Even though 2009 was the year I almost drowned myself in work (extra curriculum projects, corporate finance cases, business project, summer job and master thesis) I still managed to leave Bergen a couple of times for travelling. It is funny to think about that when I headed for the "around the world trip" in 2004 I earnestly believed that this was my only chance, the one time in life it would be possible - this is it! I thought studying at NHH would be so tough that I would have no time to anything but studying. I couldn't be more wrong, those months made me think about how I could combine study, summer jobs etc. with travelling.

Since I am about to enter the real work life, with just a few weeks off every year, I am again wondering about how I will be able to "get out there", but looking back at these pictures from 2009 I am optimistic - I will find a way.

Sledge session with Rune, Ina, Christine, Anja, Andre, Bennedicteand Tormod next to Ina's cabin (Kvamskogen, January 2009)

Ina and I in the shakuzi!

My brother's band, Manheads, playing at a concert at Urørt finalen in Trondheim
(January 2009)

Remi at stage!

Daro, Håkon and Nicolas at Urørt!

CEMS Club Bergen at Fløien (February 2009)

Chloe visits Bergen, here in Klubben @ NHH together with Marius and I (February 2009)

Ivan just arrived to attend the CEMS Nordic Forum 2009 at NHH
(March 2009)

Anna and Martino at Nordic Forum

The aftermatch!!

The Nordic Forum Team is one of the best group of people I have ever worked with!!!!!
Thanks to all of you!
Anna Markina, Holger Kusenbach, Dominik Fidler, Marco Proto, Espen Øvreberg, Trond Simonsen, Rafael Garavito og Eya Salmi. Marte Tvinnereim, Erika Halász, Nawang Tara Ghale, Sofie Jukelsonova, Carina Backer-Grøndahl Blaalid, Margrete Laland, Joyce Mantel and I

Hanging out with Sigrid in London (April 2009)

Student Board meeting in London!! (April 2009)

"The Peak" in Hong Kong (April 2009)

Jonathan and I in Macau (April 2009)

Hanging out with Alison in Taipei (April 2009)

Taipei

CEMS representatives at Graduate Business Conference, Taipei (April 2009)

Romain and I on the road to Hualien

OK?
(At the hostal in Hualien, Taiwan)

CEMS Club Bergen rafting trip to Jølster, Norway (May 2009)

Jens, Rafal, Pawel, Lukas, Zoltan, Dominik and Joyce in Jølster

Tapas night at my place (May 2009)

The yearly BBQ with Christer, Linn-Therese, Bjørn and Frank
(16th of May 2009)

17th of May at Logehaven, Bergen
(Joar, Ole Christian and I)

Kristoffer, Håvard and Eirik

On my way to Svalbard with Kjetil (June 2009)

Kjetil ready for dog sledding

At Paris Airshow with CEMSies (June 2009)

Playing pilot of the new Airbus 380 (why didn't I become a pilot???)

Hanging out in the park with lil' bro and mum in Oslo (July 2009)

Burger night with Linn-Therese and Kristoffer in Theresesgt (July 2009)

Visiting Copenhagen. Simon outside his (?) house...
(August 2009)

Thomas and I in Copenhagen!

Buenos Aires from my hotel window (September 2009)

The Buenos Aires Crew (Spanish class at NHH)

(Johannes, Mari, Håvard, Matias, Christoffer, Rune, Kristina,
Iris, Leonora, Robert, Anette, Lise, Marte and Merete)

Andreas, Ulrich, Joyce, Marte, Dominik and Rafael
CEMS reunion in Prague (October 2009)

Ole, Raymond, Anja and André at Julebord 2009 (December 2009)

Charlotte and Ina!

Ina and I

Hiking trip to Fløien with Ragnvald (December 2009)

New Years Eve at 00:00 - Ine, Sofie and I (Marius behind the camera)

Happy New Year and Decade to everyone!!

Road trip - Sicily!

2008-12-20T09:47:00.000-08:00

If I was an Italian car I would probably prefer to be a Lamborghini or a Ferrari, driving fast or hanging out on the parking lot outside the fanciest places imaginable. But if this week, I was a rental car living at the Palermo airport in Sicily, there is absolutely no doubt that I would prefer to be a black Fiat Multipla. If I was that lucky black Multipla, I would by now have spent 4 amazing days showing 6 CEMS student the best of my island. I would by now been singing good old rock songs together with them, I would by now smiled to myself listening to them have a silly fight about who’s gonna be next to drive me, I would be fascinated by the different languages they talked, I would been wondering why they constantly tried to challenge each other with brain teasers and quizzes, and I would be almost scarily surprised by one of them screaming, stop, stop, STOP NOOOW!

Our fabelous Multiple!

THE VIDEO:

Being on a road trip can be intensively cool, and sometimes when you try to get the most out of both the day and the night, and when curvy roads to the Etna Vulcano is combined with a slight hung over, the moment of puking can be dramatically near. This happened to one of my buddies the last day of our road trip. The fun part is that he was not alone about puking that day. “The puke to not puke”-ratio was 1.0 among us. (3 out of 6 had a though night/morning).

It is now over a month ago since I together with Audrey, Thomas Blake, Ivan, Martin and Thomas Bjarnesen, had a great week on the road in Sicily. After starting with some photo shooting at Segesta's ancient temple, we headed for Palermo, were we more or less managed to drive around in the most chaotic traffic I have ever experienced. Before we headed back to Milan we visited the mafiosos in Corleone, the Roman Amphitheatre in Siracusa and Etna, the volcano not far from Catania.

Sicilly!

Segesta's ancient temple

Ivan, Audrey, Martin, Thomas Blake and I

Mafiosos in Corleone
(Thomas Bjarnesen, Thomas Blake, Audrey, Martin and I)

Walking the streets of Siracusa

……..those CEMS students

Ivan jumps....

....and falls!

Roman Amphitheatre

Mr. Blake at the night market in Catania

Climbing to the top of Etna

Guess who?

Tavel dudes and dudette, thanks for a great trip!

(For more pictures from Sicilly see:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=191006&id=607925223&l=bba8d283d7

and

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=199126&id=607925223&l=93b6e78f9b )

I have just packed my stuff, this semester is over, and I am heading back to Norway with a lot of good memorie! Here are some of them in pictures:

Meeting up with Laura, Sarah, Tore and Louis Manuel in Barcelona

In Venice with Linn-Therese

Linn-Therese at the top of the Duomo, Milan!

Abir, Romain, Diane, Scott, Nika, Florian and Zsombor

I, Anna, Florian, Diane, Zsombor and Jonathan

CEMS Student Board 2008/2009

Good old NHH CEMS'ies

Heidi in town!

Alex, Thomas, Heidi, Kjetil and I

Martinos birthday!

Udita in town!

The CEMS Milan Christmas Party 2008:

The CEMS family!

AND THE VIDEO!!

Life in Italy!

2008-10-26T07:56:00.000-07:00

Still amazed by the sunset scenery down at the port we realize that no matter how beautiful Cinque Terra is, food is one of the basics a man needs to be smiling! Fast-strolling the narrow streets we soon realize that we are not the only one looking for food. One restaurant after the other is either packed or without the “Italian atmosphere” we are searching for. That is when we decide to “climb” the steep stairs. Barely recognizing the charming colorful buildings, the small alleys and the appearance of a rising full moon we’ reaching higher and higher. And there it is - a small restaurant with 3 tables on an open terrace, smell of seafood and a friendly waiter. The smile is back again, and there is no rush. With the crazy clubbing nightlife in Milan far away there is nothing more natural for group of fellows to do than order more food and wine than needed and discuss women, politics, and the financial crisis (at that time still so naively).

Sunset

I can’t remember last time I really planned a trip. Over the last year I have found myself alone in a Mongolian desert, hiking on a glacier on Iceland, renting a car in the last minute to reach a festival in Montreal or ending up at a surreal party in Harlem, New York. All different with one thing in common – I didn’t know the days before that I would be doing it. I have to admit that Cinque Terra had been thought about during the first weeks in Milan, but when I told my friends 4am in the club “meet me in the train station at 11am, the destination is Cinque Terre” I earnestly believed that at the most one of them would join me. I was therefore gladly surprised when we counted 6 in the train the day after; Ivan, Mathieu and Guilaume representing France, Thomas from Belgium, Martin half Scottish half Austrian and I. Little did we know that this was going to be a weekend hard to forget.

In short words in was a weekend of eating, drinking, walking, photographing, talking and laughing!

Slideshow from Cinque Terre

Martin and Guilaume in the train

The crew: Thomas, Ivan, Mathieu, Martin, Rob and Guilaume!

Escaping from the wave!
The alcohol works also in Italia, and it is not a very unreasonable assumption to say that it played certain role when Ivan said sometimes after midnight “Thomas, Robert, let’s go down to the ocean”. Some minutes later we found ourselves jumping from stone to stone on a small dyke. “Just a bit further guys, come on”. “Do you think we can reach all the way out”. Of course we couldn’t. Dykes are normally there for a reason, and so was this. Suddenly a huge wave hit the dyke, and we were in middle of a water inferno. Soak wet, cold and with a nervous giggling we escaped. It must have been hilarious to watch us. I still had the taste of salt in my mouth the morning after, and I will never forget when I heard Thomas saying in the kitchen “damn it, my jeans are still wet...we must cook it”….and so we did!!!!

We escaped the wave!!!

Jeans cooking!

Life in Milan!
When I arrived in the end of August it took me just a few days to realize that my wardrobe was the lamest ever. Being a person totally indifferent about what brand I jump into I needed to do something. Henriette taught me a thing or two about matching colors when she helped me shopping in Boston (I guess she saw this coming), but frankly I have no clue about fashion. I needed to adapt. And I did, without even having to pay for it. My Italian roommate Tommaso has a wardrobe full of things in my size, so soon “Fancy-Rob” was blending in on the Bocconi University catwalk wearing Gucci shoes and Louis Vuitton belt. Guys back home, I promise to be back to normal when I return.

Anyways, life in Milan is a good life! Haven seen rain only one morning, I again find it hard to understand why I still have my base in Bergen, where I hear the weather have, as normal, been terrible the whole fall. In short words, life here is partying. Partying here means clubbing. Until you drop at four-five in the morning. House music has never ever been my thing, but here I don’t really have much choice, unless I want to ditch all my friends and find new ones. But I am not complaining anymore, it is actually (and don’t hate me for this) quite fun.

In tha club. David Guetta in tha house (according to my friends he is famous)

Clara, Anna & Soraya in the club

Here is some randsom pictures from the September and October (slideshows will come later)

Bocconi University

The derby - AC Milan vs. Inter

Daytrip to Lake Como

Ragnvald in town

On the top of the famous Duomo

In Paris with Capgemini

Studentboard meeting in Valencia

Flat mates
Like when I moved to Barcelona, to find a apartment is a hassle. But after some days hanging on the phone we found a nice place. I live with Kjetil (25), a Norwegian friend that I travelled with in Asia back in 2004. He is now a student at BI in Oslo and happened to have the exchange semester in the same city. Together we live with Tommaso a 22 year old Italian also studying at Bocconi. Until last week we lived up to being quiet and nice Norwegians, but then after throwing a party on Saturday, a poker tournament on Monday, and a pre-party (lasting until 1:30) on Wednesday we are now the “problem” of the building! This was indeed understood when the owner of the apartment, the neighbors, Tommasso’s parents and the police called us the next day. Don’t tell anybody, but we will have the biggest party ever in December before we leave!!!! Such rebels.

Tommasso, Kjetil and Frederico (a friend of Tomasso)

My room

Tomasso studying in the living room!

Soraya, Audrey and Agata at the party on Saturday

The poker tournament

The CEMS family!
The reason for being in Milan is that I am doing a master degree in International Management. It is called CEMS and has 15 European Business Schools in its network. Every semester there is a CEMS class at each school. Basically, in Milan we are a group 30 students from at least 15 different nations all interested in languages and an international carrier. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that we are actually going to succeed when I think about how much of the degree is outside the classroom. But on the other side, who wants to work with people only caring about numbers, strategies and money? I might also have spotted one or two I would like to do my own business with, when I am ready for it.

Clubbing together with
Alex, Maria, Ivan, Martin, Soraya, Monica, Anna, Mathieu, Thomas and Audrey at Hollywood

Pre-party at Anna's place

Because of so many great people in the class, I wished the time could slow down a bit. There is no doubt that I miss a lot of people back home, but at the moment I refuse to think too much about that we are half ways through the semester. What makes me optimistic is that it always just up to you if you want to meet people again. And this is exactly what I am going to do in just a few days. 2 years ago I met great people when I studied in Barcelona, and on Thursday I have a flight back to have a reunion with a group of them! Can’t wait to see you guys!

Ciao!

Summer moved on...!

2008-07-03T11:44:00.000-07:00

So what do you do when you suddenly realize that the summer is almost over, and you have just too many things you should have done, too much schoolwork you should have finished…and you remember that you actually are going to move to Milano in 10 days, and you haven’t even started to look for a apartment!!!

My solution was moving out on the balcony! It all started this weekend when Chloe and Matt came to visit me, and we were thinking: let’s make a lounge! So now I live eat and sleep here together with my roommates. The ultimate chill out is just what I needed before I rush further to Italy!!!

Balcony Life

The summer in Boston has been the busiest summer ever. I could have written about my first helicopter pilot lesson over the coastline of Florida, the Jazzfestival in Montreal, the trip with Anick to Cape Cod or about when Håkon and I rocked on the most wicked consert ever with Electric Six - on a boat!!!! And so on, and so on!!! Work hard, study hard and play hard has never felt more real! However, to write about all this would take forever, so I will rather show you some short videos about the high lights.

I have learned so much this summer, and I have been thinking of many ways of summing this up! For me this has been a summer of great people – roommates, colleagues, classmates and professors. And it has been the summer of reunions – Anick, Brian, Allison, Matt, Chloe, Emma, John and Sofie! I almost can’t believe that you all came and visited me in Boston! And Udita, thanks for showing me NYC the way only a local can do it!!

Thanks to Professor Paul McManus and Allen Mottur, I have also learned a thing or two about entrepreneurship. I am convinced, class participation and interactive lessons is the way to go!

One of the main reasons for going to Boston was to get experience from a startup company! Once again, it all boils down to the importance of great people! If I ever have the opportunity to run my own company, I will make sure that it is both fun and efficient at work! I have never laughed so much at work before. Thank you Paul, Lexie, Jonathan, Raj, Sarah, Praveen, Titi and Henriette!
No matter what happens in the future, it will be terrible with the wrong people, and equally great with the right!!!!

Video: Interning at MedTouch

To all of you that made the summer of ’08 a great experience:
Hope to travel, party and do business with you all again! Good luck with your projects! Who’s gonna change the world? Earn the first billion dollar? Or who’s gonna affect a million people with a great idea?

-RoB

THE SUMMER IN VIDEOS!

(If you read this on Facebook, you have to visit my blog to be able to see the movies: http://www.robert-christensen.blogspot.com/ )

The City Walk with Mike!

Mike

Nobody knows the city better than the locals! Thanks Mike for showing me Boston!

The Jazz Festival in Montreal!

Concert in Montréal together with Daro, Håkon, John and Matt!

Roadtrip with Daro and Håkon to visit the Montréal crew and listening to good music!

The Fourth!

Celebrating "The Fourth"

Celebrating the Independence day with classmates near Charles River! Thanks Natasha for bringing me to the afterparty!!!

Introduction to Baseball!

Fenway Park

The people at Boston University invited us all to see Red Sox playing at Fenway Park.

Anick in town!

At Cape Cod

After a couple of days in the city we went to Cape Cod! I am looking forward to see you in Milano!!!!

Visiting army mates in Florida!

In the helicopter with Petter

I was a pilot for an hour! Made my summer!!! Thanks Lasse and Petter! Looking forward to having you back in Norway!

Alison in town!

Alison

I have travelled with Alison in both Asia and Europe, and finally now in USA! Where do we go next? Take care in Taiwan!!!

Playing with Madness!!!

#613 with groupies!

We had fun at Dexter Park!

Brian in town!

Brian

Brian was another intern I worked with in Russia last year! See you in Norway!!!! And I will show you that Norwegians party like we did all the time!!!

At work!

Lunch at "Henriettas Table"

The Intership was fun and relevant!!! Next time we have lunch with Ben Affleck I will try to remember which movies he played in:)

Balcony life!!!

I have to find an apartment with a balcony in Milano!!!

Last week!!!

Then after several months, the final week was there! Last presenation, a fantastic boatrip, and the last party!!!!

Back to NYC!

Everything that has a beginning has an end! Thanks Anne for helping Elisabeth and me! The summer started in New York, and it was nice to come back!!! This time we partied with locals in Harlem! Udita, you have to come to Norway one day!!!

The Interns in Boston - The Video

2008-06-27T10:11:00.001-07:00

The first weeks in Boston, June 2008

Roadtrip in Iceland - The movie

2008-06-26T23:12:00.001-07:00

June 2008, Emma and Rob on the road!

Hanging out in New York - The Video!

2008-06-26T12:53:00.001-07:00

Let's party like rock stars in Montreal this weekend folks!

The Interns in Boston!

2008-06-14T23:54:00.000-07:00

The interns outside Boston University, School of Management!

"Your ID, please?" The girl at the cashier looks at us in a “what do you think you are” kind of way. I am thinking, “Interesting, they’re even stricter than back home”, and giving her my passport. But, NO, NO, NO, the problem is far from solved. She is going “Well, I have to see ALL your passports”, and drivers license is not enough. Turning into “are you serious” mode we’re searching hysterically in our pockets…!

According to my observations Norwegians tend to buy (and consume) almost ridiculous amounts of alcohol when we are abroad. Norwegians interns in Boston being no exception, my flat mates and me rushed to the liquor store and filled our baskets with, litterly speaking, more bottles than we could ever carry! With big smiles on our faces, and half prices compared to what we’re used to, the only thing we were worried about was how to get a big enough taxi back home! We were just about to learn about the Massachusetts alcohol policy the hard way!!!!

Bring your passport to get this!

No charm or excuse helped us. Only 2 out of the 4 of us brought the passport. For all future travelers thinking of buying alcohol in Boston, non or some passport is equivalent with a NO GO/NO WAY: “How can I know that two of you aren’t’ buying that booze for your friends”, the girl said. Being far from rational (rather close to desperate and so in need of a Corona with lime) I kept thinking, “stupid, stupid, STUPID”…and then I recalled something the exchange students at NHH kept telling me, “Norway has such stupid rules, Robert, can you tell me why I can’t buy a bottle of beer after 6 pm on Saturdays”. The answer “it’s just the way it is” never seemed to impress anyone!

Alanis Morisette sings “you live you learn”, and the learning here is probably to realize that when you’re moving to a new country you’re better off not asking too many “WHY’s” and just go with the flow - in other words, adapting.

The happy ending!

Using “The Interns in Boston” as the heading and then focus on alcohol policy probably does not make much sense, even though alcohol indeed is a big part of our lives right now. Anyway, here are some other examples of how we’re adapting to American culture:

Speaking up in the classes. Something that we defiantly are not used to at the colleges back home. “So, what do you think Robert, and why?”

Solving problems at Boston University

Trying new food, sometimes unhealthy and with strong colors. Check out what my flat mate Daro brought to the kitchen table:

Eatable? Healthy?

Learning Baseball rules. Still not sure what they are doing on the playing field. Basket is more my cup of tea, and when Boston Celtics won the NBA finale against Los Angeles Lakers last week, we for sure knew how to party with the locals. What a night!

Nervous fans watching the NBA finale - Boston Celtics won!

Celebrating the championship like real fans!

What a night!!!

The Entrepreneurship program at Boston University

Boston - The view from Dexter Park where we live

I haven’t really told you why I am in Boston and what I am doing here. The short version can be summed up as travelling, working and studying.

Earlier this year I decided to join the Entrepreneurship program, more known as “Gründerskolen” in Norway. The beauty of the program is that it attracts master students from a wide range of colleges in Norway. Students from very different backgrounds, for example politics, law, medicine, architecture, business and engineering get together to learn about how to start their own business. In addition to the 40 of us located in Boston, there are students in San Francisco, Cape Town, Singapore and Shanghai.

Class of 2008

As a part of the program, I am studying at Boston University and I am doing an internship in a startup company. I will tell you more about this later. Since this post is too long already, (I am impressed that you’re still reading), I will finish it with a short presentation of my flat and new roommates.

Our flat

The members of #613 - Håkon, Daro and Robert!

Room #613, Dexter Park

Dexter Park, a housing complex located in the Brookline neighborhood, is our home for the next 3 months. Students at Boston University (BU) pays $50 000 per year in tuition fee , and the parking lot outside tells me that some of the students here comes from families with more money than most of us. Thanks to the Norwegian Government, and their “lånekassen”-funding, it is possible for us to take a part of this.

My room

The pictures of the apartment don’t need much explanation. The conditions are great, and the best gym I have ever attended is just a short walk from the front door. My roommates are two dudes from the best technical school in Norway, NTNU. And even though they are geeks we’re getting along well. Actually, they know about more than computers, electricity and machines. They kicked my butt in the squash court the other day, one of them knows how to turn chicken filet and pasta into a decent meal ,while the other knows the hip-hop moves a lot better than the average Norwegian! So what I am adding to the room? I am terrorizing them with my new SLR camera (speilrefleks) trying to figure out all the functions.

Daro

Name: Daro
Age: Turning 26 this summer
From: Averøya
Studies: Computer Science and Entrepreneurship
Best skill observed so far: Squash

Håkon

Name: Håkon
Age: Turning 24 this summer
From: Ålesund
Studies: Electronic engineering and Entrepreneurship
Best skill observed so far: Cooking

Pictures from the first weeks in Boston:

"BU Beach" - in the backyard of Boston University

My roomates playing PSP

Bagel a la #613

Preparing for job interviews

Henriette, Anne and me soaking wet after the first bike ride!

Eating at one of the many great restaurants!

In tha club

Limousines are not only for superstars!

The Belly Dance Festival in New Brunswick, New Jersey!

2008-06-14T23:26:00.000-07:00

I remember I was sitting in Brillo's apartment in Reykjavik just a week ago, and I was thinking about Udita, a woman I met during the carneval in Rio de Janeiro four years ago! I called her, and said “Udita, remember me? I will be in your city next week!!!”

New Brunswick

Udita!!!

After I said goodbye to Chloé, Emma and Matt at the train station, I travelled to New Brunswick, a small city in New Jersey! It took me and Udita about 30 seconds to realize that the reunion was a really good idea! She picked me up at the train station, and when I heard the loud Arabic music from the car that stopped in front of me I knew that this had to be Udita.

The best sushi so far!

The view from the hotel room!

After a short guided trip around in her city, and the best sushi meal ever, she told be the biggest surprise; she wanted me to be a guard at a belly dance festival. In fact she had already booked a hotel room, and about 30 minutes later I was surrounded by women in all ages and body types, dressed in belly dance dresses! I have to admit that I have never seen so many well dressed exotic women at one place ever before!!!

Belly dancers!

I also have to tell you that belly dancers really know how to party!!!

Thanks a lot Udita for giving me a cool surprise. Hope to see you again during the summer!!!

Corridor fun!

THE MOVIE

For more pictures from the festival:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=125785&l=26f35&id=607925223

New York!

2008-06-12T20:41:00.003-07:00

You can go to New York to look at beautiful architecture, to visit famous museums, to shop until you drop, to eat dinner at some of the best restaurants in the world. You can chill in Central Park on a blanket and eat a tasty salad, or you can take the boat and see the Statue of Liberty during sunset. We did a little bit of everything but first and foremost, like Chloé would have said it; we partied like we did the 31st of December 1999 – every night!!!

Being used to travel alone and arrive at different train- and bus stations or airports without knowing anyone, I have to admit that this was something special. The last time someone waited for me on an airport with my nametag must have been when I came home from my “around the world” trip four years ago. Thanks a lot Chloé, Emma and Matt, it was so cool!

The crew; Chloé, Robert, Emmanuelle and Mathieu.

Imagine that you arrived at the John F. Kennedy airport just an hour ago. After you finally escaped from the immigration officers you heading to the EXIT sign!!! You know that one week ago some friends you haven’t seen since last year, told you on MSN that they would drive all the way from Montréal to pick you up. Imagine the feeling when the door goes up and there they actually are.

The Statue of Liberty

The Skyline

NYPD Blue!

Time Square!

I don’t even know where to begin or what to tell. Everyone should visit New York and feel the vibe of Manhattan. You haven’t really seen the impressing skyline before you have really seen it. I guess also that after a short week in the city with 3 crazy friends I am better off with keeping some of the stories for myself. Like in Bangkok, “What happens in New York, stays in New York”, but nobody included mum and dad should worry too much!

Lunch in Central Park!

Some New Yorkers in the Subway!

More locals

Feeling ghetto in the bus drinking from paper bags

I want this "Park" in Bergen!

Dinner time!

Getting ready to party!

Singstars at the caraoke bar

Being totally tourists!

There is a short story that I just have to tell anyway! The last night at around 4 o’ clock in the morning we decided to return to the room. However Matt and I had taken a couple of the “reserved” table signs from one of the nightclubs. With more than "a bit" of alcohol in our veins we for some reason agreed that a short photo session was the perfect idea. Of course it wasn’t busy in the streets at this time, but the poor people around us must have been raising their eyebrows. Anyway the outcome was that we found the pictures hilarious and got some extra party energy, and returned to a bar and kind of “owned” it.

These guys are reserved!!!

Once again I have to thank you, Chloé, Emma and Matt. It was the greatest days, and I can’t wait to visit you in Montréal later this summer!!

WE WIN!

More pictures from New York:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=125757&l=138d6&id=607925223

Road trip in Iceland!

2008-06-12T20:41:00.001-07:00

The sun is shining, and the day is close to perfect. Emma is a few meters below me and we have agreed that we have to get to the top of Seljalandfoss. Suddenly a rock is falling towards me and I am shouting "Emma, watch out". The rock is hitting my knee...AUCH! Focused on climbing to the top we almost forget that getting to the top is always easier than climb down afterwards!!!

Emma on the top of Seljalandfoss

The street where Brillo lives

Me on the coolest bicycle ever!

Brillo (to the left) and some of his friends

I arrived in Reykjavik a couple of days earlier, and after a couple of days hanging out with Brillo, an Italian friend, and his friends in more and less trendy places I had to see more of Iceland! The biggest earthquake since 2000 stroke the island just a week ago and the damages were on everyone’s mouth.

I had to get out of town and into the wild!

In search of Gullfoss

Gullfoss

An active geyser

But how? with a low budget I considered hitch hiking as the best solution. You can learn a lot about a country and its people by jumping into different cars and meeting different people. However, I felt also the time pressure since postponing the flight to New York was NOT an option. I don’t really believe in angels, but Brillo’s flat mate, Sabrina, saved my trip when she the next morning ask me if I wanted to take her car.

The past has always showed me that one good coincidence always is followed by another, so when I met the cool and cute French girl, Emma, it didn’t really surprise me when she said, JEAH let’s go together!!!

After have seen Reykjavik disappear in the car mirror, we headed to see some geysers, huge waterfalls and the city were the epic center of the earth quake were. Emma must be one of the most interesting girls I have talked to, and once she even traveled from Canada to South America with her tent and bicycle.

The beach with black sand near Vik!

It soon became quite obvious that Iceland is just a gigantic volcano; big rifts in the earth, black sand on beaches, and fascination landscape. It is supereasy to drive around on Iceland, a main ring road, No.1, takes you all around the island, but make sure that you’re not running out of gasoline, we almost did.

On the glacier Mýrdalsjökull

We hiked a bit, visited the glacier Mýrdalsjökull, saw some interesting rock formations in Vik, were witnesses to a Icelandic mare (hoppe) giving birth in the middle of the night, and were amazed by the first tottered steps of the little foal (føll). However, to me the fantastic view from the top of Seljalandfoss was probably the highlight. After we wake up 6 in the morning we started the climb, and after the little “rock” situation we made it to the top. The view was nothing but fantastic, the weather was perfect, and the waterfall that attracts tons of tourists every day was just mine and Emma’s!

Early, early in the morning!

Seljalandfoss

Looking at the inactive volcano, Hekla!

The last hours of my stay in Iceland were also interesting. It is possible to take this special airport bus that stops for a couple of hours at the famous Blue lagoon. The geothermal water had actually a really blue colour. This is the only place I’ve been to where it seemed to be perfectly normal for men to put on a “mask”. To me it looked a little bit like when I was in the army and we all had to cover our faced with camouflage painting.

The Blue Lagoon!

I have never felt fresher on a flight before, and was smiling when I saw Iceland fading away from the plane window. I could only imagine how different it would be to arrive in the Big Apple just 5-6 hours later!!!

More picture from Iceland:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=125740&l=86d5d&id=607925223

Hey hoo, let's go!!!!

2008-05-30T15:55:00.000-07:00

Hanging out with best friends before leaving Norway!!!

Friends and family, it is time to hit the road again!!! The summer is coming up, and it feels good to leave books, study halls and examines in Bergen; it's time to visit new people and new places. My friends just headed for the city, and with a bottle of wine and a lot of expectations it is perfect to start blogging again!

Partying with the international students on the "Welcome Week" @NHH

Cabin trip to Krambroden with CEMS Club

The night before a long trip is always special. You start to think backwards and forwards at the same time. So much has happened this semester in Bergen; UKEN, CEMS Club and trip to Stockholm, new job, master studies etc. Then I think about all the great things I will see the next months.

Me and my niece, Celine!

Trip to Ulvanosi with Raymond and Anders. Easter holdiday!

Most Norwegians at my age remember the “Absolute Music 9”-album, and of course we listened to it tonight. It strikes me that “Go West” by Pet Shops Boys, which is playing right now, says it all…It is time to GO WEST! Tomorrow evening I will party in Reykjavik, and soon I will walk down at Manhattan in N.Y.

AIESEC's "animal party" in Oslo!

The NHH CEMS crew at Nordic Forum in Stockhom, April!

The craziest thing is maybe that Matt, who I met in South Africa 4 years ago, will come all the way from Montreal with his friends and meet me at the John F. Kennedy airport in N.Y. It is nice to leave and meet friends the same week!!!!

You are welcome to “join” me for this trip, and feel free to give me feedback and tips for how I can improve my blog!

Celebrating my 25th birthday with friends and familiy!

My parents and me

17th of May together with Linn Therese

I hope that you all will have a fantastic summer!!!!!

-Robert

BBQ with AIESEC NHH, Helleneset!

Spending the last rubles in St. Petersburg!!!

2007-10-14T14:31:00.000-07:00

300 left, 250 left, 200 left…! I could have been referring to my rubles, but I am talking about all the stairs you have to go to get to the top of the gigantic and beautiful Saint Isaac's Cathedral. When I got to the rotunda on the top I had the view that Olga had told be about, a 360 degree view of a fantastic city.

The Saint Isaac's Cathedral

It is always a weird feeling to be back in Norway after a longer stay in another country! Full of thoughts about the all the great places I have seen, the new culture I tried to understand, and maybe most important of all, the great, smart and friendly people I have met! Thanks a lot to all of you! You made my Russian experience unforgettable!

On my way back home I spent 5 days in St. Petersburg, and a couple of days in Moscow and Copenhagen.

The Church of the Savior on the Blood

There is little doubt about where you find the cultural capital in Russia. When I was walking around in the St. Petersburg I had a feeling of being in an outdoor museum. Majestic buildings everywhere, small canals and bridges, boats on the river, and the big shopping street Nevsky Prospekt where my last rubles were spent. However, most the money wasn’t spent during daytime. The nightlife of the city last until 6-7 am :)

The famous Hermitage

Leon and his girlfriend Helen were among the great and interesting people I met in St. Petersburg. Leon is a 22 year old upcoming fashion designer, and one evening he invited me to a up class fashion show. Models on the catwalk, trendy music, trendy people and trendy drinks. “To see and be seen” is a well used, but adequate quota, and although I obviously didn’t fit in, I had a good time.

Check out Leon’s collection on http://www.leoncrayfish.com/ !!!

So what now? Earnestly I don’t know! Maybe in Bergen, or maybe not! Time will see! One thing is sure, this is not the last words on this blog! I am wondering where I will go next time! Europe? America? Study? Work?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

More picture from St. Petersburg:
http://nhh.facebook.com/album.php?aid=61209&l=c0090&id=607925223

Contrasts – in search for Mongolia!

2007-09-24T02:59:00.000-07:00

A warm cup of Russian milk-tea, a warm blanket, some early Siberian winter outside my kitchen window and my favorite music on my ears! I love my Ipod. It is time to write the report from my trip towards Mongolia!

12 days ago I was sitting at the office in my business outfit; I had problems doing my analysis ‘cause I was dreaming about the high mountains and the fresh air! I did some quick research about the Altai Mountains on the internet! 11 days ago I changed my mind, I wanted to go further, and climb mountains close to the Mongolian boarder. The beauty of being an independent and spontaneous traveler is that everything is possible!

Someone told me about Tuva, a region somewhat 2-3000 km from Novosibirsk, yes I know it is far, where I could find even higher mountains, a dessert, people that believe in Buddha and, if I was lucky, maybe some camels! With this inspiration I packed my sack, my warm clothes and headed to the road! I have to admit that I felt a bit like Jack Kerouac (the author of the fantastic novel “On the road”) when the first car stopped and the driver said something like “jump in”. I had started my search for Mongolia, and I smiled to myself when the Russian countryside was passing outside like in a cartoon movie (you know when the same tree or the same house is passing over and over and over again).

The first day I passed 3 cities, and tried to explain 3 drivers what a lonely Norwegian was doing hitchhiking in Siberia! I ended up in Krasnoyarsk, a city 900km from Novosibirsk. I lived with a Russian friend of a friend! Food on the table, friendly smiles! Russian people are amazing if you are willing to meet them on their premises. I could spent the rest of the day explaining all the things I saw along my way, or all the crazy stories from different drivers, like the one about a friend that was eaten by a bear, or how it is to have no luck with the thumb in the middle of night and then be forced to crawl into the tent in a farmers field and feel extremely lonely under the stars, but with so many different impressions after 10 days I have to choose two of them:

A meeting in the desert!

After 4 days I had seen Buddhist Monks, visited temples, and explored Kyasil, the centre of Asia! I had also experienced how it is to be stung by a tropical bee (got damn it), and how that make, not only your finger, but your hand, your whole arm swollen. I just had to forget my climbing planes! But as many other travelers know, when a bad thing happens, something else will turn up and save the day!

Along the road I showed a Tuvan man my map with a lake in the middle of the desert between Russian and Mongolia, and even though his Mongolian was better than his Russian, it was impossible to misunderstand. I had to go! With a big swallowed thumb it took me only 30 minutes to stop a car that took me 400 km into the desert. It stopped where the asphalt road ended…!

I don’t know much about deserts, but ‘cause this is the most northeast desert on the earth, I knew that it would be cold in the tent! A map of a desert and a lake 20 km from the road doesn’t help much when the sun goes down and the temperature is crawling towards zero. Luckily and because I was somewhat worried I didn’t go far from the road before I started to look for a place for the tent (to search for an open space is not that hard in a desert by the way). Guess what! Someone showed up! With absolutely no chances for a normal conversation (she spoke the local language, which you can compare with the laps (samer) in Norway) it took me more than a second to realize that she invited me to her village and home. When I think about it, she must have been kind of shocked. She had never seen a foreigner before. It is probably not everyday a lap meets, let say a tourist from Madagascar on Finnmarksvidda (the region up north in Norway) either!

I was off the road, and in a warm house with her whole family. I ate traditional food, played with the kids and tried to learn about their religion! The world is so diverse!!! This was just one of the moments as Amanda refers to as “A bang, when you realize that you found something that you were looking for and that you didn’t even know that you were looking for!” Dara told me when I left “Rob, you gotta find a real БАНЯ (banja, the Russian version of a sauna). I found it that night! So much better than another night in the tent!!!!

The next day I walked for 20 km to find the lake, and I found Mongolia. I desert is just like you think it is! Big, big, and with almost no life! In a desert you can use the mountains in the horizon to navigate, it is extremely hot and you are thankful as long as the wind is sleeping. When I came to the boarder, I realized that Stas from Moscow was right; you can enter Mongolia without a visa!

Siberian truck drivers eat horse meat!

“Back” in Russia, and with the eager to just continue my trip for ever, I had to think about the return. I took another route back through a valley colored by the autumn colors, a river as blue as the ocean that surrounds Cuba, and more shocked people seeing me walking by the road. The way back home should be a travel through time; I am sure that Norway was somewhat like that 50 years ago. The funniest lift was with a driver that drove from his village with 4 goats in the back seat.

But for some reason the people that stopped on my way home had mostly one thing in common, they were truck drivers. Proud drivers of the so-called “Kamas” (truck), drivers with a special smile, a big belly and love for the nature that they are surrounded by. With one of them I went 12 hours, non stop. There is no “resting-rules” like we have in Norway! Sometimes I was sure that they would fall a sleep. When we passed one of the mountains peaks (2208 meters above sea level) the driver, named Andrey, drove me to a small little house. In this house there were 6-7 other truck drivers. They had a rest house there, and it was obvious that there hadn’t been any woman around there – ever. But who cares if it is dirty and simple when you are tired and hungry. Coffee, bread and horsemeat from a hermetic box were as good as anything else. I just read Ina Elise’s travel letters from her ongoing sailing trip, and how she realizes that the first impression that you have from different people can be seriously, or brutally wrong! She talked about changing her “mental schema” on people (you can learn about it if you read psychology). She just wrote about my feelings, I still have so much to learn about not to judge anyone before I know them, and I will never judge any truck driver ever again. They have a special culture, and for sure they can take you for many miles!

(All this cost me only 1200 Rubles which is 3-400 NOK or 80 USD)

It is maybe kind of strange to dedicate a travel letter to someone, but on this trip a thought a lot about my grandfather who passed away when I was somewhere between Abakan and Kamarovo. But I was blessed with good news as well: Christine got a daughter the night after! I am an uncle now! Good and bad news, life is full of contrasts, like Russia!

Cheers!

For more pictures from the trip:

http://nhh.facebook.com/album.php?aid=58619&l=238ad&id=607925223

http://nhh.facebook.com/album.php?aid=61194&l=fccb9&id=607925223

Out of balance – Again!

2007-09-13T01:51:00.000-07:00

Hey people, I just realized that I have to be more international on this blog. So from now on, I hope Amanda in London, Adam (where ever you are), Marieke in Africa, Matt in Canada and so on can understand more than only the pictures on this page!!!

…..and it is not my money account that it out of balance, it is my mind! I have started to dream again, and that can be very dangerous for my careerJ

As you all probably know I hade some “start-up-problems” in Russia. A totally new place, different working culture and so on, blew my mind, maybe more than ever before! But I am adjusted now. I am a little bit Russian. I am washing my clothes by hand (almost truth, I have some nice friends that sometimes let me use their washing machine too), I am drinking to many beers and I am not so polite anymore, but just direct and precise. No reason to hide any feelings in this country, and as Dara, a mate from London that has been here for 5 months says “The beauty of it, is that if you have a really bad day, you can look angry and answer in a harsh way, and nobody will even lift their eye browns”! “In London I always had to smile and be to nice all the time!”

The culture is wicked and I don’t care anymore that all the material stuff around me has a lower standard than in the west. To see other foreigners, and the way they are surprised and struggle to fit in, is just like seeing me in a “back-in-time-mirror”, and then I just have to smile.

Pavel, Dmitry, Polina, Maria, Alexander, Shu, Olga, Anya, Artym, Dara and so on is all people that makes my days cool, and full of action! This week for example Dara took me to a part of the city, which is like he said it “The Russia like you imagine it before you get here”

And it I was truth, I was thinking of grey buildings and people drinking in the streets before I got here! Take away the people and it would be a dead city! Of course every city would be dead without people, but the buildings looked like they had died many years ago. Grey, cold and very
Ex USSR.

But just as Russian people, the house buildings have a facade that tricks you. You have to get under the surface of everything in Russia to really understand, and appreciate it. And in these situations it's great to have people like Dara around. He has been here longer than me, and took me into a family that he knows. The mother treated me like I was the boyfriend of her daughter, and because I only hav good experience with “mothers-in-law”, it was great to be a guest in that house!

Full of food and with a big smile we headed back to the city center. But because the busses have no time schedule here in Siberia, and the bus drivers seems to drive home whenever they want (it was 22:00), we had to hitch hike – I still have something to learn!

But I forgot completely the reason for why I started this blog-letter in the first place. It was all about balance. Hmmmmm. Ups and downs as always "on the road", but the up's has been able to practically kill all downsides! Even the fact that my long distance relationship to the beauty in Montreal just had to end is dealt with. This place is not the worst place for a single Norwegian!

So what am I dreaming of? I am sorry mum and dad, but I am dreaming of anything but going back to Bergen and study. Adam, the guy from Poland has hitchhiked all the way to Shanghai, and will not return before he has seen all continents (!!!!!!!!!!!)
(see his blog: http://www.adam-iwanski.blogspot.com/ ) Furthermore one of the coolest girl I have ever met from NHH, Ina Elise, is sailing towards South-America at the moment! What an adventure!!!! (http://www.prosjektrx2.no/) and then we have my friend Tore, who just jumped-off NHH and moved to New York to do his master
http://www.langhellen.blogspot.com/

I have to say it again, I am dreaming of anything but going back and study in Bergen. And the best part, I can do whatever I want. No one needs to go back and live an A4-life (can I say A4-life in English? anyway it means mainstream).

I just need to find out what I want most, and it which order. What a luxury problem!

Since I probably will “come down to earth” again as soon as my Russian visa expires and I will meet my good friends back in Norway next month, I have to do at least one crazy trip more here in Russia!

I will go to Tuva, it is a mountain region (1000 km from here) where I can visit some Buddhist Monks, relax and climb! And all I got is one tent, a sleeping bag, some ok shoes, “Iris ull” (warm cotton clothes), 30 useful phrases for small talk when I am hitch hiking, my thumb and my self – and of course my 100 USD bill to get me out of any trouble.

Cheers and Love!

-Rob is going on the road-

Novosibirsk – The report from Siberia!

2007-08-19T20:15:00.000-07:00

For noen timer siden gikk Brian, Adam og jeg rundt i Novosibirsk. Vi kjøpte rips og bringebær av en gammel babuska ( = bestemor )og drakk hver sin øl. Det er søndag, og vi tenkte at vi bare skulle hoppe på en buss og se hvor den tok oss!

You find Lenin everywhere in Russia

Midt i Sibir ligger det en stor, stor by som heter Novosibirsk. Jeg vedder 1000 Rubler (100 Rubel = 1 krone), på at du aldri har hørt om denne byen før. I hvert fall vet du ikke noe som helst om den(?) Jeg husker i hvert fall at jeg tenkte ”Oh-shit-det-er-jo-langt-i-helsikkens-i-ingemannsland” da jeg tastet inn Novosibirsk i Googel Earth i april en gang! Men jeg tenkte selvsagt ”der må jeg”! (Jeg vet jeg ikke er helt normal).

Da jeg satt på toget og såg byen i horisonten, stige frem fra ingenting, fikk jeg litt assosiasjoner til flyturen jeg hadde innover i regnskogen i Brasil for 3 år siden. Da ankom jeg nemlig Manaus (millionbyen midt i regnskogen), og det var like surrealistisk at der yrer det og lever like mange folk som i halve Norge! Vi er små der hjemme folkens!

Det er nå en måned siden jeg ankom Russland, og jeg har vært i Novosibirsk halve tiden! Siden det var litt for kjekt i Moskva ankom jeg her ”just-in-time”, dvs et par timer på puten før det var på med dress, skjorte og slips! Work!

Byen, folk, og kultur!
Hvis noen tror det er kaldt, surt og ille om sommeren her, så må jeg skuffe dere. Etter mail og sms å dømme sliter dere mer enn meg der hjemme! Vinteren er riktig nok beinhard, men siden jeg ”hopper av” i oktober, vil jeg bare så vidt få smaken på minusgradene. For nå er det sommer her! Riktignok har temperaturen nedjustert seg fra toppen på 25 grader, men regn har jeg ikke sett mye av! Øl i parken, og russiske gaseller i svært korte skjørt og astronomiske høye heler sprader rundt over alt. Sibirske jenter er kanskje en av de best bevarte hemmelighetene i verden. Jeg hørte om det i Moskva, men det er det er mildt sagt overraskende og overveldende.

Togstasjonen

Forskjellen på fattig og rik er veldig synlig. Mannen i gaten tjener i snitt 8000 Rubler (2000 kr) i måneden, og da inkluderer jeg leger, professorer, regnskapsførere osv. En helt syk høy lønning her borte ligger på 8000kr. Hvordan folk får hjulene til å gå rundt er et mysterium. Mange eier eget hus (hus som har gått i arv).

Leiligheten min koster 15000 Rubles (altså en dobbel månedslønn), og var blant de billigste å oppdrive i byen. Dette driver folk til utkantene. Jeg tør ikke en gang å nevne hva jeg tjener her, men det at jeg tjener mer enn alle de andre russerne, til sammen (!), på midt kontor er ingen hemmelighet. Folk fra vesten er sett på som en velsignelse.

Det å smile er liksom ikke en del av den russiske kulturen. For meg er det litt frustrerende, men jeg har funnet ut at man kan ha det litt artig med det også. For eksempel kan man spontan-smile, blinke eller lage en grimase til noen på gaten, og da sliter selv de mest hardbarka russerne. Da må de smile! Men når så få smiler, smiler jeg mindre og mindre for hver dag som går!

Men de er som oss nordmenn bare tilsynelatende kalde. Jeg hadde aldri forventet den gjestfriheten jeg har opplevd her. Telefonlisten min er full av nummer til folk fra her og i byene rundt. Alle har invitert meg hjem til seg, og de lover matgilder og fester bare for meg. For dem er jeg en attraksjon, og ingen skjønner riktig hvorfor jeg valgte å reise hit. Men så er det ikke hver dag de møter noen fra vesten heller!

I dag for eksempel kommer ikke mindre enn 10-15 russere til leiligheten min for å lage russiske måltider! De inviterte seg selv! Jeg skulle likt å se meg og mine i venner i Bergen reise hjem til en utlending for å lage norsk tradisjonsmat bare for han/henne. Det skjer bare ikke!

Novosibirsk er den 3. største byen i Russland. Innbyggerne sammenligner seg alltid med Europa, og anser Moskva og St. Petersburg som milevis lenger fremme. Det er nok mye sant i det. Standarden er ikke helt på topp, men de senere årene har utenlandske investorer fått øynene opp for byen, og ting endrer seg fort. Det er nok å gjøre for den som har penger. Klubber, restauranter, og kafeer popper opp overalt.

Eksempler som minner meg på at jeg er langt hjemmefra er ting som at bussene ikke har noen rutetid, de kommer når de kommer. Varmtvannet kan være borte i over en uke uten at noen hever øyenbrynene, bilførere vurderer ikke å stoppe for fotgjengere, og biler som man bare ler av i Norge, kjører rundt i overtall (politifolka kjører også rundt i Lada).

Besøk av Adam!
Jeg nevnte så vidt Adam i reisebrevet fra Moskva. Bare en uke etter jeg ankom Sibir fikk jeg en sms: ”Hey, mate! I am on the train to Novosibirsk, do
you mind if I sleep at your couch a couple of days?” (Et par dager ble til nesten to uker).

Jeg kan vel knapt kalle Adam noe mer enn en bekjent, men likefullt hadde jeg aldri forventet å få besøk av noen fra Europa i løpet av måneden i Sibir. Vanvittig morsomt å henge ut med han, og Brian fra USA. Brian er en 22 år gammel kar fra Chicago, som også jobber i som intern i samme firma som meg. Å være tre fra vesten skaper ikke mindre oppmerksomhet, og hadde det ikke vært for våre forpliktelser langt her borte fra, så tror jeg ikke vi skulle hatt de helt store problemene med å ta oss til rette her borte!

Bilder fra da Adam var på besøk:

http://nhh.facebook.com/album.php?aid=45020&l=6fc06&amp;amp;id=607925223

Og en dag endte vi altså på en buss og føk ut av byen. Med Adam fra Polen med oss, kunne vi bryte noen av språkbarrierene (polsk og russisk er visstnok ikke så helt ulikt). Vi endte på et sigøyner marked, og der solgte de alt mulig jeg ikke kan fatte at noen kjøper. Og slik lever de dag ut og dag inn. På et tidspunkt forvillet vi oss langt ”inn” i dette markedet, og inn i områdene de bor. Det såg ut som en slagmark, og hunder løp rundt! Siden jeg skriver disse ordene snudde vi nok i tide. I følge våre russiske venner er det ikke den tryggeste plassen for tre utlendinger å reise på oppdagelsestur.

Adam reiste lenger inn i Sibir for å besøke nye sykehus i forrige uke. Han haiker på egenhånd og jeg ba han om ikke å snu før han er i Kina! Tror jeg inspirerte han litt til å reise, og han inspirerte meg til å dra lenger inn i Sibir!

Brian er nå en eller annen plass ”flygende” over Atlanterhavet. Hans sibirske eventyr er over!

Operahuset

Livet på kontorer, og leiligheten!
Firmaet jeg jobber for heter Excll Group, driver med litt av hvert. Organisasjonsstrukturen er noe intrikat, men kort fortalt så er Excell en del av et stort konglomerat Spin Group (bedrift som driver med mange forskjellige ting, som alt fra å eie et meieri til å drive med eiendom).

Excell sin oppgave er å være konsulent for alle de andre firmaene i Spin Group, samt at vi har eksterne kunder. Å sammenligne Excell Group med et internasjonalt konsulentsselskap ville nok være en overdrivelse. Men dette er en stor utfordring for meg. Jeg er glad Brian var her i starten. Han har jo lært en god del i løpet av månedene han har vært her, og jeg kunne dermed ta noen snarveier.

Man stiger fort i gradene her borte. Alle er manager, og nå er jeg blant de ledende i finansavdelingene (!). Det er vel en 3-4 høye herrer som virkelig kan sakene sine her, og resten er vel på mitt nivå.For tiden har jeg 50 000 USD som jeg skal forvalte på best mulig måte for en klient. Det er mildt sagt en crazy oppgave. Langt over hva jeg hadde fått lov å sysle med hjemme i Norge. Men med litt hjelp fra kontakter hjemme (professorer og folk fra næringsliv), håper jeg at jeg ikke gjør de største blemmene.

I tillegg holder jeg ukentlig presentasjoner for nyansatte om finans slik vi lærer det hjemme, og ellers så prøver jeg å lære mest mulig om hvordan det russiske aksjemarkedet fungerer. Å lære seg litt russisk har også vært et ”must”.

Kollegaene mine er toppers. De fleste er kvikke, og det er morsomt å være i et internasjonalt miljø. For uten de faglige utfordringene, er det også en utfordring å tilpasse seg en utenlands arbeidskultur og dere skjulte regler. Spennende!

Leiligheten min ligger midt i hovedgaten (a la Karl Johan i Oslo), og det har dermed blitt en populær plass for min russiske venner. De fleste bor hos foreldrene til de har fullført utdannelsen. De har rett og slett ikke noe valg! For dem er det en stor frihetsfølelse å kunne dra og besøke meg i byen! Jeg bor forresten ikke alene. Jeg bor med en annen kar fra firmaet. En merkelig skrue fra Polen, Piotrek. Han jobber i regnskapsavdelingen, og er mildt sagt ulik meg. Jeg har lyst å treffe folk og reise ut av byen til fjellene osv. mens han er mest interessert i å sitte inne og spille dataspill! Ikke akkurat ”perfect match”, men han er hyggelig på alle måter. Mitt mål er å få han med på en haiketur innover Sibir! Vi får se hva jeg får til!

Bilder av leiligheten og kontoret:
http://nhh.facebook.com/album.php?aid=45015&l=4ec51&amp;amp;id=607925223

Hilsen hjem:
Jeg håper at alt står bra til der hjemme! Gratulerer med overstått Anja, og gratulerer med kone Kristoffer!

Lykke til med mastergrad til alle studievenner, jeg kommer etter om ikke så lenge!

Bror, håper konserten gikk bra, og lykke til i den nye leiligheten søs!

Birte og Kilyoy-kontor: send noen innover Sibir!

Og ”shit fiske” Marius og Anders, jeg skal snart på fisketur med faren til venninne her borte fra. Øver på russiske fiskegloser.

Finn deg et fint kryp inn i New York, Tore, jeg kommer over dammen før du vet ordet av det! Jeg lovte deg bilder av the lads, her er noen: http://nhh.facebook.com/album.php?aid=45014&l=a6bea&id=607925223

-Rob in Siberia!

Bilder av byen: http://nhh.facebook.com/album.php?aid=44984&l=23455&amp;amp;id=607925223