Our Scandinavian trip:
Reykjavik, Iceland: 3 nights
Stockholm, Sweden: 4 nights
Copenhagen, Denmark: 3 nights
Oslo, Norway: 2 nights
Myrdal, Norway: 1 night
Flam, Norway: 1 night
Bergen, Norway 1 night
Oslo, Norway: 2 nights
Paris, France: Canceled
Total: 18 nights
July 11 Monday:
5 pm: We cleaned up the bpc apartment and gave the keys to the doormen. I said good bye to them and thanked for their help. Our five year Manhattan living journey is officially over.
7 pm: My wife and daughter dropped us off to the Newark airport. We are very excited. Our flight is at 9:30 pm to Reykjavik, Iceland. We sat down and ordered some food thru the app.
July 12 Tuesday:
7:30 am: Arrived in Reykjavik airport. A little busy but we passed the security within a couple of minutes. Took the flybus transfer from the airport to the bus terminal. Walked from the BSI bus terminal to the hotel at the city center, took about 15 minutes. The room is not ready until 12:25 pm.
12:30 pm: 6 hour Golden Circle Classic Day Trip from Reykjavik
July 13 Wednesday:
10 am: 2 hour Walk with a Vikings walking tour
Electric scooters around the city
Perlan museum, ice cave, Adam did zipline
July 14 Thursday:
Sky Lagoon
8 pm: Icelandic Saga show at Harpa
July 15 Friday:
Easy flight from Reykjavik to Stockholm 2hr 45 mins.
Took the train from airport to the city central, 20 mins.
Our hotel is super close to the central station (train) which is in the center of the city
Walked around the city
July 16 Saturday:
Riding electric scooters around the city
Vasa museum tour
6:30 pm Stockholm opera, summer concerts
July 17 Sunday:
3 pm: Ocean bus tour, both on land and water
5 pm: 2-hr boat tour around Stockholm
July 18 Monday:
Change of plans, decided to stay one more night in Stockholm due to no seats available on the trains to Copenhagen, it makes a total of 4 nights in Stockholm, Sweden
Chinese buffet for lunch
Paddle boat
Viking Museum
4-hour Stockholm Safari tour, we had a traditional Swedish Midsummer dinner with six other people and afterwards saw a dozen of deer and a couple of hares
July 19 Tuesday:
Walking around the city
4 pm: Took the fast train from Stockholm to Copenhagen about 6 hours. The connecting train to Copenhagen in Lund was almost an hour late, so we checked in a bit late.
10:30 pm: Hotel check-in
11 pm: Walked around the city
July 20 Wednesday:
Breakfast, Walk around the city,
4 pm Segway tour of Copenhagen
July 21 Thursday:
paintball – Not confirmed
6 pm Bungee jumping for Adam
July 22 Friday:
1:59 pm Train from Copenhagen to Oslo
22:00 pm Oslo hotel check in
July 23 Saturday
12:45 pm: E-Scooter city tour for 1.5 hrs
3:30 pm: Fjords boat tour for 2 hrs
July 24 Sunday:
Train from Oslo to Myrdal it was almost 45 minutes late. Myrdal arrival at 10 pm. We have to walk to the hotel for 20 minutes thru the mountains.
July 25
zipline – stay in Flam / bergen
july 26
Voss Rafting ??
July 27:
Back to Oslo, two nights in oslo
July 29:
Flight from Oslo to NYC
past
I live in New York City and will be a 50 year-old man in a couple of years. I was born in Turkiye and moved to the U.S. 20+ years ago. Since I was a teenager I was aware that the time goes very fast, so I tried to accomplish as much as I could when I had the energy and the health, which I am very glad I did.
I felt the joy of making money very early, when I was 9 or 10 years old, with the encouragement of my dad I started selling simit (skinny sesame bagels) by myself or sometimes with my little brothers on the streets in my hometown Bursa. We didn’t make much money but enjoyed every bit of it. Following years I sold pens, wooden spoons, watches, silver rings, socks, t-shirts, jackets, etc, all on the streets.
When I was 12, I went to all-boys boarding school, stayed there for seven years until the last year of high school. This was my choice since home was boring and my dad was strict. The boarding school was free for all students, it was operated with public donations, the place was not fancy, almost all students were poor, the place would remind you an orphanage for teens, but it was mostly fun for me because I was surrounded by lots of friends, it also was close to home, like 30 minutes by car, so I was able to visit my parents and brothers anytime I wanted. During the summers, I either went to a camp of the school or worked in my dad’s small factory which I mostly hated. It was a difficult job physically, we had to wear greasy work uniforms, we were constantly working with metal and oil. This heavy job always made me appreciate the school or the office settings.
The high school was over, I was 18 and working in my dad’s place for the summer as usual. I was already accepted for college in Istanbul but my dad didn’t want me to leave, instead he wanted me to stay in my hometown Bursa and re-take the exam next year and go to a different college close to home. But I didn’t want that, I just wanted to leave and live my life.
It was the third week of September and my college was already started a week ago. It was bothering me that I could’ve been in a classroom in a big campus with new friends, instead I was working at the job I hated which I was not getting paid either.
This is when my own story starts; that morning my father was already left for work and I was getting ready to go as well, I told my mom that I am leaving them and moving to Istanbul today, she was shocked but realized that I was dedicated, she told me to say good-bye to my dad and ask some money from him, I said no, since I didn’t get along with him and had too much pride to ask. I was wearing a pair of old jeans, a t-shirt and slippers, I left with no money, no luggage, not knowing where I will stay. I just knew some old friends from my boarding-school who were already studying in Istanbul and I was hoping to stay with them a couple of weeks until I find a place for myself. I was very excited and nervous, I believe that starting that day until today I made all my own choices and there’s no-one to give credit or to blame.
At college I studied marketing research and advertising which I liked a lot. There were also girls in the classrooms which was new for me. I haven’t talked to a girl ever, so I enjoyed taking classes with them but because I did not have any money, didn’t want to ask my dad or get a grant from a foundation like many other students do, I had to find a job and constantly had to work and missed many of the classes.
Between the ages 13 and 22 I loved to read, perhaps I read thousands of books, mostly novels and stories. In those years I also wrote short stories and poems too. I believe reading a lot made me smarter and more understanding with people. My childhood dream was to write adventure novels travel the world like “Evliya Celebi” who traveled the world in 1600s and wrote a book about it.
Nowadays I don’t read much, instead I like to take long walks in the city, sit under the sun, watch movies, cook, eat and travel. I have been in 20+ different countries and wish to travel more. I love hanging out with family and friends. I enjoy listening to people who have interesting life stories or people with usual stories but telling them in an interesting way.
I have been living in the US for 20+ years. I have six brothers (no sister), both my parents are alive. I have been married to an Irish born & raised woman for 15+ years, we have two kids. Life in NYC is a bit hectic especially with the kids. My wife and I go out and try new restaurants. I try to go to the movies, musical events and theaters as much as possible. I like taking food photos and reviewing restaurants online. I drink a cup of black coffee daily, collect Starbucks gift cards and go to a foot reflexologist. On the weekends we get out of the city to get some fresh air, we also travel overseas each summer.
I have been working at Dinolingo, a language learning company for 10+ years. The company has been somewhat successful and survived through tough times. I like what I do.
I am kinda happy with my appearance, however because I love food so much, I gain weight so easily and fast. I would love to be 15-20 lb lighter.
I had a major surgery two years ago and that changed my body and my point of view about life. If I have no pain that day, it’s a great day for me. I try to enjoy every minute of it and try not to get upset too easily and stay upset too long.
Countries I have been:
Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Ireland, England, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Vatican, Turkey, Ukraine, Bahrain, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Nepal, S. Korea, Bahamas, Canada, Morocco, Australia, Puerto Rico, USA.
Serdar Acar 