-Norway, thank you! Thank you for giving me so many wonderful friends and fun experiences during this year. The Sailing Cantare adventure would not have been the same without you! The Norwegian fairytale started already in Dover almost a year ago when we met the three Norwegian yachts, Johanna, Time Out and Escape. And as you all know that was just the beginning of what would be a year full of new friendships and fantastic memories. I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to sail with first Odin and then Safari to arrive in Norway and finally experience little of our beautiful neighbor country. For me Norway used to be skiing in Hemsedal where you bring your own food in order to afford the after ski, I didn’t know much else. Norway is indeed very expensive, kind of frustrating for a close to ruined sailor whose current is SEK, however I have now experienced a country with a lot more than expensive beers and good skiing.

I arrived in Oslo last Monday and have then met friends from Johanna, Time Out, Fortia and Skamlös. The guys on Johanna looked sort of the same, a little less tanned though, but it was still so strange seeing them in a non sailing environment and instead meeting them in their daily life. They told me to really enjoy the last week of the adventure, after a couple of weeks at home you will be back in the normal routine-like life with a lot of must do things... I took their advice to my heart and had some wonderful days in Oslo. Sort of living the true Sex and the City life with shopping (budget shopping though, no designer shopping as in the series), nice dinners and partying. Geir from s/y Johanna is running a restaurant called Lille Herbern on Bygdøy in Oslo. Terrific food in fantastic atmosphere! Lille Herbern is situated on a little islet outside Bygdøy with a nice view of the Oslofjord. They have a little boat transporting the guest to the restaurant from Bygdöy to Lille Herbern, very cosy! So if you happen to be in Oslo, the sun is shining and you are looking for a place to dine, take the ferry from Aker Brygge to Bygdøy! Have had a great time in Oslo, thanks Geir and Co for hosting me!

I love the life of contrasts so after some days of city life I put on some working clothes and ended up harvesting hay at my aunts farm. My mother’s oldest sister, Agneta, is not only my aunt and godmother also one of Cantare’s sponsors! She is pure girl power running a huge farm on her own! Since she is living next to the Norwegian boarder I just couldn’t pass her and her family on my way to Copenhagen without a short visit. Therefore yesterday was spent hay harvesting and barbequing on the countryside. It was a true flying visit, little too short but seeing her, my cousin Tina and other relatives was amazing!

Now I am on my way to Copenhagen visiting some good friends before finally meeting Maria and Cantare again! Looks like Cantare will arrive in Copenhagen on Monday. Really looking forward to seeing my Skipper again, we have a lot of gossiping to do…:-)

Have a nice weekend!

Love First Mate Sofia