Stockholm

Stockholm, my first experience of Scandinavia. I don't know what it is exactly, but there is something wonderful about this country. There seems to be a sort of warmth and kindness in every person I've met here.  Maybe it started when I went to the airport to get into town. The bespectacled man behind the information desk confirmed that I was "youth" (25-), suggested that I save a few SEK and take the bus with a youth fare, and directed me to the bus stop.

I woke up on a 747.

Leaving Amsterdam after such a short visit was a little strange, but I don't think the city took it personally.

I knew I'd be getting in late to ARN (Stockholm airport), so I booked the closest hostel I could find ahead of time. Just a quick jump on the free shuttle bus and i was there. It also happened to be the most unique hostel I've ever stayed in.

Rijksmuseum

I was going to call this "Amsterdam blitz," but have to be honest. Really I went into town to see the museum that was being renovated last time I was here. Dutch masters +history + a boats and arm collections, I was sold. 

This beautiful building was completely covered in scaffolding last time!

Hiking in the Gorge

This last weekend I got a course in "Back Country Backpacking 101" from my sister, who's been on 4 "Walkabouts" as part of her student life training at George Fox. It was storming in Sisters (our original target), so we headed up the Columbia River Gorge to Eagle Creek instead.

http://www.oregon.com/recreation/hike-eagle-creek

Olympic Weekend, Day 2

We woke up on Sunday morning to a world entirely different from the one we fell asleep in. Our sunny beach was gone, socked in completely with fog. We cooked sausage over the Coleman grill, then packed up and turned our wheels back to Highway 112, turning onto 113 to take 101 back to Port Angeles. Our one stop on the way was at Lake Crescent. We decided that we're coming back some day to hike in this area!

Surveying Lake Crescent

Olympic Weekend, Day 1

Washington is an amazing state. We have deserts, rugged mountains, active volcanoes, sunny archipelagos, rainforests, canyons, rolling wheat fields… This weekend, M and I boarded the first ferry of the day bound for adventure on the Olympic Peninsula. (Thanks for giving us a head start, Opa and Oma!)

Whidbey in our wake

Quiet OD hike

 I had never been on OD without sharing it with anywhere from an handful to a crowd of other people. Last week, I got to share it with just one person. 

The discussion as we wogged down was how fast we could do it if we were going for speed. I think 1:45 (previous record: 1:58). He thinks he can do it in an hour!