Javan and I arrived around 1 pm in Norway. We had a direct flight from Amsterdam and since it all seemed so simple and Javan was checking his bag, I figured I might as well check mine. BAD IDEA!!! I have a fear of checking bags, I never do so unless absolutely required and I remember why…especially when flying KLM. Well, upon arrival we wait, and wait, and wait for my bag. It never arrived. Turns out, it never caught the flight, or the next one. It finally caught the last flight over and was delivered to be at 12:30 am by the biggest burliest Norwegian I have yet seen. Most are tall and elegant and pretty, this one stepped out of the NFL including tattoos on his hand. He was nice though, and I did feel safer knowing he was guarding the hotel during the sinister hours.
The work day was pretty normal, but their hours of 8-4 with a 30 min lunch are pretty awesome. It is a combination of many of the great things I have learned throughout my experience in the corporate world. I miss getting off at 4 so it was great to have some free time in the afternoon to do things. It also helps that this country never really gets dark during the summer. Carean also met us in Norway so we did more culinary exploration. This is another country that isn’t starving and knows the finer things in life. They also know how to price gouge on EVERYTHING!! One evening I had venison, then the next we had fantastic Italian. On Wednesday night, June 23rd otherwise known as Midsummers Night, there was a special cruise offering. It went into the nearby fjord and underneath Pulpit rock. Next time I am hiking up to the rock and looking down. Javan and Carean didn’t want to go so I was on my own. As I was sitting there, a guy walked by with an NOV back pack. I figured he worked for the company and didn’t think much more of it. When he came back up for picture taking I started looking at him and thought he looked familiar. Turns out, I had a seminar with him back in October in Houston. It really, truly is a small world. This was the last place where I thought I would run into someone. When we arrived back on shore at 11 pm the harbor was hopping!! There was live music playing and people EVERYWHERE! I could have stayed out and enjoyed the party and atmosphere for a long time had I not needed to work the next day.
On Thursday, Javan and I headed to the oil museum after work. It was a great museum and very interactive. They had samples of crude oil from different parts of the world so you could compare, examples of rocks which make up the different formations in the ground, as well as all the different tools involved in drilling. Turns out, NOV even donated a driller’s chair. Javan drove it, I don’t know how his well drilling went, but he didn’t blow anything up. We did learn, though, that his ROV driving wasn’t too hot. They had a simulator of what it was like to steer an underwater remote operated vehicle and I can only imagine what the engineers in Houston are going through with the well a mile under the water in the Gulf. I give them props for doing what they have done. If it were left to me, that well would still be gushing full steam ahead and my ROV lost somewhere in Venezuela.
After the museum, we had sushi for dinner and Javan headed back. We were both heading back but somehow I got left behind and then left to my own devices. I found an ice cream shop then wondered the old streets of Stavanger. After getting back to the hotel at 9:30 pm I saw some big dudes in the lobby. I turned the corner and who is standing there giving autographs? None other than my dear friend Snoop Dogg. He had a concert the same evening that started at 9. Considering he was already late for it, I’m glad I spent my money on a fjord cruise rather than his concert. I heard today (Friday) he didn’t even do an encore and was a total of 1.5 hours late. Dang him…disappointing his fans. I am currently at the air port waiting for my flight back to Amsterdam where I will meet up with my German host parents Uwe and Andrea for a weekend of catching up and packing my life away. Maybe Snoop will be on my flight…he has a concert in Berlin next. Google told me.
The work day was pretty normal, but their hours of 8-4 with a 30 min lunch are pretty awesome. It is a combination of many of the great things I have learned throughout my experience in the corporate world. I miss getting off at 4 so it was great to have some free time in the afternoon to do things. It also helps that this country never really gets dark during the summer. Carean also met us in Norway so we did more culinary exploration. This is another country that isn’t starving and knows the finer things in life. They also know how to price gouge on EVERYTHING!! One evening I had venison, then the next we had fantastic Italian. On Wednesday night, June 23rd otherwise known as Midsummers Night, there was a special cruise offering. It went into the nearby fjord and underneath Pulpit rock. Next time I am hiking up to the rock and looking down. Javan and Carean didn’t want to go so I was on my own. As I was sitting there, a guy walked by with an NOV back pack. I figured he worked for the company and didn’t think much more of it. When he came back up for picture taking I started looking at him and thought he looked familiar. Turns out, I had a seminar with him back in October in Houston. It really, truly is a small world. This was the last place where I thought I would run into someone. When we arrived back on shore at 11 pm the harbor was hopping!! There was live music playing and people EVERYWHERE! I could have stayed out and enjoyed the party and atmosphere for a long time had I not needed to work the next day.
On Thursday, Javan and I headed to the oil museum after work. It was a great museum and very interactive. They had samples of crude oil from different parts of the world so you could compare, examples of rocks which make up the different formations in the ground, as well as all the different tools involved in drilling. Turns out, NOV even donated a driller’s chair. Javan drove it, I don’t know how his well drilling went, but he didn’t blow anything up. We did learn, though, that his ROV driving wasn’t too hot. They had a simulator of what it was like to steer an underwater remote operated vehicle and I can only imagine what the engineers in Houston are going through with the well a mile under the water in the Gulf. I give them props for doing what they have done. If it were left to me, that well would still be gushing full steam ahead and my ROV lost somewhere in Venezuela.
After the museum, we had sushi for dinner and Javan headed back. We were both heading back but somehow I got left behind and then left to my own devices. I found an ice cream shop then wondered the old streets of Stavanger. After getting back to the hotel at 9:30 pm I saw some big dudes in the lobby. I turned the corner and who is standing there giving autographs? None other than my dear friend Snoop Dogg. He had a concert the same evening that started at 9. Considering he was already late for it, I’m glad I spent my money on a fjord cruise rather than his concert. I heard today (Friday) he didn’t even do an encore and was a total of 1.5 hours late. Dang him…disappointing his fans. I am currently at the air port waiting for my flight back to Amsterdam where I will meet up with my German host parents Uwe and Andrea for a weekend of catching up and packing my life away. Maybe Snoop will be on my flight…he has a concert in Berlin next. Google told me.
A small town on the waters edge outside of Stavanger. This picture was taken aroun 11 pm. The advantage of living so far north.
A view from where our bbq was held. It was only accessible by boat and the guys were building a bon fire for after dinner.
A small harbor area and apartments in Stavanger
The Lysefjorden which is popular for hiking...
...mostly because it contains Pulpit Rock which is 1800 ft above the water. Next time, I'll be looking down from it.
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