Alanna went to England!

Well, I went to England last week to visit Lyds. I'll write about it in more detail tomorrow, but for today, here's a picture post! They were all taken in Oxford or London, just so ya know.
until tomorrow,
A.

Four Days into my Trip

[picture of the day: Me, my sister B, and my friend M on the peak of Preikestolen]

Well, it's been an interesting past couple of days. I'm here in Norway with my sister and my dad and his family and having brought along a friend, we've been exploring and hiking around!

Wednesday, the day we arrived, can't really be accounted for. Jet lag + pouring rain = not much done.

Thursday was a day for exploring, where M and I wandered around downtown Stavanger, seeing the Harbour, the adorable shops, and walking into every single shoe store in the city where we drooled over all of the adorable Victorian ankle boots that are apparently back in style.

Friday we hiked Preikistolen. Now if I, like most Norwegians, were insanely toned and incredibly in shape with the blood of Vikings running through my veins, this would be no sweat. A 5 hour hike that culminates in a cliff 2,000ft above a fjord? Child's play. (Which it actually is-- I couldn't keep track of the amount of kids under the age of 5 doing this hike.)

For my blubbery, sloth-like American body with an injured knee, this was not the case. Nonetheless, 5 hours of huffing and puffing and grunting and complaining resulted in some spectacular views of the fjords, not to mention attractive Norwegian men running (!) up and down the trail (and when I say "trail" I use the term lightly. As in a "see the blot of red paint on that rock up there? It's the trail! Now, choose your very own path of boulders and climb to get there!" sorta way.) sans shirts. It also was a time for great conversation with my dad, B and M. And, wonders of wonders, it didn't rain! Which really is a miracle in Norway. Seriously.

And then yesterday was a very chill day (I read the new Harry Potter!!) and then M left to go home this morning. le sigh.

And it's raining again.

But I leave to go visit L in Oxford tomorrow! Where it is, unfortunately, raining but hopefully a warmer rain. So I must be off to finish packing for it's an early morning waiting to be had!

I may update from England, but most likely not. In which case, expect an update in a week!

bye!
A.

In Stavanger

Well, I'm currently in Stavanger, Norway visiting my family with my buddy Miranda along for a few days.

Not much to report as of yet. I'm trying to get over my jet lag and Miranda and I went a wandering around downtown Stavanger today, which is, might I add, the cutest little cobblestoned harbor city in the world.

Tomorrow I think we'll go hiking somewhere in the mountains.

More later, once more has occurred.

-A

So... I went to the U.P.

I recently spent 10 days in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with my mom, sister and extended family. Here are some pictures from the experience! They were taken mostly while wandering around my great-aunt Ina's property or while kayaking lake superior at sundown.