From the inside...

Now it's less than three weeks to my departure! It's been really nice being here, especially when Norway's been full of snow! Today I spent a few hours by the pool right by my apartment. It's really, really hot here now. I think the forcast said something of around 30C! After a couple of hours I couldn't take it anymore. After all, I'm a "viking", not used to this weather!

Thursday this week, a guy from the Oslo office suddenly came to the office here. We've been hanging out, and yesterday we went to Sea World. I've been to Sea World in Florida before, but that's over five years ago. It was really nice! I had put on sun screen, but apparently missed some spots around my shoulders, so now I'm "lobster red"... Typical!

So, what have I done the past few weeks? Well, I've seen a few films at the cinema, and I'm planning on seeing another one tonight. A few weeks ago I was in Old Town Temecula. Pretty cool! Felt like I entered a real cowboy town. I've also spent some time in Balboa Park. There is a Norwegian house (well, it's pretty small), and I had "vafler" (Norwegian waffles) there. It was nice to meet a few Norwegians. I've also spent some time shopping... I love the outlet malls in the area! They're sooo cheap! And I've bought presents for friends and family. I wonder how I'll manage to get it all home! I actually had to go and buy a new carry-on suitcase. Hopefully I can get everything back! If not, I'll have to send some by mail.

A little while ago (30+ minutes) I was lying on the couch watching a series on my laptop, when I felt I was shaking - very moderately, though. I was thinking "what the f**k?", but it stopped after a couple of seconds. I finished whatever I was watching, and started searching the internet to see if there had been an earthquake in the area. This is what I found: There had been an earthquake just 104 km away.

Being Norwegian, I'm not used to earthquakes, so I really have no idea if that's what I felt, but I guess it must have been it? If so, WOW!

Edit: I just saw that someone in my ZIP code had reported feeling it, so it must have been real!

I've got a ticket to see Meat Loaf in Pala Casino, San Diego, on February 23rd, and I'm sooo happy!!!

It's actually the first concert on his new tour!

All I have to do now is wait... Horrible!

Finally! It's Christmas time again! Today is my last day at work before the holidays. I really look forward to two weeks of vacation. I'll be seeing my family and friends, and prepare for 2007.

2007 will start off by travelling. I will go to our San Diego office in January, and stay until Easter. That will be so much fun, but also a lot of work. I guess the best part is not having to be in Norway during winter!

So for now,
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Wow! It's been five years already. I remember it like it was yesterday. That was the day we were leaving Las Vegas, and there were more cars on the road than I've ever seen. Everyone that was supposed to leave Las Vegas by plane drove a car that day. Chaotic! So many road blocks, so many police officers...

I also remember arriving New York about two weeks later. It was awful! We stopped somewhere in New Jersey to have a look at the skyline, and we saw all this dust where the twin towers used to be. In NYC we saw firefighters and police officers crying in the streets, we saw so many missing persons posters. It really got to me!

Today there are many documentaries about the attack on TV, and I'm watching one about the people who jumped. I remember buying a magazine few days after the 11th, and we see these awful pictures of people jumping from the 100th floor. They prefer jumping, and feeling free for a little while, instead of being choked by the smoke... What a desicion to make! I think I would have jumped, but who knows?

It was a strange feeling being a tourist in the US in September 2001. We had a lot of fun, of course, but I think we also saw everything in different perspectives. We saw all the road signs saying "God bless America" and "United we stand", and all the cars had these small flags. Many Americans couldn't believe we were still there as tourists - three (relatively) young girls on their own.

Well, that was my thoughts on a Monday night. Sitting here, thinking five years back in time...