Not a stag do

So there is lots going on and not much time for updating the blog. The wedding is in three days and work is horribly busy but I still found some time to head down to Rosendal and be absued but a bunch of lads in the pre-marriage ritual that is the stag-do.

The original plan had been to go to Uskedalen, which is a huge granite climbing mecca. Four to 16 pitch routes up massive walls that make the Etive Slabs look like bouldering. Had scopped out a couple of possible routes and even a camping spot. Had also rounded up some likley lads and had carefully billed it as "not a stag-do" on the grounds that the I am too old for the whole strippers and gaffer tape thing.

But this is western Norway and the one thing you can rely on here is that the weather will be unpredictable. So when a series of north Altantic lows were queing up to dump record rainfall on us, it was time to re-think the plan.

So we still headed to Rosendal but instead of camping we stayed in a friends barn. He was a bit reluctant at first, and who can blame him, but he took pity and let us stay. This was good because it meant we had somewhere dry to sleep and somewhere dry to hang out, drink beer and do what ever.

Friday we drove down and what was supposed to be a quiet night ended at 3am when I put myself to bed having set myself on fire doing something with Sambuca. Next day we walked up a hill with a hangover in atrocious weather - it at least washed away the hangover.

That evening I thought I was getting off scott free but they forced me to dress as superman, stop traffic and try and crawl through a culvet. I managed the first but superman was too fat to fit in the drain and was let off the hook. There was then some odd drinking games and that was it really. So I did get off pretty lightly and I am glad for that.

Sunday we visited the stonepark then failed to find an open cafe before heading home. Thanks very much to 15 good friends who travelled from all over to not abuse me too badly, to sleep in a barn, to walk up a hill in shitty weather and to drink a lot and laugh a lot. I appreciate it chaps.

The following photos were taken by Ian, John and Keith, I didn't have a camera with me


Outside at Eirik's

Nice day for a stroll

 Superman at the barbi

Stopping traffic

The drain challenge

 Unfortuantly Superman is just too fat

 In the barn

Never good to mix alcohol, fire and a polyester suit

Friday Joke is back

WOMEN WHO KNOW THEIR PLACE

Barbara Walters, of 20/20, did a story on gender roles in Kabul, Afghanistan , several years before the Afghan conflict. She noted that women customarily walked five paces behind their husbands.

She recently returned to Kabul and observed that women still walk behind their husbands. Despite the overthrow of the oppressive Taliban regime, the women now seem happy to maintain the old custom.

Ms Walters approached one of the Afghani women and asked, 'Why do you now seem happy with an old custom that you once tried so desperately to change?'

The woman looked Ms Walters straight in the eyes, and without hesitationsaid, "Land mines."

_____________________________________________________________________

These are sentences exactly as typed by medical secretaries in National Health Service Greater Glasgow


1. The patient has no previous history of suicide.
2. Patient has left her white blood cells at another hospital.
3. Patient's medical history has been remarkably insignificant with only a 40 pound weight gain in the past three days.
4. She has no rigors or shaking chills, but her husband states she was very hot in bed last night.
5. Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.
6. On the second day the knee was better and on the third day it disappeared.
7. The patient is tearful and crying constantly. She also appears to be depressed.
8. The patient has been depressed since she began seeing me in 1993.
9. Discharge status:- Alive, but without my permission.
10. Healthy appearing decrepit 69-year old male, mentally alert, but forgetful.
11. Patient had waffles for breakfast and anorexia for lunch
12. She is numb from her toes down.
13. While in ER, she was examined, x-rated and sent home.
14. The skin was moist and dry.
15. Occasional, constant infrequent headaches.
16. Patient was alert and unresponsive..
17. Rectal examination revealed a normal size thyroid.
18. She stated that she had been constipated for most of her life until she got a divorce.
19. I saw your patient today, who is still under our care for physical therapy.
20. Both breasts are equal and reactive to light and accommodation.
21. Examination of genitalia reveals that he is circus sized.
22. The lab test indicated abnormal lover function.
23. Skin: somewhat pale, but present.
24. The pelvic exam will be done later on the floor.
25. Large brown stool ambulating in the hall.
26. Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities.
27. When she fainted, her eyes rolled around the room.
28. The patient was in his usual state of good health until his airplane ran out of fuel and crashed.
29. Between you and me, we ought to be able to get this lady pregnant.
30. She slipped on the ice and apparently her legs went in separate directions in early December.

Utah 2011

Just back from a flying visit to Utah - busy times!
Three days on the student field course, followed by two days with Christian and Oliver in the Wastach and Beckwith Plateaus. We were also joined by Ivar and Anja from Oslo for a day. This was followed by a day around Moab with students and then down to Cainville, which is possibly the most remote place (habitated) that I have visited in Utah. Great geology but a very odd feel to the place. Rather enjoyed it.
After two days laser scanning there it was back up to the Book Cliffs for a final field day before driving back to Salt Lake City.

In Salt Lake I caught up with Lance, an old river running buddy who I havn't seen for 15 years - time flys. Then did some obligatory shopping before flying back to Norway in time for May 17th.

Was good to back back in Utah, even if it was rushed and busy.

Also confirmed my previous suspicions that Delta Airlines is truly awful! Note to self "just because they are in an alliance with KLM doesn't mean that the staff are not exteremely rude, the planes are not crappy and falling apart and that you will have a pleasant trip". 

Will post more about trip and upload some picks some time soon.

Wednesday Movies - climbing

A nice compliation of climbing falls here, a strange person doing some wierd climbing here
And a nice, short ice climbing movie here

Off to Utah tomorrow. Looking forward to being back in the desert

Bird Cams

Last year we had a live Seagull cam with a couple of chicks on top of the science building in Bergen
This year we have a live eagle cam with a couple of chicks. Very cute.