Day 1 Oslo

I still don't know if I've beaten jet leg......again, I did not sleep even a wink on our +10 hour total flight. I fell asleep last night at around let's say: 19:30 Norway time and was awake by the time Aunt Kat was up getting ready for the day and going down to breakfast which is served from 7:30-9:30. I tell her I will go too (I don't wanna miss breakfast!!!!) but have to take my insulin etc. Only I stumble downstairs of the hostel and she is stumbling back upstairs to tell me its only 5am and breakfast is not ready! WHAT?! Time to change our clocks to the current local time.......


So I guess my first day in a foreign country and I've managed to take my medication early, better than taking it late I suppose. And I've managed to wake up early, this people, is probably a first for me as I love to sleep in! I feel good though! So maybe those crazy few days of getting up at midnight are actually paying off.


Too much walking already, 7 miles yesterday, and my pedometer that I am wearing for a work exercise will not roll over for another 4 hours because it is(and will stay) on Alaska time. It'll average out...



Was HOT (well 70 degrees) when we deplaned, and clear and sunny. Within 5 hours of getting here and we were picking up a few groceries in a busy little oriental feeling market and it began raining! Not just raining, I swear it was like October in Alaska, pouring buckets!!!! I am reading a book called the art of racing in the rain, well we can surely relate today. And our coats were, of course at the hostel.

Statues everywhere..... Off on another day to go take more photos!!!!

- Posted from Oslo using BlogPress from my iPad

Staying awake about jet lag

Hello!

Its that time again for me to warm up my writing pencil and get into a good habit to blog about my and Aunt Kats upcoming trip to.....(if you dont already know since I have been talking of nothing else)....NORWAY!!!!

Once again I will not be sending out individual emails. (Of course I will respond if you just want to say hello!) But if you want to keep track of where we are and how we are doing I recommend checking out: http://sitkakoala.blogspot.com/ every couple of days, as I will be blogging regularly and posting when I can find internet connection and using my fabulous new ipad! Or at least posting some pictures as we go....

This year I have come to the conclusion that I need need NEED to beat jet lag!!!! Last year when I flew to Greece I had jet lag baaaaadddd.....I swear the locals thought I was a zombie from the last frontier! Does anyone know why jet lag is worse when you fly West to East vs the return trip? And what are some things that you have tried to beat your own jet lag?!

The time adjustment from Alaska to Norway is +10 hours. Today it is tomorrow in Norway(or at least dinner time if you are reading this in the morning ;)

4pm Alaska= 2am in Norway
7am Alaska= 5pm in Norway
7am Norway= 9pm in Alaska

So I will be taking my insulin at 12am beginning Friday the 22, and none that morning. This will be easier to control and fix on my home turf versus in a foreign country where there too many distractions! So that when arrive at my +10 hour destination I can set my alarm and take my insulin at 8am "Norway time" for the remainder of the trip.

Dont worry folks, I will be testing my blood glucose and taking fast acting insulin humalog on Friday to compensate as needed throughout the day. I will also be sleeping a bit during normal waking hours and not eating so much so I can confuse my sleep/food schedule before hand, maybe it will then be less of a shock to my system once we arrive in Norway. (nothing is to be missed on this adventure!!!!!)

To Do List 1 week before trip:

1. Adjust insulin so body is not going through blood sugar changes AND city disorientation!
2. Stay up ALL night 5 nights in a row before flight (sleep right after work 4pm-12am-sorry social life I will be back in September) this will also help me sleep ON the plane (at least I hope)
3. Eat ALL meals during the night: breakfast @12am, lunch @7am and dinner @around 12pm.
4. Eat less (or nothing) during the day to trick my body into changing its meal time pattern.
5. Pack light!

Except this packing light technique is unavoidable when you have to pack water resistant items + a jacket!! Why did I pick a place so similar to where I live year round?!

And oh boy, Monday and Tuesday at work should be tricky...... when you read the next post it will be coming from Oslo!

Skoal!!

Aerophobia..... or is it?

Aerophobia: a fear of flying.

But research is proving that there are many "phobias" that fit into this category and I am learning about myself that I am totally a combo! (For those of you who dont know me really well I tend to get some anxiety before *and embarrassingly at times* during flights) There is such a thing as aeronausiphobia: fear of embarrassing onself via vomiting/panic attacks. Sigh. So many phobias, so little time......

Im not entirely scared of flying/planes. It surely has something to do with being a bit claustrophobic; but only where other people are involved!

For example: I am not claustrophobic in elevators, tiny rooms, confined boat cabins....unless these places happen to be occupied by many people...and I mean a lot of other people. 3 other people in an elevator is not going to stress me out, well, actually I take the stairs ALL the time so maybe this is not a very good example(maybe I better test that out)!!!! Long story short I suppose I sort of have a small side of anthrophobia in social situations too, which does not help flying anxieties any.

*acrophobia- fear of heights
*agoraphobia- fear of open spaces
*anthropophobia- fear of people
*claustrophobia - fear of enclosed spaces

Good thing I do not have enetophobia: fear of needles!

As for the update for the high school reunion, which ALSO fits into the social phobia category, I chose not to attend. For many reasons. And I do not regret that I didnt go. The end. (haha still analyzing this one....)

As for Norway....16 more days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did I mention to Aunt Kat about my flying anxiety?!