(I've gotten a bit derailed from sharing photos from my travels this summer, but I still have so many left that it's time I got back on track!)
Waking from fitful plane slumber to find myself peering out through bleary eyes over the fjords of Norway is something I will never, ever forget. Blue water extended like endless fingers into green forests and yellow fields, dotted with tiny islands and disturbed only by the wakes of scattered cruise ships and ferry boats. On the ride from the airport to our hotel in Oslo I couldn't take my eyes off the countryside, as I counted red-roofed barns and tried to catalog flora and fauna (fireweed, just like at home!)
Knowing I had less than 24 hours, not just in Oslo but in Norway as a whole, I fought off jet lag and spent the next few hours wandering around solo. What I found were roses. Roses piled several feet deep all around Oslo Cathedral and in the adjacent park, clogging public fountains and even sprouting from salty piers. Beautiful, but also heavy.
That night after the festival we made the wise decision to skip sleep and instead found our way to an afterparty where I met Fleurette and her amazing friends. One thing I learned on this trip: Scandinavians know how to party. I wish we could have stayed and danced until sunrise, but our 3am lobby call time loomed and soon enough we were on our way to Sandefjord airport--next stop Helsinki.
11 comments:
oh gosh these photos are really lovely - and it sounds like you're having an amazing time! xx
Really beautiful pictures.
xxxo, maggie.
I was in Oslo the day after the bombing - so scary and sad! So many roses and memorials all over. What a great country!
Love these pictures!
Hey girl! I'm a long time lurker of you blog, but have never been one to comment on posts.. After spotting you in some facebook photos with my dear friend/sista emma cooper, i thought things were getting too close to home and just had to comment!
i love your stuff!
love love love, Dani Fine
Whoa yes, Emma is so awesome! Every time I look at her I just think of California and sunshine :n ) We were talking a bit about her major and I'm so crazy jealous she gets to take so many amazing classes on such a range of topics. Wish I had dome something similar back in the day. Smart girl!!
Lovely pictures, what a shame you didn't get to stay longer, well I hope the next stop is even better!
beautiful pictures, yet sad at the same time.
i don't know if you'll find this question impertinent but i was wondering how it is you get to travel with the band? do you have to pay for all the travel yourself? either, it must be an incredible experience.
Hi Maria, totally fair question! I very, very rarely get to go along with the band (in fact this was only the second time in the 3+ years Alex and I have been together...) but when I do, Alex and I are responsible for my travel expenses like airfare or train tickets, that kind of thing. With hotels it can depend on whether my being along means they need to get an extra room or not, or whether the festival/booker is providing lodging, etc. I pay for my own food and snacks (though again, festivals and clubs often provide dinner of some sort.) This time technically I was listed as a PA, so I was generally treated as a member of the crew in terms of what we were provided by venues and such.
I can't even tell you how lucky I feel to have been able to go along with the band to so many places I've wanted to travel to since I can remember. At the same time though, a huge chunk of the year sees me home alone in New York, missing Alex and wishing I was on the road with him. It's a bit of a rollercoaster, but so far so good ;n )
aw, thanks for answering. i was just wondering because my boyfriend is a drummer and their album just came out and he is going to be going to all these places that i am jealous of...just wondered how you managed to tag along. i want to too!
(ps. i didn't want to offend you so i lamely (superlamely) hid under a pseudonym. dumb but...i haven't commented in a long while!
Hahaha ah you, you sneak you! Dude don't worry about it! Oh man I hope you do get to tag along, it rules. I mean, it can be nutso, but at the end of the day you don't have to play a show and so you can just dick around when they are doing important things like sound checking and sleeping, and then nap backstage while they play ;n )
If I could get on board with the band as a more official helper, like being the merch girl or something (which I see a lot) then
I think it might be a bit different in terms of paying my way, but as it is the lead singer usually wants to do merch or they just have the second driver/roadie guy do it--which is so not fair, dammit!! Anyways, I say try and do merch, or learn the tambourine or something...make yourself indispensable (as my Mom is always saying I should heheh.)
Make yourself indispensable...sounds like wise motherly advice! I offered to be the driver but he doesn't trust me driving on the left side of these darn English roads. Best get started working on my triangle playing skills, an underused instrument, methinks.
Thanks for the notes from the inside, I just was incredibly jealous that you got to go to places like Japan and Australia and if my boy's going, I'm gonna do my darndest to go with!
Hope all is well on your side of the world :)
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