Euro Day 54 - Not a rest day

Friday, 16 August 2019

Today we drove to Fredrikstad for the orienteering. It a little urban forest map (like Knocklofty or Waverly Park), but of course with plenty of Norwegian tricky details and much flatter.  The map probably needed a few track updates, and the courses had to complete a boring 1.5km stretch in the suburbs near the finish but otherwise it was fun. Despite bumbling around a bit I finished 4th again which I'm happy with.  Everyone else made similar mistakes but enjoyed it (at least until the last part!)

 

After the orienteering (no WOC spectating today), we dropped our bags off in the car then wandered through the old town. I was pretty keen to go there as I've watched a Norwegian reality style TV series which had competitors living in the old town as per 1776. They had to complete challenges using old style tools and techniques, such as glass blowing, black smithing, masonry, baking (With just a fire). It was good for my Norwegian practise but also fun to watch for the craft factor!  The most impressive thing about the old town are the canals around it - making this cool star shape.  The streets were nice - I was surprised to see cars driving around which took away from the atmosphere a little, but people are clearly still living in the town.

 

 

 

 

 

After the Old Town we headed out to an island via a series of bridges connecting rocky island to rocky island.

 

In fact I think we would have island hopped about 15 islands along the way. Most of them were a lot more bare of trees than the ones outside of Stockholm, but still covered in holiday houses and regular houses. It was a cool sight.  I had wanted to go out there anyway but I also had an invite to a VIP orienteering event which was being held on the outermost island. I wrangled invites for the rest of the family so we were all able to run in this fantastic bare rock island area.  The course setters clearly decided to have some fun as aside from running over flower covered coastal rock terrain we had to swim from one island to the other!

 

 

  

This was actually Zali's dream event - she's always wanted to do a swim-orienteering course - although I suspect in there dream there would have been a longer alternative to the swim leg - in this case there definitely wasn't! The water was surprisingly not-freezing though, and it was just good fun!   

 

 

 

some controls were between and under boulders, and half way down rockfaces! 

Jon managed to complete the almost 5k course in time but the rest of us had to cut our course short so we could leave in time to have me at the Team Officials Meeting back in Sarpsborg.  While I did that Jon and the kids did our final visit to a supermarket for Norwegian chocolate to take home.

Once clear of Sarpsborg we drove the 20 minutes home (where we finally caught up with the Verde-Thons who had been chasing us all day but we kept having to leave places as they arrived!) - we set about creating a BBQ feast for us all plus some Australians living down the road who gave me a lift out to the event a few times when our car was full.  It was really lovely and delicious as Linda also went to the trouble of making me my favourite Norwegian dish - Rommegrot (with two norwegian o's there but I can't find them on my keyboard).

 

By then it was getting really late but there was still packing to do, and suddenly another protest by email for the Jury to settle regarding the next day's start list.  I deliberated over this then had a swim and spa in our in-house pool (this place is amazing I tell you!). Then finally went to bed well after midnight - which as it happens was a lot earlier than Jon, Linn and Linda managed to do as they stayed up working on their various projects which for Jon was  planning the Junior Orienteering Camp which is being held in a few weeks.
2016summary
KI Day 2 Saturday, 28 December 2019
KI Day 1 Friday, 27 December 2019
Sourdough Monday, 23 December 2019
Unstoppable Sunday, 22 December 2019
Zali's Christmas Craft Saturday, 21 December 2019
Farwell Taroona High Thursday, 19 December 2019
Underwater Cake Sunday, 15 December 2019
Sadness Sunday, 15 December 2019
Final Days of High School Saturday, 14 December 2019
Schools Relay Saturday, 7 December 2019
St Helens is Awesome Saturday, 7 December 2019
Adelaide Wedding Saturday, 7 December 2019
2019 Australasian Rogaining Championships Monday, 11 November 2019
Two Cats Friday, 1 November 2019
Fat birds Wednesday, 30 October 2019
Adventures in Peter Murrell Reserve Wednesday, 30 October 2019
Painterly Mornings Friday, 25 October 2019
Sunny Afternoons Friday, 25 October 2019
Arm End Sunday, 20 October 2019
Cat Hats Wednesday, 16 October 2019
Back to the 60s Wednesday, 16 October 2019
Creepy Cakes Wednesday, 16 October 2019
Beechworth Day 9 Monday, 7 October 2019
Beechworth - Day 8 Saturday, 5 October 2019
Wagga to Beechworth - Day 7 Friday, 4 October 2019
Wagga Day 6 Friday, 4 October 2019
Wagga Day 5 Thursday, 3 October 2019
Wagga Day 4 Tuesday, 1 October 2019
Wagga Day 3 Monday, 30 September 2019
Wagga by TripAdvisor (5) Sunday, 29 September 2019
Wagga by TripAdvisor (1 & 8) Sunday, 29 September 2019
Wagga Day 2 Sunday, 29 September 2019
Wagga Day 1 Saturday, 28 September 2019
Snow Hats Tuesday, 17 September 2019
Sudden Rain Tuesday, 17 September 2019
Sunny Days & Hellish Hills Wednesday, 4 September 2019
Pittwater Sunshine Wednesday, 4 September 2019
Happy Birthday Jett! Wednesday, 4 September 2019
Settling In Thursday, 29 August 2019
Euro Day 55 - Noooooo! Sunday, 18 August 2019
Euro Day 54 - Not a rest day Friday, 16 August 2019
Euro Day 52 & 53 Thursday, 15 August 2019
Euro Day 51 - Drammen & WOC Tuesday, 13 August 2019
Euro Day 50 - Hello Norway! Monday, 12 August 2019
Euro Day 49 - SOW Day 6 Sunday, 11 August 2019
Euro Day 48 - SOW Day 5 Saturday, 10 August 2019
Guest Blog: Today's tip for aspiring young uncles Friday, 9 August 2019
Euro Day 47 - SOW Day 4 Friday, 9 August 2019
Euro Day 46 - SOW Rest(ish) Day Thursday, 8 August 2019
Guest blog by Paul the favourite uncle Thursday, 8 August 2019
Euro Day 45 - SOW Day 3 Wednesday, 7 August 2019
Euro Day 44 - SOW Day 2 Tuesday, 6 August 2019
Euro Day 43 - SOW Day 1 Monday, 5 August 2019
Euro Day 42 - Switzerland to France to Switzerland to France.. Sunday, 4 August 2019
Euro Day 41 - Sweden to Switzerland Sunday, 4 August 2019
Euro Day 40 - Island Idle - Part 2 Friday, 2 August 2019
Euro Day 39 - Island Idle - Part 1 Thursday, 1 August 2019
Euro Day 38 - If it's easy, it's not worth doing Wednesday, 31 July 2019
Euro Day 37 - What Next? Wednesday, 31 July 2019
Euro Day 36 - Back into the forest Monday, 29 July 2019
Euro Day 35 - O-Ringen - Race Day 3 Sunday, 28 July 2019
Euro Day 34 - O-Ringen, Race Day 2 Saturday, 27 July 2019
Euro Day 33 - O-Ringen - Race Day 1 Friday, 26 July 2019
Euro Day 32 - O-Ringen Thursday, 25 July 2019
Euro Day 31 - Hello Stockholm! Wednesday, 24 July 2019
End of Part 1 Wednesday, 24 July 2019
Euro Day 30 - Salzburg! Tuesday, 23 July 2019
Euro Day 29 - Hello Austria! Tuesday, 23 July 2019
Euro Day 28 - Even more Bohinj Sunday, 21 July 2019
Euro Day 27 - More Bohinj! Saturday, 20 July 2019
Euro Day 26 - Bohinj Friday, 19 July 2019
Euro Day 25 - Bled Thursday, 18 July 2019
Euro Day 24 - Hello Slovenia! Wednesday, 17 July 2019
Euro Day 23 - Plitvice Lakes National Park Tuesday, 16 July 2019
Euro Day 22 - Hello Croatia! Monday, 15 July 2019
Euro Day 21 - Dolomites to Trieste Monday, 15 July 2019
Euro Day 20 - Dolomites 3 Day - Day 2 Saturday, 13 July 2019
Euro Day 19 - Dolomites 3 Day - Day 1 Thursday, 11 July 2019
Euro Day 18 - Venice to Predazza, Sea to Mountains Thursday, 11 July 2019
Euro Day 16 & 17 - Part 2 - Venice Wednesday, 10 July 2019
Euro Day 16 - Part 1 - O-Nerding in Venice Tuesday, 9 July 2019
Euro Day 16 - Thunder and Lightning in Venice Tuesday, 9 July 2019
Euro Day 15 - Thunder and Lightning in Florence Monday, 8 July 2019
Euro Day 14 - Pisa and San Gimignano Sunday, 7 July 2019
Euro Day 13 - Cinque Terre Saturday, 6 July 2019
Euro Day 12 - Transition Day Friday, 5 July 2019
Tour Du Mont Blanc - Day 4 Friday, 5 July 2019
Tour Du Mont Blanc - Day 3 Friday, 5 July 2019
Tour Du Mont Blanc - Day 2 Friday, 5 July 2019
Tour Du Mont Blanc - Day 1 Thursday, 4 July 2019
Euro Day 7 - Annecy to Les Houches Sunday, 30 June 2019
Euro Day 6 - From St Etienne to Annecy Saturday, 29 June 2019
Euro Day 5 - Heading towards Lyon Friday, 28 June 2019
Euro Day 4 - Castles Castles Castles Thursday, 27 June 2019
Euro Day 3 - Goodbye Paris hello Loire Valley Wednesday, 26 June 2019
Euro Day 2 - Sore Feet! Tuesday, 25 June 2019
Euro Day 1 - Paris - so French!! Monday, 24 June 2019
Beautiful Hobart Sunday, 16 June 2019
Tacos anyone? Sunday, 16 June 2019
Masterchef Challenge Wednesday, 5 June 2019
Melbourne Weekend Monday, 27 May 2019
Devonport weekend Sunday, 26 May 2019
Australopers Cake Sunday, 26 May 2019
Happy Mothers Day to Me Sunday, 26 May 2019
WA Easter - Days 8 & 9 Monday, 29 April 2019
WA Easter - Day 7 Monday, 29 April 2019
WA Easter - Day 6 Monday, 29 April 2019
WA Easter - Day 5 Monday, 29 April 2019
WA Easter - Day 4 Monday, 29 April 2019
WA Easter - Day 3 Tuesday, 23 April 2019
WA Easter - Days 2 & 3 Sunday, 21 April 2019
WA Easter - Day 1 Friday, 19 April 2019
Experience is nothing. Sunday, 31 March 2019
Kelvedon Orienteering Events Monday, 25 March 2019
Croquet Season Monday, 25 March 2019
Autumn Sunshine Monday, 25 March 2019
Heavy supervision.. Monday, 18 February 2019
Cathedral Rock Monday, 18 February 2019
Blackberry Picking Monday, 18 February 2019
Huon Show 2018 Saturday, 16 February 2019
Birdwatch Saturday, 16 February 2019
Mini Gingerbread Houses Saturday, 16 February 2019
More haste, less speed Saturday, 16 February 2019
It's been a while! Saturday, 16 February 2019
Before and After #44 - Jett's room take 2 Tuesday, 22 January 2019
The Rest of Sydney Tuesday, 22 January 2019
Ok, I'm pretty sure it's Friday.. Friday, 4 January 2019
Is today Thursday already? Thursday, 3 January 2019