2014-2015 Review: Get Out of Town!

It's like...we moved to the middle of nowhere, and, all of a sudden, I had so much free time that I was going everywhere!

Our "years" begin and end in the summer. Every time I've tried to do a "real" year-in-review at the end of December, I always feel halfway through whatever we're doing. I've just always been on a school year schedule; my parents were both teachers, and our life refreshed and restarted every summer.

I don't think I can really count all the days I went to Paris this year, but I blogged about most of them, and you can read about my museum and wander days here.

Marc may have been bored and unemployed in La Fère, but we took advantage of his free time and he went to two destinations he'd been wanting to see his entire life: Berlin and Athens. Berlin exceeded his expectations and Athens was a disappointment. But he's glad he got to decide for himself and now all he talks about is going back to Berlin!

The only travel plans I really had for this year were Spain for Christmas and I was hoping against all odds that I'd finally get to do my Iberian Insanity (#ibin2014) trip that I started planning way back in 2012. There was also a hint of "perhaps Morocco" when my college friend, John, moved there in the fall, but nothing was for sure, or even a priority.

These quaint little ideas ended up exploding into glorious travel dreams all over my calendar!

A Week in the Netherlands

Every August, I get to do a volleyball camp in the little, but well-connected, town of Wassenaar. Between coaching volleyball and eating strop waffles, I made it to the Mauritshuis museum in Den Haag, Corrie ten Boom's home in Haarlem, and a local castle in Voorschoten.

A Night in London

When the Eurostar train goes on sale, it must be bought! For 69 euros each round trip, we sped under the English Channel for a night out at the theatre. Conveniently, my uncle and aunt also happened to be in town (this has happened to us twice now, in London and in NYC!), and we enjoyed drinks at the Savoy after the show.

Two Weeks in Spain

It was only supposed to be about 9.5 days, but an EasyJet airline strike grounded our December 31st flight until...January 3rd! What began as our already grand trip of Madrid, Toledo, Granada, and Málaga, became all of those places plus Córdoba, Ronda, and Gibraltar! My Iberian Insanity trip was now only missing Seville and Portugal!

An Evening in Belgium

We chugged up to Belgium in the team minibus for my first European friends to finally meet Marc! It was the first time I'd been back since 2011, and it was wonderful to communicate in French with so many of the people who opened up Europe to us.

Four Days in Morocco

John's move to Morocco did end up working out for me after all! It's really nice having friends who live in cool places. It was my first time in Africa, my first time in a predominantly Arab country, and the most interesting trip of my life.

Four Days in Sweden & Norway

I'm now old enough that the teenagers I coached are studying their master's degrees abroad. Maggie was based in Sweden for 6 weeks, and we had sadly given up hope that we'd get to see each other. But a canceled practice and a plane ticket later, and #Swagandinavia was up and running!

Two Weeks in Portugal

My ultimate year in travel finished with my ultimate vacation destination. My time in the south of Portugal was pure and organic and perfect.

Our 4th Year in France

But how can I forget my adopted home?! Aside from my Paris jaunts, we cracked open an entire new section of France to us in the Picardy. I have to say that the best 3 things were castles: Château Mennechet, Pierrefonds, and Coucy-le-Château. We also were able to spend some time in Bayeux for our friends' wedding.

We don't know everything about where we'll be going next year, but we do have our return to Europe planned for a visit to Scotland! I feel like I definitely maximized my time in Europe this past year, and right now I think I'm ready for a more laid back travel schedule for next year.

I mean, I feel that way today, but I may change my mind come September!

Thankful for all the learning and mind-opening experiences that travel has brought me because of volleyball. These years have been golden and grand, and I know we will continue to shine wherever we end up!

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The Legends of Swagandinavia: NORWAY

Norway was never really on my radar until a conversation during college with my late Grandma Carol. She had taken up a fascination with Norwegian rose art when she was much younger, and told me all about her plans to see the glaciers, fjords, and the other incredible sights Norway had to offer. Grandma Carol always had a lot of plans; plans to sell her house in California, plans to move to New Mexico, plans to go to Scandinavia. It was part of her quirky charm, these dream-plans that never came true.

As a 21-year-old, I remember thinking, "I hope I go to the places I want to see before I'm 80 years old."

I didn't go out of my way to make Norway happen. However, it did occur to me after Grandma Carol passed away that if I ever did make it to Norway, I would try to appreciate it the way she would have.

Family histories can easily repeat themselves in small towns in small ways, but it is important to widen the scope and setting of the story.

So, in the spirit of keeping Carolyn's dream alive and well, let's head to Norway: the land of snow-capped mountains, deep fjords, large Vikings, dead witches, and one flying ninja.

Traversing the Tundra

Our fjord safari was scheduled for 9:30AM, and if we arrived too early in Flåm, we would have to stay packed up in the van. Doesn't sound too bad until you understand that this "van" was more like a midsize car with two extra seats in the trunk space. Technically, 5 seats with a trunk, or 7 seats with no trunk. We were 6 adults; 3 of whom had just spent 6 weeks in Sweden and had to pack all of that into the "van."

It's a good thing I only brought a large purse because we all had the medium-sized suitcases under our feet, and the large suitcases filled up the trunk next to the study abroad guy who had to sit in the way back the whole ride. Either he slept the whole nine hours, or he went into a mostly dead mode to not be completely numb after that experience.

I was in and out of my own zombie state the 9 hours of night driving. We twisted and turned around downtown Oslo. We passed through hills and valleys. I saw the dark silhouettes of trees against the whiteness of the moon.

I thought about trying to reach for my iPhone to take pictures, but it sounded too strenuous at the moment. I quietly stared at the glassy reflections of night meeting dawn on the water. There were boats, there were scattered lights, and everything was periwinkle.

After a while, I half-dreamed, half-realized there was snow all around us. What was this magical untouched land, blanketed in crystal clear snow in the month of May?! Narnia - er, I mean, Norway!

And yet, these scenes were just a glimpse into what we were about to behold.
 

Fjording Flåm

Fjords are spooky. Yes, they are beautiful and astounding and command the attention of your camera more than you can control. But they are also very quiet and haunting, and those deep waters and sheer-faced mountains hold more secrets than you and I will ever know.

Our hotel was a 3-minute walk from the launching point, and we were able to grab a quick bite to eat, drop off our stuff, and stretch our weary bodies before our venture began. We prepped our outfits in the tent by the dock, constantly adding more and more gear - just in case. The jumpsuit and life vest were required, then most of us accessorized with giant gloves, goggles, hats, and ponchos. By the time we stepped onto the 12-passenger boat, we were definitely warm and definitely large.

Marshall, Anna, Maggie, and me: neon Vikings hitting the fjords.

Our guide, Gustaf (I didn't have to name this one), was clearly a seasoned professional who knew all the ins and outs of the fjords. I've never seen so many waterfalls in the course of just two hours! If I understood correctly, we were in the parts of the Sognefjord called Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord. It's like naming a tree, then giving individual names to each of its branches. (Zoom out on this map to get the idea.)

The boat ride was overwhelming. This may have had something to due with our serious lack of real sleep. There was so much to take in at every turn, and all of these profound sights continued to bring me to the same awe-inspired conclusion.

"Vikings."

Yes, I kept whisper-declaring their presence the entire time. 

Clouds hid the peaks of the snowy mountains, and rain and wind whipped our well-protected faces. Reflections mirrored the spectacular scenes in the rare moments of still waters. The mountain goats balanced precariously on "cliff meadows," waiting for their shepherds to boat them to the next location. There were miniature fjord villages every ten minutes or so.

Gustaf motioned to the highest cliff we had seen so far. "They used to take young women up to the top to test if they were witches or not."

They would throw the girl off the cliff; if she survived the fall into the fjord, she was burned for being a witch. If she didn't survive, she was "given a good Christian burial."

An entire world existed on those mountaintops, where maidens maintained their farms and the men hauled the goods down the cliffs by ropes to go to the markets. Gustaf kept pointing at rock stairs I never saw and ladders that looked terrifying as the methods for ascending the heights.

The most incredible thing I learned was that for as high as the mountains around us were, the fjord was even deeper. I noted I would not be swimming or practicing witchcraft in Norway ever.

The "Swag" beanie is always a hit! (Thanks to Tanya Schmidt!)

I love that this trip was more about spending time with Maggie, her parents, and her friends from school, than me trying to finish as many things as possible. The incredible thing was that we still did tons of stuff, but, for me, it was really all just a magnificent backdrop to hanging out with old friends and making new ones.

And I'm sure Grandma Carol would have appreciated every bit of the action!

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The Legends of Swagandinavia: SWEDEN

My first view into Sweden and Norway can best be described as: easy.

There was very little cultural strain. A few tasty new foods. My look blended into the crowd. Everyone spoke English. Nature was bright, and cities were clean.

I didn't even have to plan anything outside of getting my plane ticket. I jumped into someone else's itinerary for a change, and that meant I could just sit back and go with the flow.

It was wonderful.

How did all of this come together, anyway?

A 14-year-old Named Maggie

Okay, she's totally not 14 anymore, but she was when I coached her Point West club volleyball team in Santa Clarita, California. Everyone called her my "mini-me," and we basically just giggled our way through an entire 7 months.

We had so much fun together that even after she moved to Texas the next year, she came back to California to visit, drove with me to the Reno volleyball festival to be my "assistant coach," then tagged along with my friends to NBC Camps in Redding.

After interviewing people on the street for a fake school project in downtown Chico.

At our wedding in 2008, Maggie was the cute little redhead who helped with our guestbook. And then we never saw each other again.

That's how the story might have ended - but thank the Lord it didn't!!!

Even at 14, we knew she'd succeed!

Eventually, Maggie graduated high school, went to college, graduated college, and started her master's degree for teaching math. Welcome to 2015, when Maggie chose to take advantage of the opportunity offered by the University of Arkansas Fayetteville to study abroad for 6 weeks in Jönköping, Sweden.

We touched base when she knew she was coming to Europe, and we both kind of left it at, "Well, it's nice that we're both here, but our dates don't match up well with each other, so better luck to us next time."

But our luck changed sooner than we thought when my coach randomly canceled a Thursday practice, and I had four free days out of nowhere to go somewhere.

Maggie's parents were heading into town the day I could come, and had already planned a road trip to Norway to visit a fjord.

WHAT?! YES. Then just like one of my go-to classroom and camp riddle games: click, click, bang, bang, and boom! I bought my open jaw ticket for Paris to Gothenburg and return from Oslo to Paris.

I was in Sweden for only 36 hours and saw at least 3 outdoor volleyball courts!

Maggie's face was my favorite art project EVER.

So once again: blame it on volleyball. It's one thing to expect the travel associated with matches, tournaments, tryouts, etc., but it's the totally awesome random adventures that pop up that continue to surprise with just how much volleyball really does equal travel!

Swedish Stuff

RJ and Karen (Maggie's ever-traveling parents) picked me up at the Gothenburg airport and we started the drive to Jönköping with non-stop talking and catching up. It had been 8 or 9 years since I'd seen them, and changed from being a 20-year-old college kid coaching their daughter to a 29-year-old married expat volleyballer - there was a lot to talk about! Plus, they'd moved three more times, so new places always mean new stories!

We arrived in Jönköping just in time for "fika." Hallelujah for this version of Swedish tea time! We had cinnamon rolls (a few times) and coffees while nestled in the giant colorful chairs at Condeco before heading out to a restaurant on the dock for drinks with Maggie's study abroad friends. The Swedish buildings along the shoreline were colorful and happy, especially when gilded by the sunset and wine.

Day 2 brought all of us to Maggie's school for a tour of her experience there, then RJ, Karen, and I headed out to find a church Karen had researched on Trip Advisor. Karen, I came to understand during our trip, has an excellent knack for finding incredible things to do in incredible places. Every awesome thing during my trip is basically because of her, and I can't thank Karen enough for her planning skills, and both her and RJ for hosting and driving us all over Scandinavia!

Wandering by the lake in Jönköping.

The rental van's GPS liked to send us to totally random places. We actually passed the church we were trying to get to because the GPS directed us to drive another 15 minutes, and we ended up in a small enclave of summer cabins on a lake. Cool destination, but not exactly where we were trying to go!

When we did backtrack to the Habo Kyrka, we were amazed. According to the church caretaker (whom I named Johan), the church was made entirely of wood, then painted to create the appearance of richness. Johan let us wander all over the church, around the balconies and organ upstairs, and even took us up the narrow passageway through the detached bell tower!

The Swedes themselves actually told us: the best Swedish meatballs were at IKEA. Meatballs with jam. Hello, my new food heaven. Normally, I don't even like meatballs very much, and I'm not really a jam fanatic, but put those two together, drop me off in Sweden, and we're golden! I'm now convinced that meatballs should only ever be paired with a red jam of any kind, as I experimented at our Norwegian breakfasts later in the trip.

Winning Gothenburg

Our plan wasn't really a plan. "We'll just eat somewhere in Gothenburg for dinner," we said. But we needed to find a place we could stay at for a while because after we were going to leave Gothenburg, it would be for the all-night drive to the west of Norway.

Can't we just eat sweets until we have to leave?

We parked somewhere and started walking. We literally walked into the first restaurant we saw and just hoped it would be good enough to kill a few hours. We ordered our food and settled in for a long evening of just talking and enjoying being together. The restaurant was kind of a hybrid bar/pub as well, and all these beautiful young people started filling up the place.

Go to Gothenburg if you like blondes. Especially if you like tall blondes. Guys or gals, doesn't matter, it's basically the land of Barbies and Kens, and you might feel a little bit like you're at an after party with models. I know I did. Be prepared.

April 30th is the day Swedes officially welcome spring, so we thought maybe that was the reason the restaurant was getting full on a Thursday night. And then we heard English over the loudspeakers: "Welcome to Quiz Night!"

Are. You. Kidding.

Of all the restaurants in all the towns in all of Scandinavia, we walked into the one having a pub quiz.

(See why I end up saying, "lucky for me," so often?)

We had picked the perfect restaurant on the perfect evening, and all six of us got way too into answering the thirty trivia questions. We didn't end up with the best overall score, however we did end up being the only team to answer the three bonus questions correctly! We erupted into crazy cheers when the Australian host announced that "Team USA" had won a free round of drinks for our efforts!

Meet "Team USA!" L-R: me, Maggie, Anna, Marshall, RJ, & Karen!

Thank you, Sweden, for your complimentary beverages, delicious foods, pretty buildings, and gorgeous people!


Next up: Norway, Vikings, ninjas, and fjords...
   

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