....the weather comparison continues
Reykjavík Iceland: 16°
New York: 16°
Copenhagen: 16°
London: 18°
Yes....it's not cold here back home! It's sunny and wonderful....gotta love it.
So - long time since last. We're kind of settled in our new beautiful apartment. Bought ourselves a dishwasher yesterday (yes..luxury product) cause we got offered to buy a used one from a friend. Otherwise- the apartment is getting more and more cozy every day.
All of the Icelandic guys from Malaysia are home for the summer and Sigga Hrönn and some other friends from dk have stopped by for a visit. So far - the summer has been all about meeting friends, BBQ, camping - and enjoying the summer.
Work and school is good - everyone are good - life's good.
In July we have Oskar's birthday (in one week)- a family reunion in the end of the month, some roadtrips for us - possibly a summer cottage with my father and family and lots more.
When we blogged from Malaysia we often had ridiculous stories to tell about service etc in that community. Now....oh my lord - Iceland has reached a new level in service standards.
*****The story about the toaster!*****
Me and Oskar went to Hagkaup (like Tesco) to buy a toaster. We bought one for 3.990 (very cheap) from a no-brand whatever label. It was black - it looked nice - we just needed it to toast stuff. When we got home, so excited to try our new toaster, it didn't work!
So the next day we went to the same store to return it.
Shop lady: You can't return electrical equipment bought here
We: Uuuuuuh but it doesn't work......
Shop lady: Blablabla
We: We want a new one - our money back - store credit - anything. It doesn't work!
Finally - she says ok...you'll get a new one but this isn't really allowed bla bla. We go into the store, but they're all finished and she had none in the back.
We: "Well, then we'll take our money back thank you" (as allowed by law)
Shop lady: "Oh, I found one toaster, the last one, in Smáralind (a shopping mall). You'll have to go there to get a new one - there's nothing else I can do for you blaaaaa
Pffff.....so we went there - to meet the most stoned guy ever to be seen in Iceland. He was very unhelpful and asked for the guarantee that we should've gotten when we bought the thing in the first place - but of course didn't get.
He "couldn't do anything for us" because it wasn't their store which is responsible, but Sjónvarpsmarkaðurinn / the TV market. So he said we'd have to go there....but since the other lady from Hagkaup already called on our behalf - he finally checked that out and said ok..I'll get the toaster.
But noooooooo
Shop dude: There's been a slight misunderstanding
We: Noooo - gosh - I'm so surprised. What.
Shop dude: We only have the box...there's no toaster in it. You'll have to go to the TV market to sort this out.
Crap.
The following day - Oskar goes to the TV market. They say that they have to evaluate the toaster and check it out - and fix it (really?) and then give it back. We can't just get a new one. They say that they'll call the next day which they of course didn't do....
Four days later....
The TV market calls
TV dude: Yes hello, I've got some news about the toaster
Oskar: Yeeeeeees
TV dude: Mmmm it's broken
Oskar: Nooooo - really? You're not kidding? Gosh, did not realise that
TV dude: Yes, it is...it's even so broken - that it's ruined
Oskar: Of course it is...
TV dude: Well, you know, we don't have more of those so you'll have to talk to Heimilistæki (yes, a third store that has nothing to do with this) and get store credit in their store..you'll just have to come to the TV market to claim some stuff, then go to Heimilistæki when Mr X is working during these hours etc etc etc
Oskar goes online to see that the cheapest toaster in Heimilistæki is around 7.000 (remember that we bought ours for 3.990).
THEN our patience really ran out and we sent a letter to the Consumers association of Iceland, his sister (a lawyer) and the three stores involved.
A few hours later he got a call from the first store, an apology and home delivery on a toaster - Phillips - which costs double the price (not that we haven't payed that in gas and mental exhaustion already, híhí).
So now, whenever you feel like having a toast, do drop by:)
Jul 10, 2009
May 29, 2009
Sunflowers........
Gooooooooood day
And we moved! We're getting our things together from different family members who've kept a box here and there while we lived abroad...even though we had absoloutely nothing - somehow we got a tv, a coach, shelves, a kitchen table, fridge and other things! Thank you all of our lovely family members who had spare things:)
We're loving the new neighbourhood and we're close to everything! My grandparents brought us some roses and my mother a beatiful sunflower (my ultimate favourite flower) which is hopefully not dying already in my window...better go and water it a little bit. Hmm...
Oskar got all of his grades and did ridiculously well in all of his courses! My brilliant man...
Other great news are that we both got a job!!! Oskar got a job at Gogoyoko - doing marketing and related things (check out www.gogoyoko.com to know more about that...) and I got a job at the Social Science Research Institute of Iceland. We both start tomorrow!! :) Brilliant.....
Oskar will then return to school in September (perhaps with a job on the side) and I'll finish my thesis this summer. Busybusy as always.
The last few weeks we've basically been moving - studying - went to Grundafjörður with my grandparents to watch my cousin Diljá graduate and we've also enjoyed a few beautiful days where we could (yes, we're not kidding) bathe in the sun with friends down town!
The first summer we spend in Iceland for a few years is starting well.....
So now we're just packing up the last boxes - buying this and that in IKEA and getting settled. Everyone are welcome to come for a cup of coffee at Auðarstræti 13 - I might even make some pancakes!
Then my mother in law and Jörgen (her boyfriend) will come to Iceland from Denmark where they live - to visit and because Agnes turns 30 on the 13th of June. Looking forward to that as well....
Have a good one...
And we moved! We're getting our things together from different family members who've kept a box here and there while we lived abroad...even though we had absoloutely nothing - somehow we got a tv, a coach, shelves, a kitchen table, fridge and other things! Thank you all of our lovely family members who had spare things:)
We're loving the new neighbourhood and we're close to everything! My grandparents brought us some roses and my mother a beatiful sunflower (my ultimate favourite flower) which is hopefully not dying already in my window...better go and water it a little bit. Hmm...
Oskar got all of his grades and did ridiculously well in all of his courses! My brilliant man...
Other great news are that we both got a job!!! Oskar got a job at Gogoyoko - doing marketing and related things (check out www.gogoyoko.com to know more about that...) and I got a job at the Social Science Research Institute of Iceland. We both start tomorrow!! :) Brilliant.....
Oskar will then return to school in September (perhaps with a job on the side) and I'll finish my thesis this summer. Busybusy as always.
The last few weeks we've basically been moving - studying - went to Grundafjörður with my grandparents to watch my cousin Diljá graduate and we've also enjoyed a few beautiful days where we could (yes, we're not kidding) bathe in the sun with friends down town!
The first summer we spend in Iceland for a few years is starting well.....
So now we're just packing up the last boxes - buying this and that in IKEA and getting settled. Everyone are welcome to come for a cup of coffee at Auðarstræti 13 - I might even make some pancakes!
Then my mother in law and Jörgen (her boyfriend) will come to Iceland from Denmark where they live - to visit and because Agnes turns 30 on the 13th of June. Looking forward to that as well....
Have a good one...
May 18, 2009
Summertime!
Oh the weather has been wonderful here back home! Yesterday we went swimming and then sat down at Austurvöllur (where 90% of the nation comes together when the weather is good) until dinnertime where we met so many people. It was around 18 degrees which is huge for Iceland!! It's supposed to be good for the next week or so-nice study - breaks ahead.
Óskar finished his exams and did really well. He's been called into a few job interviews so hopefully he'll be able to find something to do for the summer. Will be exciting to see what comes out from the interviews...
As all of you Europeans know - Eurovision was on this weekend (for you Asians - that's a song contest between the countries of Europe - yes - kind of lame but endearing) and we came in 2nd!!! GO ICELAND. I went to Harpa's place where we grilled and had party games around the song contest and Oskar went to Raggi's place for his birthday. A nice weekend all together...
Then next week we'll take a road trip with my grandparents who will come from their home town Egilsstaðir (at the other end of the country) to Grundafjörður where my mothers sister lives. Her daughter is graduating so we'll be spending the weekend at their small town with family:)
...and a few days later - we'll move! We found an apartment in Auðarstræti, which is in between MIklatún and Snorrabraut in the nice little neighbourhood there.
So - all is well and summer is here! Can't wait to spend the whole summer here for the first time in years and years...
Everyone's welcome for a cup of coffee or barbeque at Auðarstræti 13 once we move!
Have a good one
Óskar finished his exams and did really well. He's been called into a few job interviews so hopefully he'll be able to find something to do for the summer. Will be exciting to see what comes out from the interviews...
As all of you Europeans know - Eurovision was on this weekend (for you Asians - that's a song contest between the countries of Europe - yes - kind of lame but endearing) and we came in 2nd!!! GO ICELAND. I went to Harpa's place where we grilled and had party games around the song contest and Oskar went to Raggi's place for his birthday. A nice weekend all together...
Then next week we'll take a road trip with my grandparents who will come from their home town Egilsstaðir (at the other end of the country) to Grundafjörður where my mothers sister lives. Her daughter is graduating so we'll be spending the weekend at their small town with family:)
...and a few days later - we'll move! We found an apartment in Auðarstræti, which is in between MIklatún and Snorrabraut in the nice little neighbourhood there.
So - all is well and summer is here! Can't wait to spend the whole summer here for the first time in years and years...
Everyone's welcome for a cup of coffee or barbeque at Auðarstræti 13 once we move!
Have a good one
May 1, 2009
Update: March-April
We've been busy busy busy...but here's finally an update!
Happy Easter! The Easter weekend was busy but really good. We got Sigga Hrönn (the one that lives in Denmark and came to visit in Malaysia) and Christian over for a visit - I met my Sunnie which lives in London and Ásrún for dinner/coffee and me and Oskar spent a night in my father in law's summer cottage (Guðjón and Gyða's) with the rest of the family lying in the hot tub after midnight watching the most beautiful northern lights I have ever seen! And of course we ate a lot of chockolate...
I went to my 10 year high school reunion which was great...finished all of my courses and only have my thesis left - finally!! Me and Harpa have gone to the theatre twice - so cultural...My 12 year old cousin participated in Músíktilraunir with his band (guys around 15/16 years old) where young bands that haven't been published anywhere can compete. They made the finals and my uncle was voted the best drummer!! He's gonna go far...
We've also gone for a couple of mountain walks with the mountain program thingy- went up to Vífilsfell which was a nice evening stroll (2,5 hours ca) but in the end of march we went up to Skarðsheiði. The weather was so bad that we couldn't reach the top - my hair was frozen and we kept falling down because it was so slippery and windy. Apparently, there was great snow avalanche danger in the mountain as well which we did NOT know about - but we managed to get down again.
Sigrún, my older younger sister was confirmed last weekend!! Everything went really well in the church and afterwards, there was dinner in Skíðaskálinn to celebrate where family and friends came together...
Oskar is having exams and is nearly finished with his first semester! Then he'll have the summer off where we're trying to get him a job - if there is a job to be found in this dear country:)
We're also starting to look for an apartment, we lose this apartment in july/august so if you hear of a cheap one - let us know.
So yes, that's what we've been up to lately I guess...otherwise - we're good. The weather has been beautiful lately even though it's been kind of cold (around 10°C these days)...the grass is getting a little greener, birds have started waking us up in the morning, it's bright for much longer in the evening and I've spotted a few flies around = summer is coming!!
Hope that most of you have the day off since it's May 1st! Have a good one...
Happy Easter! The Easter weekend was busy but really good. We got Sigga Hrönn (the one that lives in Denmark and came to visit in Malaysia) and Christian over for a visit - I met my Sunnie which lives in London and Ásrún for dinner/coffee and me and Oskar spent a night in my father in law's summer cottage (Guðjón and Gyða's) with the rest of the family lying in the hot tub after midnight watching the most beautiful northern lights I have ever seen! And of course we ate a lot of chockolate...
I went to my 10 year high school reunion which was great...finished all of my courses and only have my thesis left - finally!! Me and Harpa have gone to the theatre twice - so cultural...My 12 year old cousin participated in Músíktilraunir with his band (guys around 15/16 years old) where young bands that haven't been published anywhere can compete. They made the finals and my uncle was voted the best drummer!! He's gonna go far...
We've also gone for a couple of mountain walks with the mountain program thingy- went up to Vífilsfell which was a nice evening stroll (2,5 hours ca) but in the end of march we went up to Skarðsheiði. The weather was so bad that we couldn't reach the top - my hair was frozen and we kept falling down because it was so slippery and windy. Apparently, there was great snow avalanche danger in the mountain as well which we did NOT know about - but we managed to get down again.
Sigrún, my older younger sister was confirmed last weekend!! Everything went really well in the church and afterwards, there was dinner in Skíðaskálinn to celebrate where family and friends came together...
Oskar is having exams and is nearly finished with his first semester! Then he'll have the summer off where we're trying to get him a job - if there is a job to be found in this dear country:)
We're also starting to look for an apartment, we lose this apartment in july/august so if you hear of a cheap one - let us know.
So yes, that's what we've been up to lately I guess...otherwise - we're good. The weather has been beautiful lately even though it's been kind of cold (around 10°C these days)...the grass is getting a little greener, birds have started waking us up in the morning, it's bright for much longer in the evening and I've spotted a few flies around = summer is coming!!
Hope that most of you have the day off since it's May 1st! Have a good one...
Mar 2, 2009
Gotta love the land of Ice
The past two weeks have been great. Óskar Ingi Jr turned one years old and we went to his birthday party where the house was filled with family and friends. 
They made a super ambitious soccer cake amongst other delicious cakes and candies.
The same weekend, there was a costume party at work (66°North). There was sushi and light snacks and great atmosphere. I think that literally everyone came in a costume and me and Harpa went as the (soon to be dead) Icelandic króna! (our currency...).
We bought dresses in the red cross shop - super glued a few hundred kroners on it - made earings - bought the thing that death holds (don't know the english word...like you see on the picture) and had a crown with a memorial article about the króna. We also brought a lot of the worthless stuff and gave around and tipped everyone...
This weekend - Óskars friends organized a guy-surprise-trip. They went to a summer house - not so far from the city - with a hot tub where they grilled good food and had a nice time. They went to Stokkseyri for lunch the next day to "Fjöruborðið", a famous lobster restaurant, and went horse back riding in the afternoon. The same day I was as Icelandic as he was and went with the mountain climbing group for the first time to Hengill in Hengilsvæðið which is covered in hills and small mountains. It's also an area where you find a lot of natural hot springs so we could see the steam from the biggest ones around during the walk. Really nice.
We were 124 all together with about 7 guides and went to Skeggi - and the highest peak of 805m. I think we went around 14km and the walk was 6 hours in snow but there was not one cloud on the sky, sun shining and NO wind. Undescribably wonderful...looking forward to the next one even though my leg motor skills are not quite up yet.
Otherwise we've just been busy with work, school and the everyday life. Spring is in the air every other day but then snow comes in between - the undecided weather of old Iceland is always the same...which is never the same. Gotta love it.
Have a nice week...
They made a super ambitious soccer cake amongst other delicious cakes and candies.
The same weekend, there was a costume party at work (66°North). There was sushi and light snacks and great atmosphere. I think that literally everyone came in a costume and me and Harpa went as the (soon to be dead) Icelandic króna! (our currency...).
We bought dresses in the red cross shop - super glued a few hundred kroners on it - made earings - bought the thing that death holds (don't know the english word...like you see on the picture) and had a crown with a memorial article about the króna. We also brought a lot of the worthless stuff and gave around and tipped everyone...
This weekend - Óskars friends organized a guy-surprise-trip. They went to a summer house - not so far from the city - with a hot tub where they grilled good food and had a nice time. They went to Stokkseyri for lunch the next day to "Fjöruborðið", a famous lobster restaurant, and went horse back riding in the afternoon. The same day I was as Icelandic as he was and went with the mountain climbing group for the first time to Hengill in Hengilsvæðið which is covered in hills and small mountains. It's also an area where you find a lot of natural hot springs so we could see the steam from the biggest ones around during the walk. Really nice.
We were 124 all together with about 7 guides and went to Skeggi - and the highest peak of 805m. I think we went around 14km and the walk was 6 hours in snow but there was not one cloud on the sky, sun shining and NO wind. Undescribably wonderful...looking forward to the next one even though my leg motor skills are not quite up yet.
Otherwise we've just been busy with work, school and the everyday life. Spring is in the air every other day but then snow comes in between - the undecided weather of old Iceland is always the same...which is never the same. Gotta love it.
Have a nice week...
Feb 17, 2009
I told you...
...Iceland is not the coldest country around. Comparison:
Yesterday:
New York: -3
Copenhagen:-2
Reykjavík: +7
London: +10
Today:
New York: 1
Copenhagen: -3
Reykjavík: +3
London: 7
You see?? New York IS actually colder than our wonderful country....
But yes. I went to my first meeting for the mountain climbing walking program and nearly fainted (no, but you know) of shock.
The goal with the program is to walk up Icelands highest peak - Hvannadalshnúkur - and the walk is 25 KILOMETERS!!! You'll need steal things on your shoes and ice climbing gear and walk in a line (in case there are cracks on the glacier).
We are still going...but it was a scary lecture (and we are in NO shape). But it's February and this is in June so we're good.
Óskar Ingi Jr is having a birthday on sunday - 1 years old! And Agnes and Gunnar are having another baby in august! And also, Gunnar is going to join the Left-Green movement and offer himself up for 2nd place on their list. He just might be one of their representatives in the parliament soon!!
For those of you who haven't seen - AirAsia is offering a crazy christmas deal to London (2 hours from there to here) - approx 1500RM (450 US) for both ways!! So those of you who want to visit our (very warm) country - you're welcome for a visit next christmast and new years eve.
Well...time to hit the books
Yesterday:
New York: -3
Copenhagen:-2
Reykjavík: +7
London: +10
Today:
New York: 1
Copenhagen: -3
Reykjavík: +3
London: 7
You see?? New York IS actually colder than our wonderful country....
But yes. I went to my first meeting for the mountain climbing walking program and nearly fainted (no, but you know) of shock.
The goal with the program is to walk up Icelands highest peak - Hvannadalshnúkur - and the walk is 25 KILOMETERS!!! You'll need steal things on your shoes and ice climbing gear and walk in a line (in case there are cracks on the glacier).
We are still going...but it was a scary lecture (and we are in NO shape). But it's February and this is in June so we're good.
Óskar Ingi Jr is having a birthday on sunday - 1 years old! And Agnes and Gunnar are having another baby in august! And also, Gunnar is going to join the Left-Green movement and offer himself up for 2nd place on their list. He just might be one of their representatives in the parliament soon!!
For those of you who haven't seen - AirAsia is offering a crazy christmas deal to London (2 hours from there to here) - approx 1500RM (450 US) for both ways!! So those of you who want to visit our (very warm) country - you're welcome for a visit next christmast and new years eve.
Well...time to hit the books
Feb 8, 2009
Naturally.....
....we get loud neighbours! We are simply cursed when it comes to neighbours. In our first apartment in down town Reykjavík 2003 we had lesbien drug addicts living above us who held parties 24/7...in Denmark it was the weird lady above us in Amager who went missing (never to be found again) and in Plantevej it was the loud-loud-LOUD lady downstairs who did not "talk" on the phone - she shouted...very annoying.
In Koi Tropika Malaysia we had the smelly hindu guy with the constant bells (praying thing but very loud) opposite and then the crowded apartment below where the guy just could not decide which musical genre to follow! Now here in Reykjavík we just have wonderful people living in our building (we're on the topmost floor - 4th floor) but the people below us play extreeeeemely loud music. It's fine sometimes...but annoying every single day, especially if you want to play your own cozy music (kind of blends in).
But we're loving our apartment and neighbourhood. The weather here is beautiful today + 2°C, clear blue sky and sun...we would be skiing as we speak but guess we have to spend this nice sunday reading some books...
Many friends have left Iceland in january for school or work somewhere else - but we're still happy not to have a plain ticket (for the first time in years!). Otherwise - same old...school-work-family-friends-busy.
Have a nice week
In Koi Tropika Malaysia we had the smelly hindu guy with the constant bells (praying thing but very loud) opposite and then the crowded apartment below where the guy just could not decide which musical genre to follow! Now here in Reykjavík we just have wonderful people living in our building (we're on the topmost floor - 4th floor) but the people below us play extreeeeemely loud music. It's fine sometimes...but annoying every single day, especially if you want to play your own cozy music (kind of blends in).
But we're loving our apartment and neighbourhood. The weather here is beautiful today + 2°C, clear blue sky and sun...we would be skiing as we speak but guess we have to spend this nice sunday reading some books...
Many friends have left Iceland in january for school or work somewhere else - but we're still happy not to have a plain ticket (for the first time in years!). Otherwise - same old...school-work-family-friends-busy.
Have a nice week
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