Why is it that things only seem to appear clearly to me once I have had a couple of goes at them? What I mean is, this time around, the unsettled feeling is finally gone. The slight lost-ness with the change in work environments has also abated to a large extent. In small and not so small ways, I now feel that I belong.
This has been a spectacular year when it comes to travelling! Especially since I only stepped outside the country twice in the twelve months! Once for a short work trip, and ten months later, for this end of year break. The rest of the time, it's been one trip or visit after the other, not to mention the miles of cycling, hiking, swimming and lately even running!
I guess the winter left something to be desired, yet I managed to hone my snowboarding skills a bit. But once the snow disappeared, albeit rather prematurely, it was time for yet another summer of lots of cycling. And proper road trips!
As far as highlights go, the memories of late summer come to me in a haze of lazy evenings spent swimming in lakes around Asker. And occasionally in the fjord. But there are the two trips that really stand out! The weekend in Tromsø, when we managed to catch an unbelievable display of the northern lights, and the long week in Lofoten. There's nothing I can say in a brief line or two that can do justice to the brilliance of that trip :). I guess I've spent enough time on that anyway.
The last few months had been rather quiet on the travelling and a bit too heavy on the work stress :). But I guess these holidays were timed to perfection. Another big red American muscle car and hundreds of miles of interstates with my cousin :).
I have to say, the Camaro, newer and consequently somewhat fancier, does handle better than the Mustang we got a couple of years ago. Which is good, since the weather we had driving down to Asheville all the way from Boston was less than ideal. At times, it was downright apocalyptic! With thunderous downpours, fog and a generally constantly overcast sky overhead. But we managed the fourteen and a half hours with relative ease.
The last week has been one of lazy late mornings, afternoon strolls, the occasional run, and a lot of entertaining home cooked food :). I guess the culmination of it all will be the New Year's Eve party tonight.
And after that it's a long succession of travel back home to Asker. However, the end of my vacation is still several days away, and to not enjoy these remaining days would be criminal :). So I'll stop here, and jump back into the rather frantic preparations for dinner.
But before that, for what happens to be tenth time on this blog (!!), one last shout to this rather brilliant year, and a quick wish for the next :). Happy New Year!
Currently: busy!! :)
Listening to: Becky G - Shower (it's jumpy and happy and juvenile, deal with it!)
