Hurtigruten and Home

I have had so much to write about that I didn't want to do it because I knew it would take too long, but seeing as how I don't have a job and my life is more on the leisurely side....well, I really have no excuse. Here goes. In July, before I came home to the States, I went on an ABSOLUTELY AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL cruise up and down the Norwegian coastline. My aunt flew from Utah to Norway and took me on it. So for 12 fabulous days, off the deck of a ship and various jaunts on land at the ports we stopped at, we viewed probably some of the more beautiful sites of this great big earth. The cruise ship is a "working" ship that carries mail and supplies to a bunch of ports along the coast, therefore, we stopped every few hours and looked at different little towns. We took excursions at some ports and were picked up at the next ports after driving on land in buses. The pictures that follow don't do justice to the sheer beauty of what is actually there. We also got to see the midnight sun....the sun never sets up above the Arctic Circle for about 6 weeks out of the summer, which means you can see the sun throughout the night and day. It is quite upsetting to your internal clock because you never know really what time it is and when you should go to bed. Anyways, here are some pictures to let you know what some parts of it looked like.
look at the HUGE sun!!!




The Atlantic Road


Midnight Sun

Cod drying on racks.

There are a ton more pictures, but I just don't want to take the time out of my busy schedule...ha ha...to put them in. Computers aren't my favorite things to sit in front of for hours.

About a week after the cruise I flew home to Texas and then a week after that drove to my Mom's in Missouri. Next week is the long drive up to Oregon to see my sister...and then to Utah to see my brother and sister-in-law and the soon-to-be new nephew. :) Rocky will be his name! I am quite nomadic these days. Maybe I'll show up on your doorstep, maybe I won't. All I need is an invite and a few bucks to fill up the gas tank.....well, fill it up over and over and over. I am very happy to be back home in the States. Norway might be nice, but there's no place like home. I'm a true blue American through and through.

As for an update on school and such. My next class isn't until October, so I won't be going back to Norway until then. I will be officially finished at the end of April....after the thesis is all done....eeeeek. Then it's home for good....as far as I can tell. My life changes quickly and I'm always ready for another adventure. I hope everyone is doing great and even if you're not doing great, just stay positive. There's always a plus side.