The average monthly wage of Russians is still below $500 – but at the crazy annual Millionaire fair you can buy yourself a helicopter, or at least a really, really expensive car. The fair could just as well be named “A whole lot of beautiful girls, and some really expensive toys. Have a look at the pictures… Continue reading
They say that when the Soviet Union was dissolved, nobody bothered to tell the Belorussians. US President Bush calls the country the “last dictatorship in Europe”, and sets out to end the tyranny there. That all seems rather far-fetched, as we enjoy a cappuccino in a friendly coffee shop on the main drag in the capital Minsk. Continue reading
Going from Dushanbe to Khorog and back by plane is not for the faint of heart. During the 50 minute flight Tajik Air’s experienced(?) pilots are only meters away from crashing into the sides of the steep mountains several times. Continue reading
Altai is by far the most beautiful part of Russia I have ever been to. In June I got the chance to spend a week riding and camping in the mountain range where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan come together. Continue reading
Where Stalin used to come for good weather, is now a candidate city for the Winter Olympics 2014. But how on earth can they be serious about getting the Olympics in Sochi? Continue reading
Rushing towards earth at terminal velocity. Yeah! California is heaps of fun. I went to the US to attend my high school reunion, and ended up with my skydiving A-license. Good deal! Continue reading
The small village of Solnechnogorskoe is set beautifully by the Black Sea in the Ukraine. Amenities are few, hotels are none, but the hospitality is great. In 2005 I got to celebrate my birthday here.
You would expect Iceland to be a small and easily accessible country. That is before you realize that in Iceland everybody in the phonebook is listed by their first name – and that the language is close to old Norse. Continue reading
In all secrecy my good friend Arild, his wife-to-be, Kirstine and myself travelled to Rome this Easter (2004). There we meet with a group of Norwegians pilgrims, led by another friend of mine, the priest Torbjørn. On Good Friday we had a ceremony for the happy couple inside the St. Peter’s Church… Continue reading
All the rich and the famous of Argentina travel to Punta del Este, Uruguay in summer. They go there because of all the fabulous beaches, and I suspect: because everybody else go there. Not being rich, nor famous we still figured that it would be nice to spend some time at the beach.