h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Fishing?... I used to go fishing with my dad when I was small Do you think being able to talk about fishing is important in Norway?

I am just interested, just like in some countries it's very important to be able to say "Sorry, that I am leaving work before you?" Or "Do I have to sweep the sidewalk infront of our house this week?" You can imagine a lot about a country through important sentences.
But, well maybe the important things in Norway are nicer...

I didn't mean fishing like that...

I can't say I know of any important sentence in Norway, but there is one thing that is very important. People respect and like honesty very much, so if someone asks "Hvordan går det?" (How are you?), don't just say "fine", allthough that is the normal response. Tell them how you actually are!

*surprised and pleased that she managed to change the fishing topic without One-eye noticing, aren't foreign languages nice you can always pretend not to understand properly...*

I think I really start liking Norway , I was always a bit upset about those "rethoric questions", like people ask you how you are, but aren't actually interested, and dare you saying, not too well to be honest...
Do you actually feel rather Danish or Norwegian, or is it anyway almost the same?

I noticed, didn't want to push, that's all...

I feel most Danish, definetely. Since we moved to Norway, we've always spoken Danish at home, and with my brother and sister after they moved out, also when we're with other people. I think my temperament is more Danish than Norwegian.

* looks like that's been another hopeless attempt as usual...at least a gentleman like you pretends to be tricked *

I think growing up bilingually * not too sure whether this has to be an adverb or not, doesn't sound very nice like that, does it* is great!

So tell, me what is the difference between the Norwegian and Danish temperament...as far as I noticed most Danish people I've met have a good sense of humor and actually know what they want and go for it (in a positive way)...

I think you just hit the proverbial bullseye there...
The sense of humor, and being able to laugh at everything, including oneself, maybe mostly oneself, and the thing about going for what you want, regardless of what other people might think of you, is perhaps the biggest difference. Norwegians are, generally, more reserved, and they have a kind centurylong attitude saying that "Thou shalt not think thou art better than anyone else..." That's normally referred to in DK and N as "Janteloven". A really, really stupid thing...

'Tis funny though. If you go north in Norway, I'd say about above the polar circle, the temperament very much resembles the Danish, regarding humor, hospitality and not giving a rats arse what other people think

It's funny cause it's kind of the same on the British Isles. Even people from Wales told me, if you want to live in Britain people in Scotland and Northern Ireland will be more easy going and hospitable, although they are a bit resevered and sometimes a bit rough too at first...(nothing against the rest of Britain I have some very nice English friends)

Maybe it comes with being decentralized, geographicaly?

Maybe, maybe they like to get a change....

So, why Syria? You were leaving, err... 18th of February?

Right!
Don't know, I went to the bookstore to have a look at travel guides and see where I could go...first I thought of Jordan, but then I thought that so many people are going there right now...well, maybe I should say that I wanted to go to a country with non-western cultural background as I've never been to one before and I don't like those club-holidays, you know hanging around at the hotel pool all day long...then I saw this guide about Syria and flipped through and that was it...Syria has lots of interesting things to see (dessert, uncountable ruins, souqs...)and there isn't too much tourism around yet, that is supposed cause a nice atmosphere for tourists (and single female travellers) and a wee bit of an adventurous flare

Good enough for me!
Allthough, I'd rather enjoy the occasional day by the hotelpool...?

*opens a bottle of red and finds a two Y's*
I won't take no for an answer!

What can I say?

Occasional day at the pool would be fine for me, I just don't like the idea of flying I don't know how many kilometers and then never leave the hotel area, never meet any people from that country except for the caretaker and having those animating people around telling me what "great" things to do...maybe when I am old....no not even then...but I don't mind other people doing it

I couldn't agree more! The organized "let's-all-have-a-nice-relaxing-holiday-while-looking-at-some-stupid-ruins-put-up-for-the-bloody-stupid-tourists-and-drinking-margeruitas-served-by-a-chap-named-(fill in either Fabio, Juan or Janis)" really stinks. It's an insult to peoples intelligence and intellectual capabilities. (To most people, anyway...)
What I meant was that I don't mind going to the big tourist-places, but I want to go there on my own and do what I want too, when I want to do it, not what/when some bloody touristguide/facilitator named Mary (nothing wrong with the name Mary)wants me too!

That's it!

*sips the red*

So to which country would you really like to go once?

...
I don't know... Brazil, perhaps. yeah, definetely South America. And Australia. oh, and New Zealand, of course. And some of the smaller island-states in the Pacific.
What about you? (Besides India and Syria)

Far too many places...actually I wouldn't say no to anything, even Sibiria has something...but yes New Zealand and Australia sounds very good (I actually told JAR already to get a big enough appartment so we could all come to visit him , not too far from India neither)
I always wanted to go to Iceland, and definitely I want to see the dessert (propably will in Syria ). Also Canada. Brazil? My brother is just thinking of moving there for a few month, so we might see. I would also like to see some Asian and African countries sometime...well as I said actually everything...

Seems to be you're a real jack-of-all-trades...

More red?

*puts on the excellent Echobelly-album, Lustra*

*accepts some more wine*

Never run out of dreams, that's what I say ...although you should be careful not to get lost in your dreamworld...

...a word from the wise...

*pours some more red for self*

But seriously though, I'd really like to meet you sometime. Seems to me we have a lot in common. (Except that I might be more fond of beer than you are...)