Norwegian summer: Livet på hytta

Finally summer came to Norway, a bit late, but it was worthy. I got caught by surprise when I experienced about +30°C this past week. It was warm (way too warm I would even dare to say), sunny and beautiful. But a summer in Norway is not a summer if you don’t go to the family’s cabin or to the boat (or both, if you can!).

I had the chance to get lost this year in the middle of the hills of Telemark for 3 days, going back to the past with no Internet access and no desire for it. They were fantastic days eating grilled food, going on short hikes and reading about competition and public procurement law.

I got lost somewhere over the B letter!

The life at the cabin consist on waking up bitten all over by the mosquitoes and fetching the water from the well to clean the dishes used last night and clean your food. Then you have a healthy and summerish breakfast (some fruit, juices and something sweet because, well, you are in a vacation). Then you go for a walk or take pictures or both! At least that is what we did. After the sun is high up and the temperature reaches an incredible +44°C out of the shadow you sit down and prepare a Norwegian BBQ: pølse, tomatoes and paprika grilled (I doubt the tomatoes or the paprika is Norwegian, but I love them). It is time to eat and enjoy of the sun.

As the day is approaching its end you remember that you have spent about 14 hours without contact to either Internet or any electronic device and it is both surprising as refreshing. Being unplugged was what I needed for a few days. It gives you time to THINK, something I have realized modern life does not allow me to do. I read, see, talk, interact, but have less time (or perhaps I am not aware of how important it is for a PhD student) to think.

To wrap this entry: summer in Norway is amazing, even though if it lasts about 2 weeks!