"Lite" version

Well, my paper, as it is now, is more like "Lite beta version" - veeeery short :-/
Deadline: the 8th of July
No inspiration or creative vein whatsoever... That makes me feel lazy and guilty!

But I really enjoyed a BBQ with friends yesterday :-)


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Annoyed!!!!

I noticed that already in the beginning of my expat adventure in Norway but now it started to bother and annoy me for real!!! I know it is another culture and I am only a visitor who stopped here for a little longer so I should respect the culture and assimilate... Right... Sorry, I simply cannot!!! I cannot understand why people do not say 'Hi' or 'Helo' when they enter your office or turn their head in another direction when they see you on the street!!! Not to mention how seldom it is to hear 'please' in here!!!

These are the small things that stop me from feeling like home in here. I was curious if I am the only one who is bothered by this behaviour and guess what: I am not!!! :-)
Have a look here: 10 tips on surviving in Norway (point 4) or here: Norway is a small town

Anyway, as usually I try to see the positives as well: that is another reason to work hard (and fast) to be on time with my PhD and take off to another, maybe slightly warmer country!




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Long weekend

About 6 hours after we came back from Utah I picked up Duarte at the airport :-)
This incredible Portuguese guy lives now in Finland so we could exchange our observations about living in Scandinavia!
Duarte's visit was not only fun and relaxing but also a great cure for the jetlag: after about 48 hours almost without sleeping we talked and drunk until the morning of Saturday :-)

Great time!!! Thanks Duarte!!!

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Southwest USA

The last 2 weeks of our stay in the US passed extremely quickly! A lot of memories will remain, most of them very positive :-)
Our SouthWest USA trip in numbers:
- total time ~20 days,
- total distance driven more than 5400km (yellow line on the image = 100km),
- number of photos collected: 3301.

First times:

- got engaged (hopefully this is also the list time!),
- being in North America,
- had 3 weeks long holidays,
- drove a car with an automatic gear box,
- drove such a big car (the best car for off-road driving is a rental car :-)),
- drTBBE rode a horse for the firs time in his life (no lesson or introduction whatsoever - just ridding :-),
- spent a night in a tent when it was snowing outside,
- bought a pair of Levis jeans for 15$,
- drove about 100km return just to buy cigarettes,
- saw real cowboys,
- have so many rocks on photos (too much time spent with geologists, I guess :-p ),
- played in casino,
- ...


During these 3 weeks I probably eat more burgers than in the last 10 years and got more sunshine than in the last 2 years ;-)

Las Vegas:

Zion National Park - way back from the Hidden Canyon:

 Zion National Park - way to Angels' Landing:

On the way to Grand Canyon:

 Grand Canyon:

 First snow for our tent:

Navajo Nation Land - Colorado River

 Horseshoe bend:

 Antelope Canyon:

Waterhole Canyon:

Canyonlands:

 Canyonlands - our first off-road experience

 some use ATVs, other use rental cars :-D

Arches National Park:

Goblin Valley: (I would call it with another name... ;-)

Bryce Canyon:

Salt Lake City:

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