Tromping Around Tønsberg

One genie and three wishes? I’ve always chosen to travel south—Thailand…Greece…Italy…Morocco… (after ending world hunger and providing the world with peace, love, happiness, and kale, of course).  These were places that got to experience the joys of sunshine; countries whose citizens were well nourished with Vitamin D. Those who know me, and know me well, are very well aware of how much I dislike (and possibly even fear) the cold—so much so, in fact, that you would swear that I was allergic to it. My dad, having spent a solid few years in Norway, has always described his time there as dark and dank—literally. “We had little to no sunlight in the winters”, he’d whisper to us, grimly, as we were drifting off to sleep. The horror. He may as well have been holding a flashlight to his face to illuminate his little chinny-chin-chin.

So, what brings me to Norway?  Well, let’s just say the only ever real justifiable motivation behind succumbing to peer pressure—family and cheap plane tickets. At the, both consistent and also persistent, request of my dad, I booked a reasonable flight from LAX to Oslo to visit his side of the family, packing the puffiest jackets I owned (more realistically, purchased hours before my flight as per usual), and my sunniest outlook and attitude, because, let’s face it—I’d need it in the snow.

4 movies, a few uncomfortable snoozes, more than a few trickles of drool, and a quick layover in the land-of-Laduree, later, I’d made it.

Now, when I think Norway, Tønsberg isn’t exactly the city that comes to mind.  With that being said, however, I should also disclose that I rarely, if ever, “think Norway”. If it wasn’t for the lovely relatives I have that happen to reside in this winter wonderland, the country would definitely fly far below my radar of things to see and places to go. 

For everyone who is as silly as I was, but choose to no longer be, it’s time to wizen up. Luckily, I’m here to help.  Enter Tønsberg, Norway’s oldest town. If you’re major-city-focused, this could be one to skip as it isn’t exactly a tourist destination.  Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim—that’s all you.  If you, however, do find yourself swinging by, definitely give Tønsberg at least an hour of your precious time because it’s worth it, and baby, you’re worth it.

Here, you’ll find Verdens Ende-- translated quite literally to World's End, or The End of the Earth. This little scenic hot spot--or more accurately--cold spot, is composed of various islets and rocks, and provides absolutely breathtaking and panoramic views of nearby fishing facilities. 

Expect a good hour to two hours of walking in absolute silence as you struggle to take in the absolutely breathtaking scenery.  You're ruining it for all the other countries here, Norway.

And of course, there would be a charming little old school lighthouse (that was erected in 1932) sitting atop the hill... Absolutely picture perfect.

Still struggling to catch my breath, 

Kimmy

Not in Kansas Anymore

Every now and again I fall victim to routine.  I’m a full-on-full-fledged I-have-breakfast-at-6-and-again-at-10 kind of girl.  I have a favorite Pilates studio that I swear by—devout and devoted.  Lunch at 12 sounds just fine.  Barry’s at 12:30 on Fridays, and dinner at 6 is generally the case.  As much as I value spontaneity and the unknown, I often find myself unknowingly headed towards a comfortable state of predictability.  It’s my safe space.  It’s your safe space.  Stray too far from equilibrium, and it’s just a mere matter of time before you find yourself right back where you started.  But who can blame you?  Who can blame me?  Many times, comfort and stability is where it’s at—it’s what many people strive for.  Sunny skies and calm waters equate to smooth sailing.  But without a change of tide or a shift in current, days on the smooth seas could easily bleed into weeks, months—years even.  Glasses fog over, and experiences and memories blur.  Time flies, and it does so even when you’re not having the most absolute and overindulgent type of fun.

Some wise man said it best—in life, change is the only constant.  However, in order for that to be the case, you need to get out of your own way and stop being your biggest roadblock.  Defog those lenses, and in doing so, sharpen those lines between every memory and experience.  Let time fly, but only on your watch.  Be present for each and every second, minute, and hour of that journey.  Break the routine and bask in the light of that discomfort.  Exhale, and let go of all the things that fail to serve you.  In other crunchy-granola-words, drop the avocado toast, and ditch the green superfood smoothie.  Reach for the lox and the knekkebrod.  Nordic-game strong, because you’re in Norway, little lady.  

New Year, New You?

As we're rounding this sharp corner into the New Year, I can't help but to fall victim to that ever so infamous annual "New Year, New You" phenomenon.  Along with the Santa Suits and the naked-and-needle-less Christmas trees, people left and right are tossing out their old selves, post holiday blues and all, onto the curb to be picked up by the garbage truck on Wednesday morning at 8am.  I mean, you really can't blame them.

With post holiday glum polluting the air by the millions of tons, you can't help but to crave that freshness that comes with the spirit of rebirth and renewal.  Out with the old, and in with the new, they say.  It's January--the month of resolutions and optimism--the month of spiked sales and profits in athletic stores.  The month of high hopes and higher credit card bills.  It's the month of gym memberships and dedication to not only healthy, but also happy.  It's a month of looking forward, because only in doing so, can we shake the sadness that comes with the 26th of December. 

According to my dear friend Merriam, Merriam Webster, a resolution is, by definition, a decision to do something or behave in a certain manner.  In the spirit of the post holiday season, I've decided to follow the masses in committing to a few New Year's Resolutions.  Please do excuse the basic-ness and predictability of my decision--I'm simply following my cliff-jumping friends off the cliff; however, unlike the majority, I don't completely buy into the New Year, New You jargon, simply because the New Year has never revolved around change for me, and neither have my resolutions.  In fact and actuality, my New Year's resolutions have always served more as reminders--reminders to self-reflect and to look back on older decisions and commitments to do that simply got a little lost and smothered in the dust along the way.  Rather than aim for a complete, total, and unrecognizable transformation, my goals revolve around holding onto as much of my prior self as possible, and embellishing.  This is the year that I commit to embellishing the hell out of me, beginning with January.

January.. It's the month of resolutions and optimism--the month of accountability.  The month of wild hopes and dreams, and even wilder travel plans.  It's the month of dedication to good food and even greater people.  It's a month of experiential living and a devotion to green.  It's a month of looking forward, not to shake the sadness that comes with the 26th of December, but to embrace it and emerge from it more good and even more gold.  January--it's the month that will kick off a year of resilience and strength.

And so, New Year, New You?  Maybe not entirely.  New Year, but same and improved you?  I could probably roll with that.