Rotary World Service - District 5950 Group Study Exchange 2003

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Mike Morris
John Hobday
Margit Karkela
Lynn Keillor
Alanna Simone Tyler

THE TRIP
April 22-23 - Days 1-2
April 24 - Day 3
April 25 - Day 4
April 26 - Day 5
April 27 - Day 6
April 28 - Day 7
April 29 - Day 8
April 30 - Day 9
May 1 - Day 10
May 2 - Day 11
May 3 - Day 12
May 4 - Day 13
May 5 - Day 14
May 6 - Day 15
May 7 - Day 16
May 8 - Day 17
May 9 - Day 18
May 10 - Day 19
May 11 - Day 20
May 12 - Day 21
May 13 - Day 22
May 14 - Day 23
May 15 - Day 24
May 16 - Day 25
May 17 - Day 26
May 18 - Day 27
May 19 - Day 28
May 20 - Day 29

April 26, 2003

The hills are alive with the sounds of ....

Drammen Rotarians and the Group Study Exchange team conversing and joking.  Today the team and our Norwegian host headed to the hills surrounding Drammen.  To get up the hill most of us drove through the Spiral Tunnel completed in 1961.  The tunnel is actually a six level spiral carved out of the hills!  Our team leader Mike and his host Sven Christiansen Enger didn’t drive to the meeting place.  Instead they hiked from Sven’s home through the hills to meet us.  They deserve special prizes.
(Photo: Saturday hike in the hills over Drammen with hosts.)

At the highest point of our trip, we came to the Landfallhytta and we stopped to enjoy the valley below.  On a clear day it is possible to see seven counties in Norway.  It was overcast so we did not see quite as much.  Nevertheless, the view was worth the more than 3 kilometer climb.  We had a great view of the valley.  At one end we saw the Drammen River leading to the fjord and at the other end the water winds toward the municipalities we will soon visit.  Also at Landfallhytta we warmed up with hot chocolate and little waffles shaped like hearts with jam—a fitting reward after an hour or so of hiking. (Photo above left: Margit sets the style, keeping warm in reindeer skin. )

It is very common for Norwegians to take to the hills either walking or skiing.  There is even lighting for evening skiing.  (Photo Right: “Welcome big and small, but just remember—take care of the forest and trails, then I will stay pleased.” --Troll of Sprialen Park)

This evening we will begin to say good-bye to our Drammen host over dinner at Hannah’s Kitchen, a traditional Norwegian restaurant.  I  am confident that the rest of the team would join me in saying to our hosts, ‘mange takk for deres gjestfrihet (many thanks for your hospitality).

(Photo left: Wonderful farewell feast of “hjorte” with Drammen hosts.)

Alanna Simone Tyler