I am off again. I set my alarm clocks for 10 to 4 this morning and I was glad I set two as one of them was still on GMT so if I had only set that I would have been an hour late.
Some diary notes of my travels - reflections later....
I got to Prestwick airport at 5.30am just as a coach load of Norwegians were unloading so had
quite a queue.
The flight was on time and the bus stop 3km from the airport but a taxi got me there five minutes before the bus left. It was a very comfortable double decker with free tea and coffee on board and a loo too.
Got to the meeting point in Kristiansand at 1.30 Norwegian time ( 12.30 UK time) and spent the afternoon looking round the town. Its great here. the bus ride was three hours across pine and
birch forests with few towns and the coast intervening on the landscape in particularly picturesque ways. This town with an 80,000 population has a sandy beach next to a marina and promenade and picturesque old town. It also has a commercial harbour wit a ferry to Denmark.
There is a spectacular old tall ship moored in the harbour and I walked up and had a close look at her.
Then at 15.00 we had a snack arranged for us( fish soup ) and at 17.00 there was a reception in the local town hall at which the mayor, the rector of the local university, the local bishop and others made speeches and a famous Norwegian folk fiddle player played music.
Then at 19.00 there was a folk mass ( sung) in the cathedral here - which was really stunning and moving. Then bus to the conference centre and we checked into our rooms and then had supper (sweet and sour with rice ) followed by returning to my room to make up my bed and go to sleep as I feel very tired(getting up so early....zzzzz). The bar was open but at 25KR for a beer of glass of wine I will be abstemious ( 9 kr to the pound)
Some diary notes of my travels - reflections later....
I got to Prestwick airport at 5.30am just as a coach load of Norwegians were unloading so had
quite a queue.
The flight was on time and the bus stop 3km from the airport but a taxi got me there five minutes before the bus left. It was a very comfortable double decker with free tea and coffee on board and a loo too.
Got to the meeting point in Kristiansand at 1.30 Norwegian time ( 12.30 UK time) and spent the afternoon looking round the town. Its great here. the bus ride was three hours across pine and
birch forests with few towns and the coast intervening on the landscape in particularly picturesque ways. This town with an 80,000 population has a sandy beach next to a marina and promenade and picturesque old town. It also has a commercial harbour wit a ferry to Denmark.
There is a spectacular old tall ship moored in the harbour and I walked up and had a close look at her.
Then at 15.00 we had a snack arranged for us( fish soup ) and at 17.00 there was a reception in the local town hall at which the mayor, the rector of the local university, the local bishop and others made speeches and a famous Norwegian folk fiddle player played music.
Then at 19.00 there was a folk mass ( sung) in the cathedral here - which was really stunning and moving. Then bus to the conference centre and we checked into our rooms and then had supper (sweet and sour with rice ) followed by returning to my room to make up my bed and go to sleep as I feel very tired(getting up so early....zzzzz). The bar was open but at 25KR for a beer of glass of wine I will be abstemious ( 9 kr to the pound)
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