Technical Tales of a Wannabe Fashionista

We are back from our 2+ week driving adventure in Norway and before heading off to Sweden and Finland, I thought I’d take a quick moment to just comment on our time in Norway.

Norway as a country is beautiful, the scenery is breath-taking and the people are welcoming. We started our trip in Oslo and from there traveled west towards Bergen, along the way we visited the Borgund Stave Church and stayed in the historic town of Lærdal for the evening before arriving in Bergen. After a 2 day rest in Bergen, we made our way back to Oslo via the southern coast. We enjoyed the historic town of Stavanger, visited the Kannon Museum in Kristiansand, saw the beautiful cathedral in Skien, walked the cobbled streets of Norway’s oldest town – Tønsberg and saw the biggest Stave Church, located in Heddal. We very much enjoyed the sights of Norway and taking the time to drive around the southern half was the best decision, it gave us the opportunity to really see Norway and enjoy the overall vibe of the country.

I think the biggest issue or difference we had to deal with was the average cost of basic items. In England, we often enjoyed a night out at a pub or having dinner out or taking in a movie, but in Norway we found it difficult justifying paying 4x-5x more for 1/2 the serving of what you’d get in England. On average we spent £50-60 for a served hot lunch, £30-35 for a McDonald’s lunch (a Big Mac Meal and McChicken Meal) and £20-25 for 2 hotdogs, 2 drinks and a bag of crisps. The best recommendation here would be to budget and plan wisely – especially if you are going for an extended holiday.

To help with sights in general, I thought I’d list out some of the activities we enjoyed most and those we could have missed out on.

Norway (in general) – If possible, I’d recommend a driving holiday. Not only do you get the opportunity to enjoy the scenery at your own pace, you have the opportunity to change plans or visit those “off the beaten path” type of sights. Which, I believe, make a holiday all the more memorable.

Oslo – Must visits: Akershus Castle and Fortress, Vigeland Sculpture Park, the Viking Ship Museum, The Norwegian Museum of Cultural History and The Kon-Tiki Museum. Check out this listing for popular museums in Norway. Tip: Make sure you pick up an OsloPass, it gives you access to top attractions and transportation at a very reasonable price.

Borgund – Must visit: Borgund Stave Church (check the website, unfortunately when we visited the Church was being worked on and all we got to see was a big white plastic cover).

Lærdal – Must visit: Historic town centre. Tip: Make sure to stay in one of the many B&B located within the town.

Flåm- Skip: Flam Railway (Flåmsbana) – I know that loads of people recommend the train ride because of the scenic route, but to be honest if you are driving in the region you can’t help but see the same sights and you won’t be charged £40 for a roundtrip ticket. Tip: Take the E16 from Oslo to Bergen and you’ll be well impressed.

Bergen – Must visit: Take a walk down the old town street, take the train (Fløibanen) up to the city’s observation “deck”, visit the fish market early in the morning. Tip: If you are looking for a truly Norweigen gift, take a trip out to the Dale of Norway Factory Outlet for a Norweigen sweater. The store is located about 40 minutes outside the city, but well worth the trip.

Stavanger – Must visit: Take a stroll around the old town. The old shops and homes make for a very interesting walking tour and can easily take up your morning and part of your afternoon. And don’t forget to stop off at the Sverd I Fjell monument for some great pictures on your way out of town. Tip: If you would like to stay in the city centre, I’d recommend booking ahead of time – the city fills up quickly (it’s the home of Norway’s Oil Industry).

Kristiansand – Must visit: Kannon Museum. We specifically went to Kristiansand for the museum and to say it was an experience would be an understatement (my Facebook friends will know what I’m referring to). The museum is great for those interested in WWII history and big guns. Tip: Be aware of the opening and closing times for the museum.

Skien – Must visit: Take a walk around the old town area and check out the Cathedral – it’s a beautiful building.

Tønsberg – Skip: Although Tønsberg is said to be Norway’s first city, I found it a bit lacking. I wanted that same feeling I got in Bergen, Stavanger and Skien, but unfortunately outside of the quick walk through the market area (most of all the area had been updated or converted) the walk up to the mound where the Tønsberg tower was, it was pretty much like any Norweigen town we went through. If you are looking for something to do for an afternoon, this could be a good filler. But if you are trying to squeeze it in, I’d say give it a miss and spend a little extra time at the other places I listed.

Heddal – Must visit: Heddal Stave Church. Even through we visited out of season and we didn’t have an opportunity to check out the inside of the church, the outside is well worth the visit. Said to be the largest Stave Church in Norway, it’s size and detail does not disappoint. Tip: Make sure to check out the website to see when the season starts and ends, it would be great to get a chance to see the inside of this beautiful church.

I would also recommend checking out TripAdvisor, loads of recommendations there – I’ve even contributed a few myself .

Selected pictures of our Norway trip:

I know loads of people wouldn’t bat an eye when they have reached their 7 year milestone with an organization, but we are talking about a chronic nomad who enjoys the opportunity of travel and the challenge of an ever changing landscape. I suppose that’s why I seemed to excel at consulting type positions – the change of scenery, the excitement of a new project and the constant challenge of working with new technologies within ever changing business environments. But when I started the interview process at RIM, I knew it was something different. At the time, it was still a fairly small organization and offered tons of opportunity for growth and movement. I was excited, there was a challenge there – I still remember being told by two of the Technical Managers interviewing me, that they had been unsuccessful with the last 5 or so applicants they had sent up to Canada – these were the ones that made it past the 1st and 2nd rounds of interviews! So you can imagine my excitement (and fear) when I was told that I would be recommended to move on to the next stage of the interview process… Canada.

The rest is a bit of a blur, just because it seemed to happen so fast. From being sent up to Canada on a 7am flight, to sitting through a full day of interviews, to being told later by phone that I was being offered a Regional Technical Account position. For me, it was an opportunity to fully commit – to plant some roots and truly become part of a technical organization.

My first day was a crash course in mobility. I hadn’t yet been issued my company laptop or received my home lab setup (which was very cool, it allowed me to set up my own BES and Domino environment), but what I did have was a brand new BlackBerry 7290. I was amazed – with a simple call and a password, new emails, calendar invites and techie-focused applications were being pushed down to my device. I remember showing my friend (a fellow techie) and saying “How cool is this!” And so the love affair began, as the devices changed and the products evolved, I found myself marching along to the beat and in some cases, leading the band.

Over the past 7 years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with some truly gifted people, collaborate with some inspiring partners and engage with some more than passionate customers – it was a true privilege. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished and even more so of the friendships and business relationships I have been able to establish and maintain. I move forward with a great sense of excitement of what’s to come and the thought of what could be.

And so I’m off with one final plug… Stay Connected

Technical Tales of a Wannabe Fashionista

Visiting Norway

Reflecting Back on 7 Years