January 6th 2008 - Isobel
January 6th 2008
Down and out for New Years !
Here we go 2008! WoooHooo ... ! Party on .... !
Yeah, well - as it turned out, we had a pretty boring New Year ! We had the best of plans - going to a big party at the Old Foreigners Compound - and had treated ourselves to a lunch in town and a relaxing afternoon, so we would be ready for a big night out. Then lunch started to act up ... ! By evening we both felt a bit bad and so we started 2008 home alone and with belly-aches ! Somehow we always manage to mess up our New Years party ! Next day we made it to Jake and Isobel's afterparty - a really nice relaxed "the-day-after cocktailparty". That made up for the missed late night.
Around New Year it was really cold here. Probably the coldest it has been in our time here, which doesn't say a lot. At night it was below zero and both night and day a strong wind was blowing. Sitting inside looking out, it was really pretty with sun and clear weather, but the ice bears met us already in the unheated entrance to our apartment. Now it is a lot better. Still a little chilly in the mornings, but the sun warms everything up nicely after a few hours. Most of the day I can walk around without a jacket, so it's really more like a Scandinavian summer !
Our friends and colleagues are starting to return from their vacations. Pauline and Stuart are back for another 5 weeks (Stuart works 5 weeks on and then has 5 weeks off) and Nicola and Ruaraidh are back from their trip to Cuzco, Peru, so things will probably be a bit busier for us now. Saturday I went mountain biking with Geoff for the first time. He's got an extra bike that he let me kick around the hills a bit. It was great fun. The terrain here is as made for mountain biking with lots of mountains (of course) and lots of small trail. Made me want to get my own bike and go more regularly. I'm surprised I'm not in a state of pain today, as it was a serious workout for somebody as unfit as me !
Yesterday evening we hooked up with some colleagues of mine from Copenhagen, Tordur, Hans and Kenn, and went in to town to eat at Kebapistan, our new favorite (Turkish) restaurant. It was not without a little hesitation, as Tordur, as a true Faroese, is an expert in the lamb field, and at Kebapistan it is all either chicken or lamb. They stood the test, and Tordur proclaimed that he would return! Better compliment is hard to get by. Today Paula and I took it easy with a movie and a short trip to Ilsan beach for a hot choco. It's nice to be able to enjoy the outdoors even in winter...
Me at New Years Eve !
Paula and Peo living it up at New Years Eve !
We went for a cold walk on New Years day. Just up on to the hill at the back of our apartment block.
Hyundai Offshore Yard is on the other side of the hill, just at the mouth of the river.
It was a windy day, so the garbage was everywhere. The refuse system here is really backward. You leave your garbage on the street, in special bags bought in the supermarkets, and if you are lucky, it is still in the bag when the truck comes for it - on windy days it never is, nor when a stray dog gets to it first ! In summer it gets really stinky !
At Jake and Isobels afterparty ..
Here's Peder chatting to Jake.