Russia!

Tomorrow I go to Russia. Not just Moscow or St. Petersburg... but Northern Russia. Think Far North, then keep going 10 degrees.

No kidding, eh?

From Stavanger I fly to about the northern-most point in Norway (well above the artic circle), and then drive several hours across the Russian border to Murmansk. Craziness. Not only have I never been to Russia before, but I've also never experienced the midnight sun, which will be nearly fully in effect. So much for night-time!

I'm back in five days and will report with more details, and lot of photos (of course!).

Now where did I put that flag with the big red star on it...?

New Car!

Oh, the freedom! Never again will buying groceries be such a hassle.

Ok, so it isn't really MY new car, but rather a company car that is mine for the next year and a half... so, anyone want to buy my Accord?

Anyways, on to the car:
It's a ton of fun to drive, even with such a tiny engine (damn you Norway, and your small engine fetish). Thank god I have the 1.6 engine and not the 75hp 1.4. That said, when fuel costs $2 per litre, you're thankful for the small engine and it's tiny fuel consumption.

I had originally requested a BMW 1-Series from the leasing company, but was told I could have this car while they searched for a bimmer. After a week, I'm liking this one enough that I don't know if I want to trade it for the bimmer. I've spent a lot of time in the 99-04 model Jetta/Golf, and VW has done a pretty good job improving on what I've always thought was a great car.

Now, to get my hands on an Audi A3...

Just when you think you have it all figured out...

...something comes up to throw it all into a mess of uncertainty. It's amazing how unpredictable life can be. Ah well, at least the uncertainty is good uncertainty. Now I just have some hard decisions to make if anything comes of this new opportunity... ahhhh.

So, moving on from my chaotic life. On a slightly more hilarious note, has anyone else noticed that George Bush's nomination to lead the CIA looks suspiciously like Red Foreman from That 70s Show?

Gen. Michael Hayden:

Red Foreman: Just thought I would point that out ;)

Decided!

I've decided: another year and a half. The contract has officially been extended by an entire year. Yikes. If I don't speak Norwegian by the end of this, well, then I'm completely hopeless. Judging by how it has gone so far, I probably won't make much progress. *sigh*

It's actually a huge relief to have the contract worked out. Before it was signed, I was always holding off on doing things, or making excuses based on "well, I'll only be here for a few more months...". On the agenda is learning to kite-surf, norwegian language lessons (ha!), joining a waterski club, and lots of golf. Heck I might even take up swimming again. I've also managed to find a Stavanger-based recreational hockey team to join for next winter. The team is made up of NATO and oil industry expats, as well as some Norwegian locals. Yeeehaw!

In other news, my friend Ian is coming to visit! Heck yeah! He'll be travelling from Toronto to various places in Europe, and making a multi-day stop in good'ol Stavanger. Some partying, fjord hiking, and all round trouble-making is ensured. Matt is predicting good times, and lots of over-priced beer. Vodka, too.

Check out the new Pilate album, Self Control for Life's Speed; it rocks your socks.