These last days have been fabulous. Friday 19th Oct I went down to Bristol at an ANSA (Association of Norwegian Students Abroad) kick off which was really more like a social gathering. 50 Norwegian students were booked into the Bristol Thistle Hotel and we enjoyed nice meals and each others company. Saturday I tried paintball which was a totally new experience and I was quite anxious before it. Anyway, it was nice to live in complete luxury for a weekend, and we didn’t even pay much for it!
Sunday 21st I took the train up to Edinburgh were I met the other Norwegian students (you know the 40 girls and 2 guys I have mentioned before) from the college. The journey took me 10 hours, but I was lucky managing to sleep 7-8 of them away. What else is there to do on the train except from sleeping, reading, eating, watching the view or talk to your neighbour?

Edinburgh is a lovely city with its dramatic Castle crowning the very centre. We visited the Scottish Parliament, an extremely modern building situated by the foot of the highest mountain in Scotland: Arthur’s Seat. To escape the mainstream, Sarah and I went hiking as the Vikings we are, and had a fantastic view from the very top.
Yesterday, on Tuesday, the coach took us to Lindisfarne which is famous for the tide making it impossible to escape or arrive. The road to the “island” is often under water, therefore it has been built a little hut which people can climb into while seeing their car flow away with the tide. At Lindisfarne we walked out to the old Church which is being surrounded by the ocean.

An hour later we stopped in Alnwick, where we wandered along the streets watching one of the Castles where the Harry Potter films has been shot. Last stop was Durham, the city of Billy Elliot, where we went into the well known Cathedral (which is, in fact, also a location for Harry Potter.) I came home yesterday evening, tired after having fun realising I had got lots of things to fix and homework to do. I sort of got a bit sad because the travelling was done and I felt everything was going back to normal, but Gillian cheered me up when I needed it. She said I had to allow myself not to be so structured all the time and I agreed. Today I’ve been starting my homework for half term (the autumn vacation) had a little walk in Acomb Shops with Tyler (the dog) and chilled with James and Tamara watching the film “Little Miss Sunshine”

Well, I guess that was a bit of updating. Soon we will be eating fajitas, James’ one and only dish.